Levittown Church is a Family, Their Doors are Always Open

What drew 21-year-old Morrisville resident Amanda Graf to Thornridge Community Church in Levittown? The openness and loving  environment, she said.

The born-again Christian was looking for a church to call her own when a minister recommended the the brick church at 7 Thornridge Place.

“What’s good about this church is that it’s like a big family,” Graf said. “It’s a come-as-you-are church.”

The church is small, but growing, and members say the atmosphere and upbeat 10:30 a.m. Sunday services are likely to draw more people.

Member Jesse Schulz, 24, of Bensalem, says the weekly services usually features music, testimony of God’s grace, time for prayer and a lesson from Pastor Stephen Gray.

“Everyone is just around having fun praising the Lord,” he said.

Graf praised Pastor Gray and said he helps lead a church that makes sure no one feels alone.

“The pastor always has time to sit one-on-one,” she said.

If a member of the church is absent from a service, friends at the church often check in to make sure they are alright and offer a recap of the Sunday sermon.

The Protestant Christian church, which has been in the Levittown community for 60 years, is affiliated with the Bible-believing Wesleyan theology, which is an offshoot of the Methodist denomination.

“We want you to have your own knowledge and read the Bible for yourself,” Graf said.

Member Ein Waldron, 23, of Feasterville, said the church encourages members to have a “one-on-one relationship with God”

As part of the effort to inform the community of the church and God’s grace, members distributed free bibles on Saturday morning at the church’s annual flea market.

Graf, Schulz and Waldron manned a cooled Prayer Tent while temperatures blazed near 100 degrees outside. Inside the green tent, music was performed by Schulz and friendly discussion was spurred with visitors.

Levittown resident Chris Roehm, who made headlines in June after he pulled an injured teenager from a car after it flipped on New Falls Road, sat and talked scripture with Graf and other members after reading a bible he picked up for free at the church. He said he hoped to get involved with the church starting on Sunday.

The flea market also featured games for kids and plenty of interesting finds for shoppers.

Aside from the market, the church will be holding a free Vacation Bible School for kids ages 4 to 12 starting on August 5. For more information, call 215-945-2465.

The church also hosts bible-based groups for kids and teens. Both groups often play games, learn scripture-based lessons and enjoy fun field trips.

Another flea market will be held by the church on September 21.

“No matter your age, where you come from – You’re going to get a hug when you come here,” Graf said.

Check out Jesse Schulz’s music on Facebook and Youtube.