This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Altadena Church Celebrates its 100th anniversary

http://altadenapresbyterian.org/  The annual Fall Festival of the First Presbyterian Church will celebrate the church's 100-year anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.  In addition to the regular festivities of family fun and games, bake and boutique shops, fabulous Asian food and delicious hot dogs and hamburger, and fellowship and entertainment, church members have planned two special events to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
      An extensive photo celebration of the church's 100-year history will be displayed in the library, and dramatic live performance of the original play, "One Way or Another--Overcoming the Odds One Base at a Time," will be presented in the sanctuary at 5:00 p.m.
       The play centers on the friendship of Shig Takayama (a deceased church member) and famous Pasadena athlete, Jackie Robinson, as they together pushed up against the "whites only" barrier while teammates on the Pasadena City College baseball team.  As they struggled against racial barriers, they found that they shared the same source of spiritual strength stemming from their faith borne out of involvement in two local churches: Shig, at the (Pasadena) Japanese Union Church--now First Presbyterian Church, Altadena-- and Jackie, at the Scott United Methodist Church, still located in central Pasadena.
     76 years later, the story of Shig and Jackie's friendship and tenacity provides the Altadena/Pasadena community a legacy of interracial cooperation and a model for how it can it move ahead together.  The performance, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the church sanctuary at 5 p.m.
      The festival will conclude with a hula dancing performance at 7:30 p.m.  The church is located at the corner of Harriet Street and Lincoln Avenue.  For more information about the festival or play, please contact (626) 791-4271.
     

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Altadena