History
The first building housing the First Presbyterian Church of Lynchburg, Virginia was a small brick structure with a high steeple, erected in 1815 on what is now Main Street across from City Market between Twelfth and Thirteenth Streets. Dr. William Shields Reid, the first pastor, and his wife Clementina donated the land. As the church congregation continued to grow, another church building was put up at Ninth and Court Streets and dedicated on May 8, 1900. A weekly church bulletin, a "first" in Lynchburg, was introduced in 1904.
Our present sanctuary, chapel, library, and offices with the connecting hallways and educational space was built in 1952 just off V.E.S. Road on land which included seven acres purchased from the Presbyterian Home. In the following decade, the congregation grew rapidly. As a result, in 1959 a new Fellowship Hall and more educational space was added. Next the congregation raised funds to build a two-story addition at the rear of the Sanctuary, providing a narthex on the first floor and choir rehearsal space on the second floor. This work was completed in 1976. Our most recent construction addition was completed in 1998 and included a new structure with classrooms, offices and other supporting space along with a new handicapped entrance with elevator. An adjoining Columbarium Garden was also built.
A total of eighteen Senior Pastors together with a number of Assistant and Associate Pastors have served the congregation well over the nearly 200 years. During that time span First Presbyterian Church has grown from 13 initial members to the present total of over 1000 members.