The Rev. Dr. Paul G. Watermulder is a child of this church, having joined in 1962 when the family, including his mother, Ruth, brother, Peter, and sister, Martha, moved from Illinois into the manse and his father, David, became senior pastor at BMPC. This congregation is at the heart of his spiritual formation. So many church leaders were great examples; the stained glass brought awe and wonder before God; youth groups brought camaraderie and leadership; church life taught a zeal for mission especially among the poor; through it all came an abiding affection for Jesus Christ and high respect for His Church. This is “home” in many ways.
While still at Harriton High School, he began working on and off over five years on oil tankers in the Gulf and the Atlantic. After graduating from Vanderbilt University, he married his college sweetheart (Genie Harris) and moved to Berkeley, California, where he became a police officer until 1974 (three years: three riots!). Feeling God’s tug on his soul, they moved to Princeton Theological Seminary and then raised their children in Woodstown, NJ, an hour away. Rebecca Ruth is now a marketing executive in New York City, married and mother of two girls. David Gustav is now senior pastor at The Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos, CA, married with a son and daughter. Sarah Eugenia, Princeton Seminary grad like David, serves as a social worker in San Mateo, CA, and with her husband has two sons and a daughter. Timothy Edward is a police officer in Oakland, CA, and married.
Paul served as senior pastor for 31 years at First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame, CA, and is now retired, serving as chaplain to the Federal Air Marshals, Board member of a mission to China, and doing light work in the archives of the Berkeley Police Department. He and his sister Martha edited an anthology of prayers from BMPC by their father: “Pastoral Prayers for the People of God.” He is writing “From Law to Gospel: One Man’s Journey of Life.” In his down time, he spends most of it with grandchildren and visiting Hawaii.
