In 1872, after the railroad line was extended, the town of Elgin was established along the line. Businesses, buildings, and homes began going up where once the wild beasts roamed and Mother Earth was covered with cactus, mesquite, and grand old oaks.
During this time, churches were being organized. There was a Cumberland Presbyterian Church northeast of town in Pleasant Grove, and some of the members there helped to organize the Cumberland Church in Elgin in 1881. There were eleven charter members.
They started out meeting in various churches and grade school buildings in town and had part-time pastors. The salary for a part-time pastor at that time was 87 dollars and 25 cents per month.
In 1886, just 5 years after the church was founded, the current property was purchased. In addition to a small house that was already on the property, a little white frame church was built.
In 1908, the first full-time pastor, the Rev. Comer, was hired. He and his family moved into the little house on the property, and he served the church for 3 years.
During that 3 years, they tore down the little white church and began work on a new building in the same location. The new church building was completed in 1909 and is still here today.
The women of the church raised money to pay for the pews by selling ice cream and cake on Saturdays, conducting a bazaar, and serving dinner at the red brick hotel.
The Cumberland Presbyterians were among the first of the reformed churches to ordain women, and in 1932, we ordained the first female elder in Elgin. Her name was Mrs. Sadie McCullough.
In 1941, the church switched from Cumberland and joined the Presbyterian Church, U.S. so that they could have students from the Austin Seminary come to supply the pulpit, and it wasn’t until much later that any other women were ordained here in Elgin.
In 1951, the Session decided to call a full-time pastor named Jack Harrison. The Rev. Harrison was only here for 3 years, and after that, they went back to seminary students providing pulpit supply.
In 1956, the congregation voted to build a new manse and educational building, so the little house that was used as the old educational building was sold and moved off the lot. From that time on, the congregation has had full-time pastors.
In 1982, our church was yoked with the Presbyterian Church in Giddings, and the Rev. John Camp was hired to preach at both churches. The organization of the two churches was called the Rolling Hills Parish.
In 1988, Ethel Munroe was hired as the church custodian, and she faithfully cleaned the church and kept things in order for nearly 3 decades.
Also in 1988, the fellowship hall was expanded, adding 1500 more square feet of space.
Due to church growth and increasing programs, the Rolling Hills Parish disbanded in 1990, and John Camp became the full-time pastor. He resigned in 1997.
In 1998, The Rev. Nan Jenkins was called as the first female pastor, and in 2001, the Rev. Nancy McCranie became the Parish Associate.
In 2003, the baby grand piano and the electric organ were donated by the Foehner estate.
2006 marked the beginning of the plans to add the porch off of the church narthex, relocate the bell, and renovate the steeple. The large porch that connects the fellowship hall to the sanctuary was planned as well. Construction was completed in 2010.
Nan Jenkins retired in 2008, and the Rev. Amy Meyer was called in 2010.
The latest renovation in 2013 restored the sanctuary interior, windows, floor, ceiling structure, and foundation. In addition, the chancel window was uncovered and replaced with the stained glass window.
In 2014, a new worship service called “Worship Party” was added on the first Sunday evening of every month. The church purchased bouncy houses, and Nancy Lou Webster carved little wooden figures so that Pastor Amy could use them to tell Bible stories to the children.
Thus, for well over a century, the First Presbyterian Church has been a light glowing in Elgin, and we continue to strive for a life filled with as deep a faith as the small group of sincere believers that started it all so long ago.
