We welcome you to First Presbyterian Church! Below you will find out more about our church and neighborhood. You are invited to any and all services, events and activities offered by First Pres. We hope you feel the love of Jesus each time you enter here.

 

To explore about the PC(USA) denomination, please visit www.pcusa.org.

 

 

The current membership of First Church is just over 2,200, coming primarily from a 10-12 mile radius around West Chester.  This compares with a membership of 1,872 in 1998, 1,500 in 1995 and 1,250 in 1989.  The membership draws from over 1,156 households. As of January 2007, 18% of the membership is between the ages of 14-25; 22% is 26-45; 34% are 46-65 and 26% are over 65 years of age.  The membership is further broken down as 57% adult women, 43% adult men. 

 

First Church is a historic church both in the church building and in the religious life of the community.  Organized in 1834 with 52 original members, the present sanctuary was constructed at that time by Thomas U. Walter, America's preeminent Greek revival architect who later designed the dome of the U. S. Capital in Washington, D. C. There have been six major additions and renovations over the years, with the most recent addition completed in the fall of 1995.  This new construction added approximately 3,000 sq. ft. of classrooms, offices, an elevator for access to all three floors and remodeled choir facilities.

 

Our congregation covers a broad spectrum of educational and occupational backgrounds.  Many of our members serve in the professional community while others have employment with major corporations in the suburban Philadelphia area.  Chester County has become a home for a number of high tech, service-related industries resulting in an influx of young professional families.

 

First Presbyterian Church is located in the borough of West Chester, Chester County; approximately 30 miles west of Philadelphia and 17 miles north of Wilmington, DE.  West Chester is the county seat and the site of West Chester University (12,000 graduate and undergraduate students).  Within the borough, there is a 35% minority population.

 

Rapid growth in the area has been primarily outside of the borough limits as evidenced by the West Chester Area School District population in excess of 11,500 children.  Our church also draws from five surrounding school districts and many private schools.  Within Chester County, there are five hospitals, each having affiliations with major research centers in nearby Philadelphia.

 

Within a five mile radius of First Church there are 55 churches, including the following in the borough: United Methodist (1,300 parishioners), Episcopal (1,500), Lutheran (1,700), Baptist (430), Second Presbyterian (60), and St. Agnes Roman Catholic (3,500).  The churches are united ecumenically through the Religious Council of Greater West Chester.

 

Worship Life:

 

The Sunday service is a meaningful experience for the entire congregation, with attendance at these services continuing to grow dramatically (averaging over 650). Sunday Church School attendance averages 367.  In 2003 we moved from three to four worship services.  From September to June, there are three traditional Sunday services at 8, 9 and 10:30 a.m. and one contemporary service at 10:45 a.m.  During the Summer months, there are two Sunday services at 9 and 10:30 a.m. and the contemporary service at 10:45 a.m.  Services generally follow the liturgical calendar in the tenants of worship.  Communion is served fifteen times a year and is periodically taken to homebound members.  We occasionally conduct worship services at several nearby nursing homes.  The 9 a.m. service is broadcast live through a local radio station year-round (WCHE, 1520AM) and audio tapes or CDs are available each week.  Earphones are available for the hearing impaired, large print hymnals and Bibles are available for those needing them and the front pews have been modified to accommodate wheelchairs.  We have the equipment for closed circuit television and video-taping of services.

 

Throughout the year we offer many special worship services that are well attended.  These include an Ash Wednesday service, Maundy Thursday service, Good Friday service and five Christmas Eve services designed to minister to the entire makeup of our congregation.  The music program contributes greatly to the worship experience of the entire congregation.  There is the Chancel Choir (adults), the Senior High (grades 9-12), the Middle School (grades 6-8), and three children's choirs (K-1, Grades 2-3 and Grades 4-5) and three hand bell groups.  On Wednesday evenings, there is Welcome on Wednesdays. This dynamic worship opportunity meets weekly during the school year and begins with a family style dinner, then adult bible study and youth choir practice and/or Christian Education programs.