Baldwin United Presbyterian Church

The Monongahela Presbytery of the United Presbyterian Church, meeting at Oakdale United Presbyterian Church in June 1955, chartered a commission to "tend to matters pertaining to organizing a congregation at the Leland Park Mission." Prior to this date, the forerunner to Baldwin United Presbyterian Church was known as the Leland Park Mission which was meeting in the gymnasium of the Sickman Elemen

tary School. The same Mission had previously petitioned the National Board of Missions in 1952 for support to establish an independent congregation. Their petition was rejected as it was felt that an apartment complex was insufficiently stable to warrant the financial investment required. There was no assurance that the Board would view the risks any differently in 1955. No commercial bank would consider that there was sufficient security for a loan of the magnitude required. However, in an act of faith, fifty one people met in the Sickman gymnasium on September 18, 1955 to become the first members of the Baldwin United Presbyterian Church. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church endorsed their faith and pledged financial support if the Board would cover the remaining balance. Thanks be to God, the Board did indeed authorize the establishment of Baldwin United Presbyterian Church as an independent congregation, which held its first worship service on November 26, 1955.