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Spruce Street Baptist Church: Caring for You, Sharing Jesus Christ
Our Community Feature Article by Liz Burnett
Photos courtesy of SSBC Pastor Roland Buccialia
How can a church founded in 1689 still be relevant and thriving 330 years later? Only if its leadership and congregation create a caring, supportive community that nourishes its members’ families so well that they share it from generation to generation. Did you know there IS such a church right here in Newtown Square?
Spruce Street Baptist Church (SSBC) at 3701 Gradyville Road in Newtown Square traces its history to 1689 and the founding of Pennypack Baptist Church in northeast Philadelphia. In 1829, a doctrinal difference arose among the church leadership. That resulted in a split and the founding in downtown Philadelphia of SSBC, which was officially assigned the honor and responsibility of carrying on the heritage of the original church.
Landmark showing history of Spruce Street Baptist Church
When members started moving to Delaware County, the church purchased land in 1963 for its current location on Gradyville Rd and Rte 252. The fact that William Penn had laid out that exact Delaware County intersection back in 1681 affirmed for the congregation that every generation of members since 1689 had indeed been good stewards of SSBCs heritage and mission.
Aerial view of Spruce Street Baptist Church, 3701 Gradyville Road in Newtown Square
Since 1986, that same desire to serve and nourish young families as well as the “senior saints” has guided the ministry of current SSBC Pastor, Rev. Dr. Roland Buccialia. Born and raised in Marlton, NJ, he grew up in a home centered on God and teaching the Word of God. After graduating from Baptist Bible College, he earned a Master’s and Doctoral degrees, and has done post-Doctoral studies in Biblical Counseling.
SSBC Pastor Roland Buccialia and his wife Lorna
Pastor Roland and his wife Lorna, now married almost 40 years, raised their daughter and three sons while he pastored SSBC for the past 33 years. “It’s been a blessing for us to be in Newtown Square. We love the community! All four of our children are local and very much an integral part of our ministry and assist in leadership and service to our church ministry.”
This Bible-based Bible-teaching church has flourished because its worship services are relevant and support people of all ages to grow in their faith and develop deeper relationships with Jesus Christ, their extended family, their church family and their local communities. Service to others deepens all those relationships, Most church operational functions are done by volunteer members of the church family. This framework creates and develops all members’ sense of family participation, partnership and ownership of the ministry itself.
Pastor Roland in his Newtown Township Police Officer uniform
Pastor Roland considers his church to be the entire Newtown Township community because, as he puts it, that’s who his heart is called to serve. For over 25 years, he’s been a volunteer Fire/Police Officer and Chaplain for Newtown Township’s Fire and Police Departments. As he supports those first responders who risk their lives to help local residents in crisis, he often sees the words of Jesus in action: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
The church facility has also served the local community on occasion, as one of several support shelters for local residents after a storm or during personal challenges. The congregation participates in and also sponsors community events. Their annual Live Nativity (this year Fri+Sat December 20+21 6:30pm) is a drive or walk back in time, to experience the joy and simplicity of the very first Christmas. And SSBC is a major heartbeat and central drop-off center for thousands of Operation Christmas Child gift shoeboxes that will be distributed globally by the international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse.
Spruce Street Baptist Church’s heritage and Mission — Caring for the individual through a Bible-centered ministry — has been alive and well in our area literally for centuries. Many generations of their members might agree their longevity is because they love God, love each other, and bring “changeless truths to a constantly changing world.” SSBC extends an open invitation to attend their Sunday 10:45am service and experience “a place where your worship is inward, upward, and outward in service.”
