History of Our Church

Over 150 years ago (October 10, 1859), a small group of Scottish families organized a congregation that was to be the First United Presbyterian Church. The congregation was organized with seventeen charter members, all of whom had four surnames: Kennedy, McClelland, Orr, and Smith.

There were only three or four houses on Wick Avenue in 1868, the year the first church was built at the corner of Wood and Walnut Streets. It was a good location and in an exciting time of town growth. The first church, under good leadership, soon doubled its size and outgrew its building. A second was erected in 1894. At this time the name was changed to Tabernacle United Presbyterian Church.

Youngstown was growing rapidly as a city and Tabernacle began reaching out to establish new churches, therefore earning herself the title "Mother of Churches". In 1908, Tabernacle members laid the spiritual foundation to South United Presbyterian Church (at present John Knox Presbyterian Church) and in 1916, Brownlee Woods and in 1920, Pleasant Grove joined the Presbyterian family in Youngstown.

In 1958, Tabernacle, an inner city church with declining membership, was given the option of merging with a larger church (same denomination) a block away, closing, or moving. A location on Raccoon Road in Austintown was chosen which was then a field in the country. The cornerstone was laid in 1966 and the congregation moved into its new edifice March 19, 1967.

The building itself was complete but there was no sanctuary, so for six years worship services were held in Fellowship Hall. Sanctuary construction was begun in 1972 under Rev. Robert Mulholland and the congregation worshiped in the new sanctuary on Palm Sunday, April 15, 1973. Dedication was November 25, 1973.

Several years later, as the congregation continued its growth - and the ministry of the church expanded - the session agreed to search for an associate pastor. The Rev. Robert E. Ralston was called in 1975 as an assistant pastor until 1978 when he was installed as the associate pastor. He was called as Pastor in 1980.

1980 was a dramatic point in the church's life. After many years as an evangelical church in a liberal denomination, Tabernacle was brought to a decisive turning point by several unacceptable demands that were presented to the congregation. The result was that on March 10, 1980, the congregation unanimously voted to leave the former United Presbyterian denomination and in December 1982 joined the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Tabernacle was in litigation over ownership of the building for many years, and won the battle November 23, 1987.

Rev. Robert Ralston was called to Faith Church in Aurora, Colorado in the fall of 1986. During 1986-1987, we had several visiting ministers. We were fortunate enough to have Rev. Tim Lowe of the Rescue Ministries and members of our church preach.

Reverend Robert A. Stauffer, his wife, Debbie, and family came to Tabernacle in October 1987. Bob preached his first sermon October 25, 1987 which was a new beginning for Tabernacle Church. In 1988, Gary Koerth and his wife, Cindy, came to take the leadership in our ministry to the young people of our community. In 1993, James "Bucky" Brown and his wife, Judy, made the long trek from California. "Bucky" joined the staff as executive pastor.

As the church experienced growth it was evident that more room was needed for our growing ministries. In April 1996, construction was finished on "Mulholland Hall", the new Fellowship Hall/Gym and Youth Room.

In the Spring of 1998, James Brown was called to South Carolina as Senior Pastor. Gary Koerth then became Executive Pastor. In August 1999, after more than eleven years of service, Dr. Robert Stauffer was called from Tabernacle Church to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; then to the EPC as Director of National Outreach; and most currently, Pastor of a new church plant in Slippery Rock, PA called Gateway Community EPC.

From August of 1999 until February of 2002, Pastor Gary Koerth filled in as interim pastor while Tabernacle Church sought out its current pastor. In February of 2002 Rick Stauffer came to Tabernacle Church with his wife Daneen and two children to serve as pastor.