Beacon
“Beacon” is a neighborhood faith community that invites people of all ages to grow together through arts, learning, and faith. The congregation is a “New Church Development” of the Presbyterian Church. With leadership trained locally at Princeton Seminary, Broad Street Ministry, and Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Beacon is interested not only in creating a vibrant safe space for neighborhood children but working to raise up a generation of civic minded leaders, through service-learning partnerships with Eastern University, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the Presbyterian Church, USA. They have been heralded as a “warm, welcoming place in an area besieged with problems.” Their after-school programs teach children to care for one another and find an outlet to share what’s going on in their lives in a safe, trustworthy community.
Beacon also offers worship and significant programs during the week for people of all ages. Through their programs in art, writing, and music, they build a sense of community across neighborhood barriers, along with providing positive conflict resolution, creative processing of grief and stress, and a team of dedicated and loving mentors. Their staff and volunteers approach the work with intelligence, planning, and a deep sense of caring. They are committed to creating change in society by working with individuals and small groups on the grass-roots level.”