Mission Yearbook: Pennsylvania church shares its story through StoryCorps’ Brightness in Black

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Capital Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, affectionately known as The Church on the Hill, is honored to announce its participation in StoryCorps’ Brightness in Black. This national storytelling initiative celebrates the voices and legacies of Black Americans.

Through this collaboration, members of Capital Presbyterian recorded conversations about faith, perseverance, and community. These stories are now available at storycorps.org/discover/brightness-in-black and permanently archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

“Our congregation has been a beacon of light in Harrisburg’s Black community for more than 165 years,” said the Rev. Marisa D. White, pastor of Capital Presbyterian Church. “Having our voices preserved at the Library of Congress affirms that our faith and history are part of the larger American story.”

Founded in 1858, Capital Presbyterian Church stands as the oldest African American Presbyterian congregation in Harrisburg. Its participation in Brightness in Black ensures that its enduring witness — rooted in love, justice and community — will inspire future generations. As part of its upcoming 167th Church Anniversary Celebration, Capital will host a community “Listening Sunday” featuring select excerpts from the recordings.

About StoryCorps

StoryCorps is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing humanity’s stories to strengthen connections and foster compassion. Brightness in Black highlights authentic narratives that reflect the joy, resilience and fullness of Black life in America.

Rev. Marisa D. White; CCC-SLP; M.Div.; Capital Presbyterian Church (“The Church on the Hill”); Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Let us join in prayer for:

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Let us pray:

Prayer of Gratitude and Conversion of the Heart (Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Romans 8:28; Philippians 4:11–13)Gracious and Eternal God, we come before you with humble hearts, recognizing that everything is a gift of your grace. When life brings us moments of joy, we are grateful; when it leads us through suffering, we trust in your constant presence. Help us to say “Yes” to every season of life, knowing each one offers an opportunity to grow closer to you and to understand your love more deeply. Lord, we acknowledge that at times our gratitude falters. We cling to regrets, resentments, and grief over what might have been, feeling overwhelmed and isolated in our pain. Please gently free us from the heaviness of our “if only” and “what ifs,” healing the wounds in our hearts so that we may find new life and hope. Teach us, Compassionate One, to look back on our past with gentle gratitude rather than bitterness to see each trial as a seed of transformation, and every joy as a reminder of your unwavering faithfulness. As Paul reminds us, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). Gather our history and take the pain and the praise, the sorrow and the song and transform our hearts into vessels of thanksgiving. Let our memories propel us forward in hope, drawing us closer to the future you have prepared. Help us, like Paul, to find contentment in all things, trusting that “we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us” (Philippians 4:13). Today, Lord, with full hearts, we declare: Everything is grace. Every breath is a gift. Every step is a lesson. Every trial is an invitation to trust you more. Shape our remembrance into gratitude, our gratitude into hope, and our hope into joyful obedience, that we may walk forward as new creations in you. In the compassionate name of Jesus Christ. Amen.