Third Presbyterian Church (Birmingham, Alabama) facts for kids
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The Third Presbyterian Church is a church building located in Birmingham, Alabama. It's on the Southside of the city, at 617 22nd Street South. This church is part of the Presbyterian Church in America.
Contents
The Start of Third Presbyterian
Third Presbyterian Church began on July 11, 1884. It grew out of a Sunday school that was started by the First Presbyterian Church. After six months, and a special two-week event in a "Gospel Tent," the Third Presbyterian Church was officially formed.
The church started with 31 founding members. Between 1884 and 1888, four different temporary pastors helped lead the church.
Growth and a Special Pastor
By 1889, Third Presbyterian had grown a lot, reaching over 500 members. More than 50 of its members even left to help start new churches in nearby towns like Woodlawn, Leeds, and South Highlands.
On August 4, 1889, the church welcomed its first permanent pastor, James Alexander Bryan. He had visited Third Presbyterian as a preacher while studying at Princeton University. James Bryan later became very well-known in Birmingham as "Brother Bryan." He served the church and the city for 52 years, which is a very long time!
Building the Church Home
During this time, the church members also worked on building their own church. The first building was located at 6th Avenue South and 22nd Street South. It cost about $5300 and was finished in January 1891. The church was proud to open it without any debt.
The building was used for ten years. But on April 17, 1901, a fire started. It seems a spark from a passing streetcar caused a fire in a barn next to Brother Bryan's house. The fire then spread to his house and the church. The church building was completely destroyed.
Even after the fire, the church members kept meeting in a tent. They didn't miss a single service! A new church building was then built just one block away, on the corner of 7th Avenue.
After Brother Bryan passed away in 1941, his assistant, James Cantrell, became the full-time pastor. He served until he retired in May 1978. Richard C. Trucks was the pastor from 1978 to 2019. Michael Brock is the current pastor of the church.
The Church Building Today
The church building you see today was finished in 1902. The main church area and the chapel are mostly the same as they were then. Only the tall corner tower looks a bit different. In the 1930s, lightning badly damaged the original tower. It was then rebuilt with a less steep roof. This makes it look a little different from the side tower, which still has its original sharp-angled roof.
Changes Over Time
Next to the church was Brother Bryan's house. It later became known as the "Sunday School Annex." In 1959, the house was taken down to make way for a new part of the church. This new addition, called the "Bryan Educational Building," was opened on December 11, 1960.
In 1963, an electric sign was added to the corner tower. It read "God is Love." Later, in 1972, a large electric cross was placed on top of the tower.
From 1993 to 1995, the main church area and chapel had a big renovation. This included important repairs to the building's structure. The inside of the church also got a fresh new look. During this renovation, the "God is Love" sign and the large cross were removed from the corner tower. A smaller metal cross, similar to the one on the side tower, was put in its place.
