Even though the Rev. Dr. Graham Robinson lived in Philadelphia for just over a decade, the grace of God embodied by BMPC has reverberated through his life. When studying at Bucknell University, a BMPC pastor came to campus and told him what his father said before he left for college. They both stated, “You would be a great minister.”
Fond of the Jonah story, he went to work for Mobil Oil. His fourth move with Mobil brought him to Washington, D.C. where he and his wife unknowingly bought a house near a church served by who else, but a former BMPC minister.
Graham’s wife encouraged him to pursue what he loved and they went to Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) where the influence of BMPC was everywhere. BMPC pastors worked for PTS, PTS students worked for BMPC, the Rev. Dr. David Watermulder chaired the trustees, and BMPC member David Heaton was his field education supervisor. Receiving the Watermulder Prize for Church Leadership upon graduation continues to remind him of the reach and generosity of BMPC.
Between his first call (Southminster in Pittsburgh) and his second call (Westminster in Connecticut) he needed to retrain to be a senior pastor, and BMPC awarded him a scholarship making it financially possible. Graham earned a second master’s degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. Along the way, the churches he served built a house with Habitat for Humanity, a Chapel, a recreation center, a mission café and a homework center. (The type of things he witnessed BMPC do to glorify God.) He earned his doctoral degree from Columbia Theological Seminary.
Returning to the area eight years ago, BMPC introduced Graham to the transformative work of the Athena Pre-Med Hospice Volunteer Program, seeking to create a new generation of health professionals, where he now serves as the program’s National Director. He rejoices that this church has shown his family the inclusive, life-changing love of Christ that has reverberated throughout his life.
