East Lansdowne Seventh Day Adventist Church

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  • About East Lansdowne Church.

Developing loving relationships with Christ and our Community.

The East Lansdowne Church (ELC) is a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Pennsylvania that provides uplifting services and a place of worship to the East Lansdowne, Lansdowne, Upper Darby, and Overbrook communities.

Mission Statement

The East Lansdowne Church’s mission is to improve the spiritual and physical lives of the residents of East Lansdowne, Lansdowne and Upper Darby by coordinating an effort to strengthen the physical, social, emotional and economic status of the church by being a catalyst for the spread of gospel and neighborhood revival through participation and service. Ellen G. White states in Acts of the Apostles that a “watchful church is a working church”. As we wait and watch for the return of Christ we will work and prepare all who will listen for the Lord’s return.

leadership

Pastor Charles C. Richards, II

Pastor Charles C. Richards, II, brings over 25 years of ministry experience and a unique blend of pastoral and therapeutic expertise to his calling. Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Pastor Richards discovered his gift for preaching at the remarkable age of 12 and has been faithfully serving God’s people ever since.
Pastor Richards holds impressive academic credentials that reflect his commitment to excellence in ministry and service. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Theology with a concentration in Pastoral Ministry from Washington Adventist University, followed by a Master’s in Religion with a concentration in Ethical Leadership from the same institution. Recognizing the deep connection between spiritual and emotional wellness, he also completed a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Abilene Christian University and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in a related field.

With 10 years of pastoral experience, Pastor Richards has served in various ministry roles, including youth pastor, assistant pastor, senior pastor, and traveling evangelist. His ministry extends beyond the pulpit through his 20 years of experience in behavioral and mental health services across three states, working with individuals from childhood through their senior years.

Pastor Richards maintains active membership in prestigious professional organizations, including the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), and the National Association of Christian Ministers (NACM).
He shares life’s journey with his wife, Dr. Dian Richards, and together they are blessed with five children: Azjah (Asia), Charles III, Ethan, Nathan, and Charles IV. When not ministering or counseling, Pastor Richards enjoys friendly competition in pool, dominoes, table tennis, and board games, and proudly supports the NY Giants, NY Knicks, and NY Yankees.
Pastor Richards’ ministry philosophy centers on delivering God’s Word in relevant, practical ways that transform lives. He firmly believes that Christians are called to have a profoundly positive impact on everyone they encounter.
Pastor Richards currently serves as the Senior Pastor of East Lansdowne and Macedonia SDA Churches. With humility and authenticity, Pastor Richards describes himself as “a flawed man trying to deliver a perfect message to a flawed people” – a perspective that resonates with congregations and brings hope to all who hear him speak.

Our History

church history

The East Lansdowne Church (ELC) is a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Pennsylvania that provides uplifting services and a place of worship to its members and the East Lansdowne, Lansdowne, Upper Darby, and Overbrook communities. ELC was established in 2013 with the merger of two smaller congregations. ELC consists of two separate church bodies that effectively merged to provide an even stronger force and combined skill sets to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. The two congregations were the United Missionary Church and the Overbrook SDA Church. Overbrook started in 1996 as a small company and grew to over 30 souls. The United Missionary Church began in 1995 and soon had a membership of close to 50 souls. United Missionary soon purchased a church home. Under the guidance of Dr. S. Peter Campbell, United Missionary and Overbrook Church merged to form the East Lansdowne Church. After the merger, Elder Campbell successfully encouraged the utilization of the talents of both churches, creating one vibrant congregation. With Pastor Campbell’s retirement, ELC received their new pastor Shawn L. Fordham. Elder Fordham had served as Pastor Campbell’s assistant. ELC now hosts a growing congregation with a steady weekly attendance of 120 souls and continues to grow.

Our Beliefs

Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as the only source of our beliefs. We consider our movement to be the result of the Protestant conviction Sola Scriptura—the Bible as the only standard of faith and practice for Christians.
Currently, Adventists hold 28 fundamental beliefs that can be organized into six categories—the doctrines of God, man, salvation, the church, the Christian life and last day events. In each teaching, God is the architect, who in wisdom, grace and infinite love, is restoring a relationship with humanity that will last for eternity.

We believe that God Loves

God is love, power, and splendor—and God is a mystery. His ways are far beyond us, but He still reaches out to us. God is infinite yet intimate, three yet one, all-knowing yet all-forgiving.

We believe that God Creates

From neurons to nebulae, DNA to distant galaxies, we are surrounded by wonder. Yet the beauty is broken.

We believe that God Redeems

Love. Harmony. Perfection. Once, all creation sang the same glorious song.

We believe that God Inhabits

Jesus left His followers with an epic mission: tell the world of His love and His promise to return. Also, they should love people the way He loved them.

We believe that God Transforms

God’s law in the Ten Commandments show us how to live and make clear our need for Jesus. Though the law shows us the path to follow and convicts us of sin, it’s about far more than just toeing the line.

We believe that God Triumphs

From the Garden of Eden to the Tower of Babel, the destruction of Sodom to the Exodus from Egypt, God has always investigated before taking action.

Find out more about what we believe

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How to reach us

In Person Service Times:
Sabbath School: 9:30 am
Sabbath Worship Experience : 11:00 am

You have questions? Fill out the short form below and we’ll be in contact with you – we’re excited that you want to be Rooted, Grow, and Serve with us!

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