Germantown Mennonite Church
What We Do
GMC is a highly engaged, active church with strong roots in our community of Northwest Philadelphia. We strive to put much of our energy into serving those around us and pouring into our youth and young people. We find this focus deepens our worship and wholeness as a church.
New Sanctuary Movement
Our community currently provides sanctuary to Carmela Apollonia Hernandez and her four children and supports their struggle for the right to live freely without threat of deportation. They have lived in our church since December 2018, and previously lived in sanctuary at the historic Church of the Advocate in North Philly. Their campaign is coordinated by the New Sanctuary Movement.
New Sanctuary Movement builds community across faith, ethnicity, and class in their work to end injustices against immigrants regardless of immigration status, express radical welcome for all, and ensure that values of dignity, justice, and hospitality are lived out in practice and upheld in policy.
How can you help?
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Pray with Carmela and other faith leaders every Wednesday at noon on Facebook live.
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Call your senator and representative and ask them to support Carmela’s struggle for freedom:
New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia
2601 Potter St
Philadelphia, PA 19125
| Tel: 215-279-7060
Children & Youth
Children and young people are a gift from God and central to all we do at GMC. We desire that our children feel loved and valued by the GMC community, develop values of kindness, honesty, justice, peaceful responses to life’s challenges, learn about the Biblical story, grow in love for God and Jesus, make peer friendships in the church family, and relate to adults in positive ways. The pandemic has changed how we gather, but it has not changed the depth of God’s love for young people.
Worship Participation
Every worship service includes an opportunity for children to gather at the heart of worship for a lesson and prayer. And even on Zoom, young people can read scripture and contribute meditative music to the service.
Sunday School
We offer Sunday School for Pre-K through 12th grade 10:15-10:45am before worship. Contact the office for the link.
Youth Group
Over 30 youth, grades 5-12, gather every month for prayer, connection, and learning together. This fall, we’re trying a combination of small in-person cohorts and zoom meetings, centered around the theme of Healing Justice.
Our Whole Lives
Every other year, we offer the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program to children in 5th - 12th grades. OWL is a progressive approach to sexuality education and is based firmly on the values of self-worth, sexual health, responsibility, justice and inclusivity. We want to support our young people in making healthy and loving decisions regarding their bodies, their identities, and their relationships. We believe that faith-rooted sexuality education can help young people, families, and our church as a whole have a healthy conversation about sexuality and faith.
Other Activities
Other fun activities for younger kids to connect pop up periodically on our listserv!
Contact John Bergen
john@germantownmennonite.org
Urban Resources Development Corporation (URDC)
URDC helps hundreds of families in Germantown and its surrounding communities through renovating abandoned or dilapidated homes for eventual sale to first-time homebuyers through their Housing Rehabilitation Program; or assisting senior and low-income homeowners with exterior home repairs via their Owner Occupied Repair Program.
Urban Resources Development Corporation
6001 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144
buildgermantown.org | Tel: 267-289-2159
Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust
GMHT cares for the historic 1770 Germantown Mennonite Meetinghouse, a significant symbol of the first permanent Mennonite settlement in North America.
Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust
6133 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144
gmht@meetinghouse.info
www.meetinghouse.info | Tel: 215-843-0943
Kingdom Builders Construction
Kingdom Builders Construction is a network of Anabaptist churches and community organizations in the Philadelphia area.
Kingdom Builders Construction
2030 East Willard Street
Philadelphia PA 19134
www.kbcphilly.org | Tel: 267-281-3731
Brethern-Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests
BMC works to cultivate an inclusive church and society and to care for the Mennonite and Brethren lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied community.
Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests
PO Box 6300
Minneapolis, MN 55406
www.bmclgbt.org | Tel: 612-343-2060
Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry
Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry connects at-risk Northwest Philadelphia residents to resources within themselves and the community, that resolve their crises, stabilize their lives and equip them to take the next step(s) toward self-sufficiency.
Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry
35 W Chelten Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144
www.crisisministry.org | Tel: 215-843-2340
Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network
Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network provides assessment and referrals, emergency housing, supportive service and transitional housing to families in the Philadelphia area.
Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network
7047 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19119
rachel@philashelter.org
philashelter.org | Tel: 215-247-4663
Museum of Art and Peace
Our Museum of Art and Peace, held inside our church building, displays both our own collection of art that challenges us to proclaim peace and justice, and welcomes exhibits from artists that relate to these themes. To learn more about our Museum of Art and Peace, contact the church office.
Museum of Art and Peace
at Germantown Mennonite Church
21 West Washington Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19144
Yes! And... Collaborative Arts
Yes! And... Collaborative Arts equips children and young people with the tools to be better learners, to believe in themselves and to realize their dreams through the work of creating collaboratively with peers and professional artists.
Yes! And... Collaborative Arts
21 West Washington Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19144
www.yesandcamp.org | Tel: 215-278-4264