Pleased To Meet You: Dr. Jim Kelly
Do you know this long-time FPCG member?
When Jim Kelly (Dr. James H. Kelly) and his wife joined First Presbyterian, he was a Methodist and she a Baptist, but they both agreed that this integrated church offered a Christian message to which they both could relate. The congregation was highly regarded in the community, and the Kelly’s quickly were made to feel welcome.
Jim notes that they were the second African American couple to unite with the church but that they never “thought that much about it.” The year was 1973.
Jim, a Philadelphia native, grew up in churches. He recalls the impact a Sunday school teacher, Wilma Gaines, had on his life at the Haven United Methodist Church in Philadelphia. Another influence was the Rev. Dr. Andrew Sebben of the First Presbyterian Church in Trenton, New Jersey, from where he transferred his membership.
A graduate of the Bryn Mawr School of Social Work and of the School of Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania, Jim has had a long career as a social worker and a marriage and family therapist. He has been associated with Antioch University and with Evergreen Managed Care.
At First Presbyterian, Jim's first job was ushering on the second Sunday of the month. An ordained deacon and elder in his former church, he also has held those positions here. He was a member of the search committee which was responsible for bringing the Rev. Scottie Griffin to the pulpit at First. "That was a very strong committee, a highly educated one, and serving on it was a special experience for me," Kelly says. I got a feel for how people think." Among the members of the committee were Dr. Charlie Hall, Jack Asher. Jim Thompson and Dr. Marcia Hall. The group spent a year reading dossiers and going to Florida, New York and Ohio to hear potential candidates preach.
Jim recalls that after Dr. Aaron Gast came as the pastor the church was well‑organized. Gast was an intellectual and known for his well‑prepared, erudite sermons. "While he seemed relaxed and comfortable, Jim says, "sometimes he wasn't." He was, however, fortunate in having as his assistant the Rev. James Wright. After Dr. Gast left, the church changed. It remained the central church in the area, though, and the growth of the church was shepherded in part by Bill Oldach, Randy Rosensteel, Jack Asher, Jim Thompson and Bill Young.
Assessing the current status of the FPCG, Jim realizes that there are problems with the church's being able to maintain itself, particularly in its location. He well recognizes that our areas of outreach drive us into the community. "I like the programs we have," he says, "but the church can do more than it is doing now." He wonders as so many do how the First Presbyterian Church in Germantown can attract more people.
The retired social worker feels that one thing that continues to appeal to people is the music. "It is gorgeous all the time, and the concerts are wonderful."
What has changed the most in the 37 years Jim Kelly has been here? "The idea that people who are active professionally don't seem to be attracted to the church.You can't divorce Christianity from your everyday professional life." Jim believes the church is at another crossroads, very much in need of institutional structure. "The power and strength of the church is contact with God. This church provides the environment for tapping into that power and strength."
In summing up his love for the church, Jim has a prayer: "My hopes for the church's future are that the ministry of Jesus Christ will continue here and that the church will continue to offer a religious and cultural experience to the community."