First Presbyterian Church is the oldest congregation in Lexington.  However, it is also a twenty-first century community of faith which wrestles to extend the conviction we celebrate on Sunday into Monday and beyond.  We are a vibrant, downtown congregation that lives out God's remarkable grace in service to one another and the community around us.

Church History

First Presbyterian Church was founded in 1784 when Lexington, Kentucky, was a frontier town composed of thirty cabins and a stockade.  Originally named Mount Zion Church, this congregation has defined its mission as a commitment to worship and serve in faith and love as we celebrate our dedication to God in Jesus Christ.

During the church's first two decades, several famous pastors filled its pulpit.  One of these was Robert J. Breckinridge, known as the Father of Public Schools and a strong anti-slavery advocate.  Mary and Abraham Lincoln were visitors at First Presbyterian in 1849.  Lincoln was impressed by Breckinridge's Thanksgiving sermon, and the two became friends.  In the years that followed, Breckinridge became one of the future president's most stalwart supporters.

The Civil War not only divided Lexington but also divided this congregation into Lexington's First and Second Presbyterian churches.  In 1872, the First Presbyterian Church, after four previous moves, settled into its present location, a new Gothic building topped by a 180-foot spire designed by Elder Cincinnatus Shryock and modeled after Trinity Church in New York City.  The church's historic Kimball organ was installed in 1897.

The twentieth century witnessed rapid expansion and increased attendance as two more churches; Maxwell Street Presbyterian and Hunter Presbyterian were formed out of First Church's congregation.  Women became directly involved in church government as officers, and the first integrated daycare in Lexington was started onsite.  Restoration, renovation and construction projects such as Henry Clay's law office (the small building to the left of the front door of the Sanctuary), classrooms and the Chapel are the result of the growing congregation at First Church.  These additional facilities have heralded the congregation's continuing commitment to downtown Lexington as it seeks to be faithful to its mission in the twenty-first century.

Today that message continues to be proclaimed loudly and clearly as the congregation is led in its worship and mission by the Rev. Dr. Lee W. Bowman, the first female in First Church's history to serve as the pastor of the congregation now numbering 800+ members.