Obituaries

Rev. Thomas Dodd Church

March 10, 1951 - August 28, 2026

Funeral services will be held at 1 PM on Friday, September 4th at Faith Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 545 Daretown Rd., Elmer, NJ 08318. Friends are invited to visit from 12 PM until the time of service at 1 PM. A graveside service will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, September 5th at St. Paul Cemetery, 850 Hill Church Rd., Hummelstown, PA 17036.

Thomas Dodd Church, March 10, 1951 – August 28, 2026.

Thomas Dodd Church, born to William Pate Church and Catherine Dodd (nee Cole) Church, grew up on the North Shore of Chicago, IL. While at Washington College in Chestertown, MD, the Holy Spirit showed Tom that he was living a selfish and self-centered life, one which he grew to abhor. Through friends and a church fellowship, he saw hope in turning from his sinful life to Jesus to receive both forgiveness and true sonship enabling him to change.

After graduating college in 1974, Tom pursued studying the Bible at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, receiving a MDiv degree in 1978. In 1977 he married his wife of 49 years, Julia (nee Dillon) Church. Under the mentoring of Rev. Dr. John H. Skilton and Rev. Dr. C. John Miller, Tom developed a heart for communicating the gospel which led him to pastoral ministry. Tom was ordained in 1981 as an evangelist by the Presbytery of the Northwest of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and took up the position as Regional Home Missionary. During that time, he planted Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Yakima, WA.

In 1987, he was called to pastor Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Bellmawr, New Jersey. Along with having a heart for church planting, Tom also loved to share the message of Jesus’ salvation through faith alone and spent much time leading ministry at The Boardwalk Chapel, Wildwood, NJ. Tom retired from Immanuel Church in 2019 and took a position as Minister in Residence working with Rev. Richard Ellis at Faith Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Elmer, New Jersey from 2020-2021 and then with Rev. Claude Taylor at New Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Bridgeton, NJ, from 2022 until August of 2025 when a health issue led to emergency surgery.

Rev. Thomas Church passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, August 28, 2026. His friends and family remember him as a man of many eclectic interests, including sailing, amateur radio, cross-country skiing, and mushroom hunting. He is survived by his wife Julia, his seven children: Ezra Church (Alissa nee Pacana), Dr. Ephraim Church (Emily nee Brackbill), Asahel Church (Laura nee Helmuth), Adriel Butts (Robert), Rev. Aijalon Church (Jana nee Crum) who pastors Covenant OPC, Sinking Springs, PA, Keturah Church (Drew Frey), Simeon Church (Maria nee Crawford), and 23 grandchildren.

Arrangements are by the H.T. Layton Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Woodstown.