First Presbyterian Church (Chattanooga, Tennessee) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Presbyterian Church |
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| First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga | |
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| Location | 554 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Presbyterian Church in America |
| Previous denomination | Presbyterian Church in the United States |
| Churchmanship | Evangelical, Reformed |
| Membership | over 2,000 |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga (1840-1871) |
| Founded | 21 June 1840 |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Tennessee Valley Presbytery |
The First Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a very old and important church. You can find it downtown at 554 McCallie Avenue. It belongs to the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). This church was actually the first Christian group to start in Chattanooga!
Contents
Church History in Chattanooga
The First Presbyterian Church began on June 21, 1840. It was first called the Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. Missionaries who had worked with the Cherokee people at the Brainerd Mission helped start it. After the "Trail of Tears" event, these missionaries came back to Chattanooga. They started working with the English, Scots-Irish, and Welsh people living there. They helped create this new church for the community.
Early Church Buildings
At first, the church met in a simple log cabin. In 1845, they built their first proper church building. It was located on Walnut Street, near Third Street. The congregation used this building until the mid-1850s. Then, a new brick church was built at Seventh and Market streets.
During the Union Army's time in Chattanooga in 1863, this brick church was used as a military hospital. After the American Civil War, church services were held in the minister's home for a while.
Growth and New Locations
Over the years, the church grew bigger. In 1871, it officially became known as "First Presbyterian Church." This happened when the Second Presbyterian Church was formed. From the 1880s until 1910, First Presbyterian was located at Georgia Avenue and Seventh Street.
Many pastors have led the church. Some well-known leaders include Thomas McCallie, whose sons started The McCallie School. Jonathan Bachman was another important pastor. He was a chaplain during the Confederate times. He also led the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1910. Other pastors were James Fowle and Ben Haden.
Michael A. Milton was the pastor from 2001 to 2008. He then became a president and professor at Reformed Theological Seminary. The Reverend Timothy Tinsley is the current senior minister.
Church on the Radio
Joseph Glass Venable was a minister at First Presbyterian from 1924 to 1928. He was the first minister to preach a church service on a local radio station. The church's history says that the radio program he started might be the longest-running radio program in the United States.
Later, Ben Haden, who was pastor from 1967 to 1999, started his own radio show. It was called "Changed Lives" and was broadcast on WFLI in Chattanooga for many years.
The Church Building Today
The current church building was designed by a famous architect named Stanford White. It was built in 1910 and cost $152,000. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in December 2009. A special celebration for the building's 100th birthday was held on December 18, 2010. Pastors and representatives of past leaders spoke during this dedication service.
Church Missions and Outreach
The First Presbyterian Church has helped start other churches in Chattanooga and across the United States. The church has always supported missions in other countries. Today, it works with other churches and groups around the world.
The church also runs a year-round camp and conference center called Camp Vesper Point. It supports 63 missionaries and helps with 5 church-planting projects in 31 different countries.
Gallery
- Historic American Buildings Survey 1933
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