Tabernacle Church's Street Fair brings U., community together

Lining up a flashy array of kitchenware, books, clothing and furniture, the Tabernacle United Church put on its second annual Street Fair Saturday afternoon at 37th and Chestnut streets. The event -- which church members say was merely known as "a porch sale" in previous years -- attracted students from Penn and Drexel University as well as members of the wider Philadelphia community. Nevertheless, fewer people turned for the event then the organizers expected. "It's hasn't been very busy this afternoon," Philadelphia resident Vincent Masciarelli -- who helped organize the event -- said Saturday. He added that most customers were Penn students, residents of International House and passing motorists. "We expected a larger turnout since we held the fair a little bit later in September than we did last year," he added. Masciarelli, who has been a member of the church for five years, said "the idea of Street Fair is [for the church] to gain more visibility in the community." Although the fair's main event was a sale of household items and clothes donated by church members, mingling with other members of the congregation and the community also highlighted the day-long event. While many people recognize the gothic, stonewalled building at 3700 Chestnut Street as a cornerstone of the Penn and Drexel communities, Masciarelli said that few people realize it is home to Tabernacle United Church. "Most people know this building only as MTI -- Movie Theatre International," Masciarelli said. "But when MTI moved out, the church moved in to the back part of the building. The congregation -- which currently has between 300 to 400 members -- is a combination of the Presbyterian and United Church of Christ denominations. "The congregation welcomes families and students and has a single, married, white, black, straight, gay, lesbian [constituency]," he said. "It's a nice, friendly church and that's why I'm here -- these are nice people." Masciarelli explained that interested students can attend Sunday morning services or can inquire about other events like community-service activities and coffee socials. Street Fair volunteer and Tabernacle member Susan Quant says the church and its congregation follow what the minister's sermons preach. "People here are involved with making a difference. It's not just talk," she said. "They live what they say. And that's what attracted me." Quant said she enjoyed helping the church despite the slow business. "Street Fair started out as an annual fundraiser," she said. "But we have so much fun that [raising money] doesn't matter anymore."