Our History
In 1886, when the First Presbyterian Church of Worcester was organized, there were fifty-seven members and three elders. The Rev. J.H. Ralston was the first pastor.
For the next 21 years, the congregation moved five times and had six different pastors. A history of the church says, "Surely they were like Israel wandering in the wilderness".
That changed in 1907 when the church purchased a building from the Baptists at 717 Main Street. There the church flourished. By 1930, the members numbered well over seven hundred. The Depression and other factors soon took a heavy toll on the church. By 1976, declining attendance, an aging building and changing neighborhood led the church to sell its home of nearly seventy years.
Thus began another period of "wilderness wandering" for the church, lasting three years. During this time, however, the members rededicated themselves to their ongoing Presbyterian witness in Worcester and continued to meet in various locations. During the Advent season in 1979, the congregation joyfully began to worship in its new building at 125 Holden Street under the leadership of Rev. Charles Munion. Through the dedication and generosity of many members, a larger fellowship hall and education wing was dedicated in 1992, at which time Rev. Jim Rand was pastor.
We look forward to what lies ahead. We face many of the challenges of our forefathers as well as the challenges of the new technological age. Unlike our founding fathers, we are a multi-ethnic congregation, gathering our members from all over the United States and all four corners of the globe. We are a diverse church family, bound together by a strong belief in our Christian faith, reflecting different cultures with one voice of faith, and we look forward to what lies ahead.