Staff
Rev. Robert McClellan, Acting Pastor
Born and raised in Bloomington, Indiana, Rob is a true product of the Midwest,
with degrees from the University of Iowa (B.A. Communications),
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (M.A. Philanthropic Studies),
and the University of Wisconsin (M.A. Rhetoric).
He headed south to Atlanta for a Master's of Divinity at Columbia Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian Church (USA) denominational seminary.
Rob has experience in campus ministry, having served as Music Leader and Acting Director of Emory University's Presbyterian Campus Ministry.
He has also enjoyed significant time in outdoor ministry, working with children, youth and adults in summer camping, outdoor education,
and corporate/non-profit teambuilding.
Rob comes to Tabernacle familiar with church transitions, having served as an Interim Associate Pastor for three years at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church during a time of significant change for the congregation. Rob's wife, Sherri Hausser, continues to serve on the Bryn Mawr staff as an Associate Pastor and has a long history with the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia. Rob has also worked with the Interfaith Center's Walking the Walk program and hopes to deepen his involvement in the coming year.
Rob is dedicated to progressive Christianity, feeling Christ's call to work for peace and justice in the context of deep spirituality. He is committed to inclusiveness in the church on matters of sexual orientation and identity. In entering a community in transition, Rob takes as his foremost task listening to what the Spirit is saying in the lives of Tab's members, so that a dream for the future might be born from within and nurtured together. He counts among his passions the environment, music, exercise and the outdoors. He has a love for teaching, preaching, pastoral care, and mutually transformative mission.
Holly Phares, Music Director
Miss Phares has directed choirs of young people in schools and churches in the tri-state area.
She has been the Director of Music at Tabernacle United Church in University City, Philadelphia, for the past fourteen years.
Holly is a skilled composer, arranger and pianist.
She has numerous conducting credits including preparing the Voices of Liberty opera chorus for Welcome America’s highly successful Opera
on the Square.
A professional soprano soloist, she has appeared extensively as a concert artist in the tri-state area, as well as in Italy.
Her solo engagements have included Messiah with Singing City Chorus as well as The Philadelphia Singers,
J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion and Mozart's Mass in C Minor also with The Philadelphia Singers,
Strauss lieder at The Philadelphia Art Museum with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra,
and both The Creation of Haydn and Bruckner's Te Deum with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Spoleto, Italy.
She recently performed the role of The Queen of Sheba in Handel’s Solomon at Verizon Hall with
The Philadelphia Singers and Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra.
She contributed her solo voice to the soundtrack for the Thomas Eakins documentary for PBS TV in 2001.
She is a member of the female trio Angel Spirit.
Miss Phares teaches Solfeggio and Theory at the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts, where she also acts as Coordinator of the Opera Outreach Program, bringing workshops into the Philadelphia area school systems to introduce young people to opera. As a core member of The Philadelphia Singers, she holds the post of Education and Outreach Manager, in which she not only serves as the Voice Builder for The Philadelphia Singers Chorale, the choir in residence of The Philadelphia Orchestra - but also designs workshops for local schools to introduce the students to the art of choral singing. When Holly is not singing or conducting, she continues to maintain an active private voice studio, training singers of many diverse styles.
Barbara Purdom, Office Manager
The church office is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12:30-5:30 pm. General email for the church can be sent to "tabernacle" at this domain.