First Presbyterian Church (Jackson, Mississippi)
The First Presbyterian Church is an historic congregation currently housed at 1390 North State Street in Jackson, Mississippi.
During a meeting in the Old State House on a Saturday afternoon, April 8, 1837, Rev. Peter Donan, Mrs. Margaret E. Mayson, Mrs. Susan Patton, and Mr. and Mrs. John Robb organized the congregation. Rev Donan was a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary under Charles Hodge and Samuel Miller. There were no elders for 2 years, no deacons for 6 years, nor a Presbyterian house of worship for nearly 9 years. First Presbyterian Church is the largest Presbyterian church in Mississippi and a flagship and founding congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America. The present minister is Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III. Its communicant membership is over 2,500.[1]
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.[2] The church played a significant role of establishing the Winter Theological Institution in 1962, which became Reformed Theological Seminary.[3]
The congregation adheres to the Westminster Confession of Faith.[4]
The church describes itself " A steadfast witness to historic Reformed Christianity for over 175 years".
It is a member of the Mississippi Valley Presbytery.[5]
References
- ^ "Database of Megachurches in the U.S." Hartford Institute for Religion Research. 2006. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
- ^ "A Brief History of First Presbyterian Church". First Presbyterian Church. 13 September 2007. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
- ^ "Our History". First Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
- ^ "Our Beliefs". First Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
- ^ http://msvalley.org/churches