Our church was founded in 1824 by a dozen souls led by minister William Paisley. We were the first chartered Presbyterian church in the newly formed City of Greensboro.

As the city expanded so did the church, outgrowing two sanctuaries before erecting our third in the 1850s. (You might have visited this building, now the Greensboro History Museum.) In 1929 we dedicated our fourth sanctuary in the city’s “first suburb,” Fisher Park. Now the neighborhood is an integral part of downtown Greensboro, and our ministry takes place in multiple buildings across a full city block, between North Elm and Greene streets and Fisher Avenue to the park.

The church’s outreach ministry has been deeply involved with the community, helping to establish Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro, StepUp Greensboro, Wheels4Hope, Triad Career Network, Ten Thousand Villages and more. The church now focuses on hunger action, affordable housing, earth care, strong families and racial equity.

Race and Our Story

Our history reflects the history of race in our country. Four of our 12 founders were enslaved people. A plaque dedicated to them is mounted in the Tower Room behind the sanctuary. After emancipation, 37 formerly enslaved members left to establish Saint James Presbyterian. In 2017, as Saint James celebrated its 150th anniversary, our two congregations joined in a Service of Reconciliation.

We seek to foster a world grounded in the Christian values of love, acceptance, inclusion, and equity for all people. As a Matthew 25 church, we have committed to dismantling systemic racism and promoting racial equity. A documentary, A Journey Toward Racial Healing, shares the beginning of our work, and has a companion resource guide.

A Bit of Trivia