OUR HISTORY Home / About / Our History Cumberland Presbyterian Denomination Originally, the church was founded by Rev. A.W. Rodgers and 13 charter members as a congregation affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination. It was known at its inception as the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Amarillo. One of the church’s first deacons, Mr. W. F. Heller, was the builder of the first dugout home in Randall County. Fillmore Street Presbyterian Church The church met in Amarillo’s first schoolhouse until 1892, when members erected a building on a corner lot at 620 Fillmore, at which time it became popularly known as Fillmore Street Presbyterian Church. (By this time, Amarillo had another “First Presbyterian Church,” which was a member of the Southern Presbyterian denomination. That church eventually was renamed Covenant Presbyterian Church and is located at 1400 Wolflin.) Central Presbyterian Church In 1906, the church installed the first pipe organ owned by any church in Amarillo. In 1909, upon making plans to construct a new red brick building at 10th & Taylor streets, the church renamed itself “Central Presbyterian Church.” The church moved into the new building in June of 1910 with 191 people on its education rolls. Our Present Location In 1927, Central Presbyterian Church secured land at 11th & Harrison streets, then began construction of a 15th century English gothic revival style building—complete with flying buttresses and antique glass sanctuary windows. The first services there were held on Easter, April 17, 1927. First Presbyterian Church In March of 1943, Central Presbyterian Church changed its name to First Presbyterian Church. In 1983, First Pres joined the Presbyterian Church, USA (PCUSA) denomination. Prominent Pastors Prominent pastors over the years have included Rev. R. Thomsen (1910–1945), Rev. Robert Skinner (1954-1963), Rev. James Carroll (1964–1984), Rev. Alan John Meenan (1989–1997), Rev. Jim Bankhead (1999–2010), and Rev. Dr. Howard Griffin (2011-Present). The church has been a fixture in downtown Amarillo since first organizing on September 28, 1890. ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians In October of 2013, our church voted by a vote of 438:16 to join ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. With 96% of people in attendance voting to join ECO, we are excited to see what the Lord has in store as we join this new movement of God. ABOUT Becoming a Member Contact & News ECO Employment FAQs Mission Statement & Beliefs Our People Our Pipe Organ What We're About First Pres Amarillo App WORSHIP | GROW | CONNECT | SERVE

ABOUT Home / About We'd love to answer any questions you might have about First Pres. Look through these pages to learn more, but if you don't find the answer you're needing, give us a call! First Presbyterian is a body of believers who seek to discover and live the way of Christ in the expansive grace of God. We believe that Jesus Christ alone is Lord, and we are called to share His love with others through both word and deed. As Presbyterians, we affirm the FIVE SOLAS of the Protestant Reformation: Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone, Scripture Alone, and Glory to God Alone. We believe we are saved by grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), through faith alone (John 3:16), through Christ alone (John 14:6), and Scripture alone is our authority in faith and life (2 Timothy 3:16-17), as we seek to give all glory to God alone (1 Corinthians 10;31). We are members of the Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO). To learn more about what we believe as Presbyterians, please go to our denomination’s web page where you can find our essential tenets and our confessional standards. Hopefully, by scanning through our website and the website of our denomination, you will learn a little more about who we are, what we believe, why we do what we do, and how we seek to live that out. As always, if you can’t find what you’re looking for please call us (806) 373-4242. ABOUT Becoming a Member Contact & News ECO Employment FAQs Mission Statement & Beliefs Our History Our People Our Pipe Organ What We're About First Pres Amarillo App WORSHIP | GROW | CONNECT | SERVE

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Home / About / Our People / Staff STAFF Home / About / Our People / Staff / Brandon Smith 1105 Worship Leader ​ brandons@firstpres.com (806) 373-4242

Stay Connected with First Pres LIVE Home / Ministries / First Pres Live Sunday Morning Worship Services Each Sunday, worship services will be posted here by 6 p.m. April 21, 2024 8:30 a.m. Gospel MINISTRIES Adults Care College Age First Pres Kids Library/Resources Missions Music Studies and Groups Youth Columbarium OTHER INTERESTS Studies and Groups Worship Grow Connect Serve Maundy Thursday 2024 Good Friday 2024 ALL Church Retreat 2021 Video Talk. Pray. Know. VBS 2023 Murray's House Stewardship 2021

US & WORLD MISSIONARIES Home / Ministries / Missions First Pres believes strongly in the call of the church to reach out into the world by spreading the gospel and showing the love of Jesus Christ. We also support a variety of missionaries around the world with our prayers and financial resources. Meet some of the U.S. & WORLD missionaries we support: Randy Davis – La Paz, Bolivia serving with SIM in Bolivia with “Shoe Shiners" Photo Coming Soon Greg and Faith Hurst La Paz, Bolivia Ellen Schulz – Northern Iraq Former Russia Republic works as a mission mobilizer Javier & Roxana Zubieta – La Paz Bolivia Serving with SIM to develop a retreat center. He uses his teaching gifts in many places. Garrick & Dziu Roegner – Spain Working for Cru Ministries Jo Cole – Amarillo/Belize Works with “The Word at Work” Gary & Merri Lee Hipp – Kenya/Southeast Asia International mentors for Digo people through Mission Moving Mountains, a ministry of the Navigators. George & Ann Harper – Philippines Professors in an Evangelical Seminary in the Philippines Alan Meenan – World-Wide Ministry of equipping others to accurately teach the Word of Truth Marta Bennett Kenya Craig Brown - Nashville, Tennessee Amanda and Michael Torres – Fayetteville Arkansas Navigator Staff at University of Arkansas Photo Coming Soon Dug and Cherie McAlpine Lubbock, Texas Photo Coming Soon .... MISSIONS We Support Get Involved OTHER INTERESTS Studies and Groups Worship Grow Connect Serve Photo Coming Soon Tharwat Wahba Cairo, Egypt Eddie and Barbie Broussard Worldwide Photo Coming Soon Photo Coming Soon Sasan TavassoliIran Iran Photo Coming Soon Richard and Wendy Yancey Germany Photo Coming Soon Eddie and Barbie Broussard Worldwide Photo Coming Soon Photo Coming Soon ​ Todd and Christa Blackhurst Taiwan Persecuted Church Afghanistan Photo Coming Soon Billy Swann Dublin Republic of Ireland Photo Coming Soon Photo Coming Soon Todd and Christa Blackhurst Taiwan Brad and Danielle Snowden Mozambique Photo Coming Soon Amen Magdy and Tharwat Samir Cairo, Egypt Photo Coming Soon Photo Coming Soon Mehrdad and Marzieh Sajjadi Munich, Germany Osnir Pires Menezes Jr. (Ozzie) Austin, Texas Photo Coming Soon Robin Price England Photo Coming Soon Photo Coming Soon Andy Smith Phillippians Chris and Greg Callison Northern Iraq Javier and Roxana Zubieta La Paz Bolivia Photo Coming Soon Photo Coming Soon Mehrdad and Marzieh Sajjadi Munich, Germany Photo Coming Soon Photo Coming Soon New Missionaries Coming Soon New Missionaries Coming Soon

MINISTRIES Home / Ministries Ministries We have all kinds of active ministries that seek to equip people to do the work of God’s Kingdom. There are numerous groups where people can connect, grow, and be equipped for the work of God’s Kingdom. On Sunday mornings we have Sunday school. On Wednesday nights we have numerous classes and small groups that meet in our church, and throughout the week we have various Bible studies that meet for every age and stage in our church and around the city. If you want to learn what it means to be a faithful follower of Jesus and how you can use your gifts for His Kingdom, join us on the journey by getting involved in one our various ministries. 1/6 MINISTRIES Adults Care College Age First Pres Kids Library/Resources Missions Music Studies and Groups Youth Columbarium OTHER INTERESTS Studies and Groups Worship Grow Connect Serve

WATCH OUR SERMONS Home / Worship Services / Watch our Sermons Living in Light of God's Love: A Journey through 1 John Sacred Rhythms for Lent Living a Life that Makes a Difference December 31, 2023 10:00 a.m. Christmas Eve 8:00 p.m. Christmas Eve 11:00 a.m. To watch more of our past sermons, visit our YouTube page .

COLLEGE-AGE Home / Ministries / Adults / Singles COLLEGE-AGE SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS For more information on our College-Age Ministry, call the church offices, 806-373-4242. A&O ALUM GROUP CANYON MISSIONAL COMMUNITY OTHER INTERESTS Studies and Groups Worship Grow Connect Serve

STUDIES AND GROUPS Home / Ministries / Studies and Groups Find Your Place... Worshipping together in a large group is powerful. However, we've found that real spiritual growth and lasting relationships are made in smaller studies and group settings. We have lots of groups to choose from. Wherever you are in life, there is a group or a study that will fit. We do better in community. As iron sharpens iron, the key relationships in our lives are meant to challenge, support, and strengthen us. While worship services are powerful, we know that spiritual development happens within smaller community. Find a Sunday school Find a Wednesday Night Group Interested in joining a Triad? STUDIES AND GROUPS Wednesday Nights Sunday School Bible Studies & Small Groups Triads OTHER INTERESTS Studies and Groups Worship Grow Connect Serve At First Pres, our goal is to discover and live the way of Christ int eh expansive grace of God. The way of Christ is the way of community. He ministered to people in community. He ministered to a group of 5,000 (Worship), feeding them with only five loaves of bread and two fish. He chose a group of 70, teaching them and then sending them out to spread the Gospel (Sunday school). We know that he chose His 12 disciples (Small Groups) and He even had a more intimate group of disciples: Peter, James, and John (Triad). ​ We believe that following Christ's model of more intimate and in-depth Christ-centered community is how people mature in their walks with Him. This Path of Discipleship is very similar to how Jesus ministered when He was on the earth.

CURRENT SERMON SERIES Home / Worship Services / Current Sermon Series WORSHIP SERVICES Reformed Traditional Contemporary Gospel OTHER INTERESTS Studies and Groups Worship Grow Connect Serve

CONTACT & NEWS Home / About / Contact & News Still not finding what you were looking for? Feel free to contact us. We'll be happy to help you find what you need. Email: info@firstpres.com Phone: 806.373.4242 ​ Fax Number: 806.373.2407 Staff Listing eChimes Newsletter - Our monthly newsletter can keep you up to date with the latest news and events! ABOUT Becoming a Member ECO Employment FAQs Mission Statement & Beliefs Our History Our People Our Pipe Organ What We're About First Pres Amarillo App WORSHIP | GROW | CONNECT | SERVE