First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta |
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First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta (2020)
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| Location | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Denomination | Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) |
First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta is a church located in the Midtown area of Atlanta, Georgia. It's part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) group. This church was started way back in 1848, making it Atlanta's very first Presbyterian church. The building you see today on Peachtree Street is quite special and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.
The church has about 2,000 members. It is located right across 16th Street from the famous High Museum of Art.
History of First Presbyterian Church
The First Presbyterian Church was founded on January 8, 1848. At that time, only nineteen Presbyterians met in a simple log building. The church officially became a recognized organization in February 1854. It was the only Presbyterian church in Atlanta back then.
Dr. John S. Wilson was the first pastor of First Presbyterian Church. In 1915, a new Sunday School building was finished at the church's current location. The first service there was held on December 5, 1915. The main church building, called the sanctuary, was designed by Walter T. Downing and completed in 1919. Beautiful stained glass windows, some made by Tiffany, were installed around that time.
For many years, the Sunday morning worship service from First Presbyterian was broadcast on the local WSB (AM) radio station. One notable time the radio service was paused was on September 3, 1939. This happened when the United Kingdom declared war on Germany, leading to World War II. In 1973, the church welcomed its first Black member since the time of slavery. Today, Dr. Tony Sundermeier leads the church as its pastor, a role he started in 2014.
What First Presbyterian Church Believes
First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta aims to be a special place for its community. As part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), their main goals are:
- To be a community full of grace and kindness.
- To be people who praise God.
- To be a loving group of people.
- To respect their traditions while also being open to new ideas.
- To be followers of Jesus Christ.
- To share and serve Jesus Christ in everything they say and do.
- To bring glory to God.
- To help people find salvation.
- To bring healing and hope to the city of Atlanta.
- To help bring peace and understanding to the world.
The Amazing Organ at First Presbyterian Church
After the church building was completed in 1919, a large organ was built by Henry Pilcher's Sons. It had four keyboards, called manuals. In 1920, more sections were added, and the organ grew to have 48 "stops," which control different sounds.
In 1969, another organ builder, M. P. Möller, constructed a completely new organ. They used some parts from the original 1919 Pilcher's organ. This instrument was later fixed up and made even bigger in 1992. Then, in 2018, the organ was cleaned, restored, and expanded again by German and US organ builders.
Today, the organ is truly massive! It has 112 "ranks" (which means sets of pipes), totaling 6,397 pipes. These pipes are spread across 10 different sections, and the organ has a modern control system. It's a very powerful and complex instrument that helps lead the music during church services.
