First United Presbyterian Church

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The Gathering Place Cross

The Gathering Place is a new name and use for the narthex of the church. What’s a narthex? It’s an enclosed gathering space opposite the main altar of a church, and most people nowadays don’t actually know what the word means. In fact, the word has changed its primary meaning since it first came into… Read more »

Kristi’s Cross

Kristi, Director of Christian Education, is another staff member with a cross in her office. In fact, she has more than one. The one pictured was given to Kristi by friend and mentor NiAnn Thompson on the occasion of her retirement. NiAnn had a collection of crosses and she marked her retirement by distributing them… Read more »

2023 Annual Report

Please click the button below to download a pdf copy of the annual report.

The Classroom Cross

Many of the crosses at FUPC are carved from wood. One example is this unusual design, which can be found hanging between the Sunday School classrooms in the Calvin Building. The church history book recounts that Calvin 203 was the first choice of the Truth Seekers Class, which was given the pick of classrooms when… Read more »

Beth’s Cross

We’re having a look at all the crosses at FUPC for the Lent 2024 theme: “Lift High the Cross.” This is Beth’s cross. Beth Benham is the FUPC Office Manager. This cross was made of matchsticks by her aunt. Each match was burnt, then cut to a precise size and glued into place to form… Read more »

The PCUSA Seal

Harry Vandergriff carved this wooden form of the PCUSA Seal. You may see the seal in other formats around FUPC, too. But just what is the seal? It’s a registered trademark of the Presbyterian Church USA, comprising four symbolic elements: the cross, scripture, a dove, and flames. The seal was adopted in 1985 and was… Read more »

The Labyrinth Cross

FUPC is home to many crosses! One is at the Labyrinth. Walking the Labyrinth is an ancient spiritual practice, generally agreed to have been around for 4,000 years. FUPC’s labyrinth is a classical labyrinth, designed for walking meditation. There are many traditional ways to use a labyrinth. One classic way is to divide the experience… Read more »

First School

First School is a community ministry of FUPC. Their logo includes a cross to show that they are a faith-based school. FUPC has been involved with several schools over the years The Creative School was housed at FUPC for many years and there was a program called “Tot’s Time” which was a mothers morning out… Read more »

The Davies Window

The Rev. Samuel Wilson Davies served the church for 28 years, beginning in 1874. In 1899, the Session honored him by commissioning a stained glass window, which was installed above the choir loft in the church at the time. It is now in place in Fellowship Hall. ” In 1874 Reverend Samuel Wilson Davies accepted… Read more »

The 1953 Cross

In the Calvin building, outside of the classroom used for the Present Word Bible Study class, there hangs a sort of tapestry commemorating the fusion of the three churches that combined to create the present day First United Presbyterian Church. It has the names of three churches: Central Presbyterian, First Presbyterian, and Cumberland Presbyterian, with… Read more »

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