How is it that a handful of Christians in a sleepy country hamlet would become a congregation of over 900, with a vibrant ministry and dozens of mission endeavors? God is at work! The history of First Presbyterian Church is truly “his-story.” Yet God has used many to accomplish his purpose.

 

 

In 1959 the Lord stirred a group of Douglas County Christians to talk and pray about forming a Presbyterian Church. They began to meet in 1960 in a funeral home with the help of C.K. (Bud) Little, the Pastor of the Villa Rica Church. The Atlanta Presbytery lent its aid, purchasing land at the corner of Chapel Hill Road and the (then) proposed Interstate 20.  A neighbor, Julia Sutton, deeded the church some adjoining land, and thus First Presbyterian Church came to be where it is. Only the Lord knew how valuable the site would one day be.

 

The Church was formally organized by Atlanta Presbytery on October 23, 1960, with four elders and twenty three charter members. Soon after the congregation built its first structure, the current chapel and parlor, which was completed in 1965.

 

Bud Little’s pastoral leadership was followed briefly in 1963 by Edward Mullins, who shared a call with the Douglasville and Villa Rica Churches. Max Ecke was the first full time Pastor, serving from 1964 until 1966. The truly formative pastorate for the church began in 1969 with the calling of Leon Jeffords. Under his twenty nine years of leadership the congregation grew to over 800 members.

 

Other leaders have played an important role in the church’s life across the years. Sandy Fox began her service as Associate Pastor in 1985, and established herself as a Pastor of great care and compassion. Sallie McDaniel also began her service in 1985, as Director of Christian Education, and continued in exemplary fashion until 2001. David Welch served ably as an Associate Pastor from 1997 until 2000. Planning for the future, in 1997 Keith Hill was called as Co-Pastor with Leon Jeffords, leading up to Leon’s retirement in 1998. Keith Hill continued as Senior Pastor until June 2007.  Tim Rogers-Martin joined the staff as Interim Senior Pastor in August 2007.  Our other pastors are Jan Warren-Taylor, Interim Associate Pastor for Congregational Care and Discipleship and Barnabas Sprinkle, Evangelist.  Ministry/Program leaders at First Church include:  Sharon Connolly-McCoy, Director of Music Ministries; Judy Derringer, Director of Christian Education and Tonya Annis, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries.

 

While new buildings and increasing numbers may be a visible indicator of God’s work at First Presbyterian Church, it is the unseen growth that truly testifies to his goodness: namely the people called to faith, healed, encouraged, trained, and sent into mission. First Church’s current mission statement is both a statement of intent, and a description of what God is doing: “Growing as a community established by Jesus Christ, we will convey his love and truth through hospitality, celebration, nurture, and outreach.” So it has been. So it will be all the more to the glory of God!