Our History

In July of that year, the Community of Reconciliation Church took shape as part of the University and City Ministries (UACM).  The UACM brought together many resources to provide a united and comprehensive witness to an urban university community. C.O.R. was the worshiping body of a ministry that included work with academic concerns, campus ministry, urban action, youth ministry, and creative work with children.

Early descriptions called C.O.R. interracial in composition, innovative in style, missional in intention and ecumenical in relationships.  But planning papers and organization charts fail to capture the essence of the congregation.  C.O.R. came into being at a time when human and congregational stories converged and when doors of opportunity were opening.  The Spirit of God brought together people from diverse backgrounds that were caught up in a vision of the church as the Body of Christ and, therefore, should not be a reflection of society but a model for it.  As stated by Dr. King, the reality that the 11 o’clock Sunday hour was the most segregated hour of the week was an affront to God.

With the encouragement of the Pittsburgh Presbytery staff, the clergy and laity of the First Presbyterian Church, Bellefield Presbyterian Church, and Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church formed the nucleus of an interracial worshipping congregation.  The Reverends Bruce Swenson, James Gardner and Dr. Harold Tolliver provided the pastoral leadership of the interracial community which these two white congregations and one black congregation established and sustained.

For Dr. Tolliver, 1968 was the fulfillment of a long-held dream of a racially integrated church.  Grace Church had been a participating congregation, with several suburban white congregations, in the Membership Exchange Program.  White and black families transferred membership for a one-year period.  Many never returned to their original congregations.

Following through on its intention to be ecumenical in its relationships, C.O.R. imagined what it would be like to be related not only to the Presbyterian Church -(U.S.A.), but more broadly to the Church universal. In 1982, C.O.R. sought and achieved recognition as a congregation in good standing with four other denominations: the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the American Baptist Church.  Rather than being one church among many, C.O.R. became a participant in denominational affairs as a congregation with a particular faith story and witness to share.

Among the many, many ways that Community of Reconciliation Church has lived out its witness over the first 35 years, we especially remember the following:  the intercity Youth Group which brought together youth from urban and suburban churches; a gospel choir that traveled to Africa; a Public Education Project which advocated for quality, integrated education in our public schools; major musical productions like “Cool in the Furnace”; and, the Women in Theology group which influenced the congregation to amend its covenant and adopt gender-inclusive language in worship.

Under the leadership of Rev. Willis Ludlow (1993-1997; 1998 d.), the congregation developed a strong commitment to peace and justice issues; attention was given to transforming economic, social, political and religious systems so as to root out the causes of fear and hatred, ignorance and violence in the places that we live, work and worship.

There is no question that the first thirty years brought about highs and lows, challenges and successes. Like many congregations, developmental issues continued to challenge our church. We took a long and thoughtful journey to becoming Radically Inclusive… Ministers in Action! as we studied, prayed and fellowshipped together to seek God’s wisdom and guidance. In May 2006 we amended our Membership Covenant to unapologetically include everyone regardless of sexual orientation, worldly or bodily-ability.

Rev. Denise R. Mason has been our lead pastor since July 2000. She was called to assist our congregation in revitalizing and developing, focusing our attention on three main areas of ministry: Leadership Development, Evangelism & Spiritual Growth, and Enhancing Diversity in all aspects of our congregational life. This work has led us to embrace Christ’s call beyond the doors of our sanctuary as we reach out to our Oakland community with the Good News of Jesus Christ.