About First Presbyterian
First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte is a warm and loving family of faith in Jesus Christ, seeking to understand and follow God’s word and teachings. We find confidence and joy in the promise of God’s everlasting and redeeming love, and the truth that all people have inherent dignity and are known and loved as God’s children. We also acknowledge that we are an imperfect people in need of God’s grace as we continuously reform and learn how to be better instruments of God’s love. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we bring our diverse social, political, and theological perspectives to be woven together in a caring community of believers for Christ in the heart of Charlotte.
First Presbyterian is an inclusive, urban city church in the center of Uptown Charlotte. Though we are a large congregation of 2,000 members, we offer many opportunities to connect, making our large church feel small and intimate. We are a PC(USA) church which is a part of the Reformed tradition and is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the US.
Contemplative Worship
SUNDAYS AT 9-9:40 AM | Chapel
The contemplative service is unique each week. It may incorporate elements of silence, reflective prayer, music, and/or meditation, and communion will be served each week.
Traditional Worship
SUNDAYS AT 11 AM | SANCTUARY, LIVESTREAM, WAXN-CHANNEL 64
Our traditional service lasts right around one hour each week and includes prayer, hymns, scripture reading, and a sermon.
Sermon Archive
We provide the audio, video, bulletin, and transcript for most sermons. Watch (or rewatch!) a past service at any time that's convenient for you.
2022 Annual Report
The annual report is designed to tell the story of where we’ve been as a church over the past year, and give a glimpse of where God is calling us next.
Beliefs
We believe two historically Presbyterian affirmations, found in our Presbyterian Book of Order:
“In the name of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Christian community worships and serves God in shared experiences of life, in personal discipleship, in mutual ministry, and in common ministry in the world.”
“The Church is called to be a sign in and for the world of the new reality which God has made available to people in Jesus Christ.”
Our History
First Presbyterian has a rich history that dates back to 1821, when the small town of Charlotte (yes, Charlotte was once considered a small town!) set aside a plot of land for the creation of a town church. Since then, First Presbyterian has grown along with the city, embracing change by leading important community conversations and living into our calling to be an urban, center city church.
The History Hallway
Within a dedicated hallway in the church and linked below, you can find photographs and brief bios for each of our senior ministers througout the history of the church. The biographies include both positive actions and – truthfully – those that show human failings, particularly in the area of race. The Hallway also contains a Repentance and Resurrection statement in the context of scripture and a dedication conveyed and brought to life by a work of art. The statement references our church’s history, rooted in our faith and the history of our city, and our hope for the future.
Our Vision
Because our community of faith is made up of a great tapestry of unique and inevitably flawed humans, we know that we will never quite achieve the vision we’ve been given. But here is the vision First Presbyterian Church strives to be and to become.
We are a family of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, seeking to understand and follow his teachings.
We bring our diverse social, political, and theological perspectives to be woven together in community.
We seek to glorify Christ in the heart of Charlotte through our worship, fellowship, witness, and service.
We welcome all to join us in our journey of faith, trusting God to change us, our community, and our world.
Have Questions?
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