First Presbyterian Church (Jackson, Mississippi)

The First Presbyterian Church is a historic congregation currently housed at 1390 North State Street in Jackson, Mississippi. It was founded in 1837.[1]

First Presbyterian Church of Jackson
The First Presbyterian Church of Jackson
First Presbyterian Church of Jackson is located in Mississippi
First Presbyterian Church of Jackson
First Presbyterian Church of Jackson
32°19′05″N 90°10′41″W / 32.318°N 90.178°W / 32.318; -90.178
Location1390 North State Street, Jackson, Mississippi
CountryUnited States
DenominationPresbyterian Church in America
Previous denominationPresbyterian Church in the United States
ChurchmanshipEvangelical, Reformed
Websitewww.fpcjackson.org/
History
Founded8 April 1837 (1837-04-08)
Administration
PresbyteryMississippi Valley
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Rev. David Strain

Description

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First Presbyterian Church is the largest Presbyterian church in Mississippi and a flagship and founding congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America. Its communicant membership is over 2,500.[2]

With 3,100 members, it has become the largest Presbyterian congregation in Mississippi and one of the largest in the United States. It has played a significant role in the establishment of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), and the congregation has remained one of the flagship congregations of that denomination.[3] Its pastor at the time of the PCA's establishment in 1973, Rev Donald Patterson, was Chairman of the Steering Committee for a Continuing Presbyterian Church and preached at the inaugural PCA General Assembly.[4]

The church played a significant role of establishing the Winter Theological Institution in 1962, which became Reformed Theological Seminary.[5]

In the 1950s and 1960s, FPC excluded black people from the sanctuary.[6] The church published a statement of repentance over this in 2016.[7] The minister and some members of FPC were very influential in the 1992 formation of Mission Mississippi, an ecumenical racial reconciliation initiative. Soon afterwards, however, there was a backlash against the organization within this congregation, dues to the church's historic resistance to the civil rights movement.[8][9]

Ligon Duncan served as Senior Pastor from 1996 to 2013.

Doctrine

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The congregation adheres to the Westminster Confession of Faith.[10]

The church describes itself " A steadfast witness to historic Reformed Christianity for over 175 years".

It is a member of the Mississippi Valley Presbytery.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Our History". First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Database of Megachurches in the U.S." Hartford Institute for Religion Research. 2006. Archived from the original on 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  3. ^ "A Brief History of First Presbyterian Church". First Presbyterian Church. 13 September 2007. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  4. ^ "Rev. Donald Patterson: December 11, 2023". PCA50. Presbyterian Church in America. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Our History". First Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  6. ^ Zylstra, Sarah Eekhoff (5 December 2023). "Why Ligon Duncan Is Still Building Institutions". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  7. ^ Strain, David (18 May 2016). "Session Statement on Racial Reconciliation". First Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  8. ^ Slade, Peter Gordon (2006). "Open Friendship in a Closed Society: Mission Mississippi and a Theology of Friendship". University of Virginia. p. 4. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  9. ^ Slade, Peter (2009). "Open Friendship and Justice". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Our Beliefs". First Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  11. ^ "The Presbytery of the Mississippi Valley :: Churches". Msvalley.org. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
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