First Presbyterian Church’s Pastor Christine Coy Fohr is in a unique position to celebrate the church’s upcoming 175th anniversary. In the 1960s, her grandparents moved to Owensboro from Ohio and joined the First Presbyterian Church, which is located at 1328 Griffith Ave.
Fohr’s mother grew up in the church, as did Fohr, and Fohr remembers her father playing the role of Jesus in the church’s Upper Room plays that were held in the chapel for several years.
After being ordained, Fohr worked at JustFaith Ministries before serving on the staff of Highland Presbyterian Church in Louisville. In 2015, Fohr and her husband relocated to Owensboro where Fohr has served as pastor of the roughly 300-member congregation at First Presbyterian Church. They are raising their two daughters as part of the church, and they are the fourth generation in Fohr’s family to attend the church.
First Presbyterian was not always located on Griffith Avenue. Fohr said the original building was on 3rd Street between St. Ann and Allen Street. During the Civil War, a split created Fourth Street Presbyterian while the First Presbyterian Church moved to 7th Street and Frederica. But 65 years ago, in 1954, the congregations reunited to build the church that has become a landmark on Griffith Avenue.
To celebrate these milestones, congregation members have been working on events throughout the year, including a show that the PrimeTimers Group, a group within the church, presented in September called “Lost in the 50s.”
Fohr said congregation member Mary Lou Taylor is responsible for spearheading many of the events and projects to celebrate the church’s anniversary. Although she has only been a member of First Presbyterian Church for a few years after moving to Owensboro, her previous church held milestone celebrations, and she believes the 175th anniversary should not be missed.
“She wants us to remember history and make a pledge to the future,” Fohr said. “She is who has encouraged us to celebrate.”
Another group is making a quilt for the celebration and a restored Tiffany stained-glass window from the church at Seventh and Frederica Streets is currently a focal point in the church’s sanctuary. The restored window is a gift from the Kirtley family, and Bob Kirtley’s great-grandmother’s name is part of the window. Later, the window will be included in the church’s chapel.
The Imagination Library of Daviess County is also helping celebrate this monumental year by featuring the church as its newest ornament in its annual collection. The ornament may be purchased at the church office and The Willow Tree, a gift shop located at 3121 Commonwealth Court.
Fohr said the culminating events for the celebration will be held Nov. 24 when the church begins the day through a worship celebration that includes a special music program and with the president of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary as the guest preacher. An anniversary luncheon will be held following the service for the congregation.
Fohr believes the church has withstood time for many reasons, but one is its ability to remain “warmly formal,” which she said a congregation member once said about the church.
“We wrestle with it being the church on Griffith where high society went, but we’re more than that now,” Fohr said. “We are still formal in our tradition and liturgy, but it is a warm, friendly, welcoming congregation.”
The music programming has an incredible range of genres in the selected worship pieces and soloists, something that has been enhanced by music director, Dennis Jewett, who is an associate professor of music and director of vocal studies at Kentucky Wesleyan College. He has brought many talented students to sing with the choir and many have remained after graduating.
The church is also holding a capital campaign, the first in its history, and the monies being raised are to benefit the future of the congregation. The mission is called “Forward in Faith,” and Fohr said this has to do with having the foundation to still do the mission of the church along with making the building more accessible for all who want to enter.
The church has a Presbyterian Weekday School, formerly Children’s Day Out, and Fohr said this aligns with the Presbyterian value on education.
“It’s not only to have good care but a good foundation in education,” Fohr said. The church as a whole encourages education, with great classes and book groups studying challenging books.
Fohr said that many Owensboro family memories are made at First Presbyterian Church, including weddings and traditional holiday services and the annual MultiCultural Festival. Tradition is important to its congregation while celebrating its 175th anniversary.
“Our mission’s effort is to live out faith in meaningful ways,” said Fohr.
Stay tuned to First Presbyterian Church’s website and Facebook page for details leading up to the event.
