Welcome from the Congregation!
The congregation of First Presbyterian is a very welcoming group. We are known for our hospitality and diversity - and we sincerely hope you find yourself at home here! The congregation is made up of many races, incomes, and education and professional levels. Sunday mornings are not a fashion show!
Come as you feel comfortable, either casual or dressy. 11:00 a.m. every Sunday. You will find yourself surrounded by native New Orleanians and newcomers from all over, by lifetime Presbyterians and people raised in many other faiths…or raised without any faith. Social gatherings include Mardi Gras parades, cheering on the Saints, Halloween activities for kids, Men's Night cookouts, Christmas caroling, and sharing our lives together in this wonderfully rich city.
Services consist of song,prayer, praise, meditation, and sermon. For a good picture of our weekly service, open the bulletin on the church's home page. To get a feel for the activities and members of our congregation, you can also look on our Facebook page.
Children are welcome to stay with their families in church. We offer a Children's Moment during the worship service where young people can hear a Bible story or learn about the church and the life of faith.
After each service, everyone is invited to join in fellowship, with coffee and light refreshments, at the back of the sanctuary. Some folks even help themselves to coffee before the service begins, please feel free to do the same.
Communion is served on the first Sunday of each month, and is taken at the front of the church.
What it means to be a Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a form of church government. As New Orleanians, we belong to the Presbytery of South Louisiana and the Synod of the Sun, and receive institutional support from the local and national presbytery. In turn, we contribute to the missions of the Presbyterian church at home and abroad. While valuing church structure, Presbyterians acknowledge the freedom of individual conscience as we all seek together to know and do the will of the Lord as we receive it through Scripture. Many of us in this congregation were raised in different denominations from Baptist to Catholic. We are united here in our worship and service.
Christian Education
Currently, we offer child care and/or Christian education to children up to young elementary school age beginning at 10:15 and continuing on until the end of our church service. The children spend the first few minutes in church with their families before they return to their classroom.
The adult Sunday school class meets at 9:30.
Worship and Music
We have a traditional yet relaxed worship service with a range from standard hymns and handbells to jazz, opera and blues! We welcome guest musicians to share their talents with us. We encourage anyone who is so inclined to join the singing choir which practices at 10:15, walk-ons are welcome, or the bell choir, which practices at 9:45, but please let us know you are coming for bells.
The church has a 1916 Austin Pipe Organ, Opus 635 with a Trumpette en Chamade which was added later. This organ was built for the previous sanctuary on Lafayette Square. That sanctuary was badly damaged by a hurricane in 1915, but rebuilt and the organ repaired. When the church moved to its present location in 1938, the organ and church furnishings were moved to the new building.
The organ was damaged in Hurricane Ida in 2021. Now that insurance funds have been obtained, we hope to be able to repair it after the roof is replaced early in 2024.
We also have a Yamaha grand piano which is a replacement of the previous Steinway that was damaged in hurricane Katrina. The current piano was purchased with memorials for our beloved late Pastor, Cliff Nunn, after we were unable to restore the flooded piano, despite a valiant attempt.
We produced "A First Presbyterian Christmas" CD in 2003 which is available for download in iTunes that includes a live recordings from the sanctuary and also some songs produced in the studio, including piano, guitar, handbells, choir and children's choir and readings.
More Light
First Presbyterian stands with other Presbyterian congregations as a More Light congregation, meaning that we welcome the participation and leadership of people of all races, abilities, and sexual orientations. We are also a member of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians. We are the only Presbyterian congregation in New Orleans to belong to both organizations.
