|
 The
Presbyterian Church was founded in 1804 when the village of Concord
was nine years old. In fact the first organized congregation in
Concord is believed to have been Presbyterian. Records from
Congregational Meetings that are stored in our church office now
show that the Presbyterian Church was the only church in the town of
Concord until about l838, when the Methodist built on Church Street,
and the Lutherans built in l839 on East Corban St.
Records in 1804
show a deed dated December 14 “conveying 2 acres of land to Elders
of ConKord (sic) congregation for ten pounds, to build a meeting
house.” The first sanctuary erected around 1810 was a log structure
built on the crest in the southeast corner of what is now Memorial
Garden. It was a bleak, bare building, with 12 corners, 3 doors,
and windows with shutters but no glass, but it nurtured sturdy,
strong souls.
The log building
was torn down in l835 or 1836, and a brick church, which was used
until 1874, was built on the same site. At this time, Sunday School
was held in the afternoon, and church services were in the morning
and again at night.
The first manse
was built on what is now Cabarrus Ave. West. The second and last
manse was built on North Union Street, one block of our present
church, and was sold in 1992.
In 1874, the
congregation moved into its new third building facing Cabarrus
Avenue West, near the Spring Street intersection where the police
station now stands. The congregation worshipped here for thirty
years. A pipe organ, the first in the town of Concord, was
purchased for that church in 1880.
The name First
Presbyterian Church was adopted in 1884.
Adjacent land was
bought, and on June 14, 1904, the cornerstone for a new building was
laid. A group of primary students called the “Little Lights!” paid
for the cornerstone. For anyone who can remember this name, it
brings back memories of stiffly starched dresses for the little
girls, tight collars and jackets for the boys, cotton stockings, and
dear, but firm, Sunday School teachers.
Our present
sanctuary was completed in 1927 and the first worship service was
held there on July 10. It was designed by Hobart Upjohn, a famous
New York architect, to combine the dignity and beauty of late
colonial architecture. The Educational Building was still
unfinished, so Sunday School classes were discontinued until
September 1927.
Over the years,
the First Presbyterian Church has established several outpost church
schools in Concord, four of which eventually became self‑supporting
congregations: Second (which is now Cornerstone), McKinnon, Bayless
Memorial and Covenant.
At least three
people associated with our congregation have gone abroad as medical
missionaries.
During the past 50
years the First Presbyterian Church has sent four of her sons into
the Christian ministry.
A Young People's
Choir, made up Senior, Junior and Intermediate Departments of Sunday
School, was organized in 1934 with Miss Elizabeth Woodhouse as
director, and a Sunday School Library was started with Miss Rose
Harris as Librarian.
The church spire
was blown down during high winds from a tornado that touched down in
Concord in April, 1936.
As the church
grew, so did the educational program. The first Director of
Christian Education, Miss Katherine Keiger, was hired in 1940,
although during the summer of l938, Miss Sarah Niblock served as DCE,
but being temporary, emphasized the need for a permanent DCE to meet
the needs of the boys and girls.
It is interesting
to note the various organizations that have existed through the
years, each giving emphasis to some phase of church work which at
the time served the needs of children, teenage boys and girls, or
adult life.
For example, the
“Busy Bees” were organized in the 1890's and by 1899 29 were
children participating. Each child was given a wooden bee hive and
at a specified time these were opened and the honey taken out and
given to missions.
“The Campfire
Girls” were organized in 1927 composed of senior and intermediate
departments of the Sunday School, which would be equivalent to our
middle school and senior high youth groups now. Another very
interesting class was organized when a Mrs. McConnell noticed the
black nurses sitting around waiting to take their young charges home
after Sunday School. She took advantage of the opportunity by
grouping the nurses around her on the rostrum of Fellowship Hall and
teaching them. She did this over a long period of time.
These various
organizations and classes, while not permanent, met a definite need
at the time and were a labor of love on the part of those who
taught.
Scouting became an
integral part of the youth program during the 1940's. Now our
church sponsors several scout groups.
With the
completion of the Educational Building in 1927 soon after the
sanctuary, it was thought that this building, which was so
beautifully furnished and equipped, would serve us well for the
ever‑expanding church activities and for future generations. But
soon First Presbyterian had growing pains again. After two previous
attempts by a building committee to construct a new education
building had failed, and after extensive remodeling of our present
education building in 1976‑1977, finally in 1986, the third building
committee was successful in persuading our members that we needed to
go in debt for a new educational building.
The idea for this
project really began at the spring Officer's Retreat in 1985 when we
realized we needed more space for scouts. At first we decided to
remodel and enlarge the old garage that stood where this new
building now stands. It didn't take long to realize, however, that
there was no way that would be sufficient for our needs, because we
also needed a larger dining area, more Sunday School rooms, and more
space for preschool classes. So construction began on a new
building and was completed in December, 1989. This building was
very proudly named the Will Young Building in honor of our church
sexton, Will Young, who served the church for 70 years beginning in
1929 when he was 27 years old. This building is used for Sunday
School classes, the First Kids Preschool, Wednesday Night Suppers,
Men's Breakfasts and any other activity requiring the large modern
rooms and dining hall. As part of its mission, the congregation
makes all of its physical facilities available to many charitable
organizations in the community.
The Fellowship
House was purchased from Emma Cannon Whittman in 1958. I remember
this so well because my mother and step‑father were the first couple
married in the small chapel there in 1961. This home was built in
the late 1920's for one of Mr. J. W. Cannon's six sons. The home is
an example of the Jacobethan Revival style which includes large
chimneys, bay windows, and ornamental plaster and iron. The lovely
chapel is used for a Sunday School class, small weddings, and many
other worship programs. The parlor, dining room and kitchen allow
us to host wedding receptions, Presbyterian Women receptions and
circle meetings. Some Sunday School classes still meet in the
Fellowship House. It is also a convenient place to host funeral
meals for the families of our church.
First Presbyterian
Church's Memorial Garden was established in 1804 as a church
cemetery. The church is long gone but the beauty of the cemetery is
preserved, thanks to Mrs. Sallie Phifer Williamson, who in 1930,
made it into a memorial garden. The Memorial Garden is maintained
with a trust left by the son of Sallie Phifer Williamson, Marshel
Phifer Williamson. Due to this trust and the devotion of Mr. and
Mrs. A. Jones Yorke, who oversaw the continuing development of the
garden, it has been made into one of the garden spots of the state.
A columbarium was completed there in 1989 for placing the cremains
of members of our church and their families. Thousands of visitors
pass this site each year. It is free and open to the public from
Monday‑Saturday, 9:00 ‑ 5:00, and Sunday, 1:00 ‑ 5:00.
Much of the
history of First Presbyterian Church is now preserved in a small
room in the sanctuary called the Heritage Room. In 1985 Mary Lentz
and several others in the church completed this room, which has two
beautiful restored and lighted stained glass windows, which came
from the 1905 church, through a gift from the Ritchie family. When
that building was being replaced many items were dispersed
throughout the community, including a number of beautiful stained
glass windows which had been placed in the church as memorials.
These are now the focal point of the Heritage Room. Many
significant items from the past are located in this room. Among
these items are pictures of some of the ministers who have served
this church. Incidentally, there were 11 ministers of First
Presbyterian Church before it moved to this present location in
l927. Since then we have had 12 ministers and/or associate
ministers, plus numerous interim and supply pastors, in the absence
of a regular pastor. Also located in the Heritage Room are pictures
of the 5 churches built since 1804. You could spend many hours
reading the history stored in the cabinet in this room and stir up
many fond memories.
A Prayer Room
located in the older Education Building on the second floor, with an
entrance from the north driveway, was added in 1991. At that time
the Prayer Committee felt a need to have a small room designed just
for prayer and meditation and available to members at all times.
This is a lovely little room with two small pews, meditation
materials, and a combination lock so that it is accessible at all
times.
Tower Chimes
In the sanctuary
steeple there is a 10‑note Deagan tower chime. A tower chime is a
series of brass tubes, each about 12 feet, sounded by a leather
covered striker. This instrument was installed by the Deagan
Company when the sanctuary was built. Will Young remembered
hearing the tower chime at his home on Tournament Street. When the
tower chime was first installed it was set to play on the hour and
half hour, from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. For ten years the downtown
Concord district and the church neighborhood could hear the chime
toll. But in 1936 at the insistence of a church neighbor the
automatic timer was set to strike the hour only. In the l950's the
tower chime went into an unplayed state. There is now a memorial
fund designated for the renovation of the tower chime.
A Flentrop Organ,
made in Holland, was installed in 1976 to replace the older pipe
organ, and the Choir Loft was renovated and enlarged in 1986 to
accommodate more choir members.
The very best
source of information about history of First Presbyterian Church
since 1927 was our sexton, Will Young. His memory was remarkable
and when I was asked to give this brief history, I called Will into
my office to reminisce with me. Will said he remembered well our
first Cantata in our present sanctuary. It was 1932 and he
remembered the names of some of our older ladies who made the choir
robes for the choir. He also remembered the first Christmas
pageant, which was 1940, and which we have continued to have
annually the Sunday before Christmas.
He reminded me
that the first Vacation Bible School was held on this campus in
1936. It was supposed to have started in the summer of 1935, but we
had a terrible polio epidemic in Concord that summer and all public
facilities closed their doors during that time.
Will told me that
the first Sunday night Vesper programs began in 1939. That is what
we used to call the Sunday night Youth program that you now call
Middle School and Senior High Youth Groups.
Will also talked
about the swimming pool that stood just below the present Davis
Hall. When the pool was there the present Fellowship House was
owned as a private residence.
If you are
familiar with the Flowered Cross Service we have here on Easter
Sunday mornings, you would be interested to know that Will
remembered the first one of those services in l945 when Dr. Jack
McKinnon was minister.
He also reminded
me that we had Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting every Wednesday night
from 1929 until sometime in the l960's.
These are just a
few of the valuable piece of information that Will carried around in
his memory of our church.
History is
certainly not all just buildings, however; and currently First
Presbyterian Church and its members are making great strides in
history in our community service actions, such as the Habitat Houses
we build, the Logan Playground equipment we have purchased, the
Christmas Dinner we helped Jimmy Murphy serve to 3,000 people in our
dining room for several years and our involvement in helping the
growing Hispanic community in Concord. All of you who participate
in these projects and through your faith are building strong
character for our community and our church and the possibilities for
bigger and better dreams for us to enrich our history are
unbelievable.
May 1993
Revised August 2001
Revised July 2007 |
