At the corner of South Boston Avenue and 8th Street in downtown Tulsa, First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa has gathered worshipers since 1885. Founded as the city's first organized church, it is known simply as First Church and is known for offering five distinct Sunday services across its connected downtown buildings. Its work reaches beyond Sunday morning through classes for every age, music ministries, care for people in difficult seasons, local mission partnerships and work around the world. First Church calls itself to make fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, inwardly strong and outwardly focused.
Five Sunday Services, One United Church
First Church welcomes people through several worship traditions within one church body. At three different times on Sunday, visitors can encounter an intimate chapel service, acoustic and contemporary worship in Stephenson Hall, a traditional service shaped by organ and full choirs, or the international fellowship that meets across the street.
8:00 a.m. Traditional Worship in Kerr Chapel
The earliest service is an intimate gathering in Kerr Chapel. Traditional hymns are accompanied by a smaller organ and unique musical ensembles. Come-forward communion is celebrated every Sunday, giving this congregation a simple and familiar rhythm of worship.
8:30 a.m. Blended Contemporary Worship in Stephenson Hall
Stephenson Hall also hosts a smaller worship gathering that blends contemporary music with traditional hymns. A small acoustic ensemble leads the service, and come-forward communion is celebrated each Sunday.
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary
The historic Sanctuary is home to First Church's principal traditional service. Full choirs and the organ lead the congregation through hymns beneath the stained glass. Communion is celebrated on five scheduled liturgical Sundays during the year.
11:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship in Stephenson Hall
A second 11:00 service brings together vocals, guitars, drums and the contemporary worship team. Familiar hymns and modern songs meet beneath the vaulted ceiling and stained glass of Stephenson Hall. Communion is observed on the first Sunday of every month and on liturgical Sundays.
11:00 a.m. Tulsa International Fellowship in the Great Hall
Tulsa International Fellowship, or TIF, worships in the Great Hall on the fourth floor of the Bernsen Center. Its largely African immigrant community includes people representing more than 12 nations. A team of musicians leads energetic contemporary worship with selections that are often multilingual. Communion follows the first-Sunday and liturgical schedule shared with the contemporary service in Stephenson Hall.
The 11:00 a.m. traditional service is broadcast live on Cox Channel 3 and rebroadcast at 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. It is also available through Facebook and YouTube. Further broadcast information and past worship recordings are available online.
The 1925 Sanctuary and a Connected Downtown Campus
First Church's downtown presence grew in distinct stages. The historic main building facing South Boston Avenue was completed in 1925. It was extended northward in 1954 with the Kerr Building and Kerr Chapel. In 2012, Stephenson Hall, the Courtyard and the Atrium joined the older Sanctuary and chapel to the education wing and church offices. The result is a campus where historic worship space, classrooms, music rooms and gathering places function as one connected facility.
- The Miller Atrium is the central connection between the older and newer buildings. The Courtyard includes a fountain and colonnade known for its Living Water Sculpture.
- The Bernsen Center, across the street at 700 South Boston Avenue, began as the historic Tulsa Masonic Temple. First Church acquired it in 1994, and its fourth-floor Great Hall now hosts TIF worship.
- The Powerhouse, at 223 East 8th Street, contains a large meeting room, smaller classrooms, a game room, and a coffee and reception area for youth ministries.
- The 8:10 Building operates as for-profit commercial office space. Every penny of net profit after operating costs is directed to local mission projects in downtown Tulsa.
Arriving and Finding the Right Entrance
The main entrance is under the porte-cochère on the south side parking lot, and multiple entrances are available on all sides of the building for Sunday worship. The church is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sundays from 7:30 a.m. to noon, as well as for special events. The Welcome Center in the Atrium offers information, and the main church line is 918-584-4701. The main facilities are accessible from the north and south Atrium entrances, with additional Sanctuary entrances on Boston Avenue. Detailed arrival information is available through the church's visitor information.
- A small weekday parking lot immediately south of the main building is reserved on Sundays and during events for guests and members with handicap or limited-mobility parking needs.
- The Stephenson Lot is at the southwest corner of 8th and Boston, while the Powerhouse lot is at 8th and Cincinnati.
- Free street parking is available on nights and weekends.
Children Are Part of Worship, Not an Add-On
First Church treats children as full participants in the life of the congregation. Families are encouraged to worship together in every service regardless of age or attention span, while age-specific teaching and secure childcare support younger children.
A Unified Sunday School Hour
From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., the church holds a unified Sunday school hour for the whole congregation. More than a dozen classes meet throughout the buildings, often organized around life stages such as parents, young adults and seniors. International Christians, children and youth also have dedicated classes. Visitors are welcome to join a class and can find a suitable group through the Welcome Center.
From 8:00 a.m. to noon on Sundays, childcare and Sunday school options are provided for infants through fourth grade. Families use a secure check-in system in the children's area. An enclosed room on the second floor overlooks Stephenson Hall for families who need to step out, and a nursing mother's room is also available. During the 11:00 services, about 15 minutes of children's time invites pre-K through second graders to join age-appropriate activities. Third and fourth graders continue worshipping with their families.
AWANA and Wednesday Formation
AWANA is offered during the school year as part of Wednesday Night Downtown. Puggles welcomes toddlers with play, songs and simple activities; Cubbies combines Bible memory, participation games and parent involvement for preschoolers; Sparks leads children through a chronological study of the Bible; and Truth and Training emphasizes discipleship and service for elementary students.
Pathfinders, Exodus and UKirk
- Pathfinders, grades 5 through 8: Sunday school meets from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by POW on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The ministry also includes TINA summer gatherings, the Choosing the Best program and a service-oriented mission trip.
- Exodus, grades 9 through 12: Sunday school and Amass Exodus meet at the Powerhouse, with summer Exodus Nights on Tuesdays and an annual mission trip.
- Confirmation: Beginning each fall, students take part in an eight-month course of lessons and small-group discussion, with the opportunity to publicly confirm their faith in Jesus Christ.
- UKirk, ages 18 through 24: This ministry offers weekly fellowship, Bible study and Sunday school for young adults and partners with The University of Tulsa on campus ministry.
Baptism also has a place across the life span. First Church's families typically practice infant or child baptism, students may be baptized during Confirmation, and adults are encouraged to explore baptism and membership together through the First Church Membership class.
Learning That Spreads Across the Week
Adult discipleship combines the unified Sunday school hour with weekday classes, groups and retreats. The recurring rhythm includes:
- Mondays: Men's Monday Bible Study meets from noon to 1:00 p.m. in E103 for lunch, fellowship and study of a Bible book.
- Tuesdays: Precept Bible Study begins at 9:30 a.m. in E102 and teaches the inductive method of Bible study.
- Wednesdays: Wednesday Night Downtown runs from September through May, with an optional meal at 5:15 p.m., children's and youth classes at 6:00 p.m. and adult classes at 6:15 p.m.
- Thursdays: Hearts for the Lord gathers women from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in E313 for Bible study and spiritual growth.
- Saturdays: Before the Rooster Crows begins at 8:45 a.m. in E103 for Scripture, discussion and reflection before Sunday worship. TIF Saturday Prayers run from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Bernsen Center.
Small groups called K Groups meet in homes, coffee shops and church buildings around Tulsa. A typical session lasts six to eight weekly meetings and may follow a sermon curriculum, a Bible study, a book study or a seasonal theme. Groups often gather around a life stage such as parenting, young adulthood or retirement. New groups can begin with four or more friends. Presbyterian Women also meet monthly in Circles for Bible study, mission and fellowship, while pastors host spiritual retreats once a semester for worship, Scripture meditation, prayer, reflection, shared meals and conversation.
Choirs, Bands, Bells and the Austin Organ
Music is treated as part of Christian education as well as worship. Worship 101 is built into the Sunday school curriculum, and children learn songs of the faith, how to sing from the hymnal and how to navigate the Bible. The Chancel Choir leads congregational song each Sunday and performs seasonal concerts and holiday services. The Overtones Bell Choir, Gloria Women's Choir, Celebration Singers youth choir, First Church Choristers children's choir and the junior Rejoice Ringers handbell ensemble also contribute to worship.
The contemporary team uses guitars, drums, keyboards, cello and vocals to perform both popular modern songs and adapted traditional hymns. The Worship and Music Committee selected the newly published Sing! Hymnal to succeed the hymnal used for 35 years, with dedications available as a way to honor or remember loved ones.
The Sanctuary's Austin organ was installed in 1967 and 1968 and contains 6,520 pipes. A major renovation from 2013 through 2015 cleaned each pipe and replaced the analog controls with an electronic system. Its movable main console can be positioned for concerts, and a mini-console allows control from the center of the choir loft. Above the city, 32 bronze tower bells cast in France include four swinging bells that ring for worship, weddings and festive occasions. They present a 30-minute musical program across downtown Tulsa at noon and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.
A Faith Both Orthodox and Evangelical
First Church describes its identity as orthodox, affirming the authority of Scripture and the historic witness of the Church, and evangelical, expressing its mission to share the good news of the gospel and participate in God's work of healing and reconciliation. As a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation, it embraces the Reformed tradition, subscribes to the Book of Confessions, including the Westminster Standards and Heidelberg Catechism, and is governed by the Presbyterian Book of Order.
Its beliefs affirm one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine, the only mediator between God and humanity, and rose again for salvation. The Holy Spirit convicts, comforts and gives spiritual gifts for the Church's witness. Scripture is the authoritative and infallible word of God. Humanity is created in God's image, but sin has entered the world. Salvation rests on God's grace through Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit continuing the work of sanctification. The Church is the Body of Christ, sent to proclaim Jesus as Lord, support people in love and serve others sacrificially. Baptism and the Lord's Supper are outward signs of inward grace, and the church looks with hope for Christ's return and the final triumph of love and justice.
Serving Tulsa from Its Downtown Doorstep
First Church's mission began with education and worship for Creek Indians from the Wealaka Mission, and its present service continues through direct ministries and long-standing partnerships. The church's downtown location places it less than a mile from communities with both extraordinary wealth and profound need.
Helping Hand Ministry
Helping Hand Ministry, an outreach of First Church, assists Tulsa individuals and families facing temporary crises. On Mondays and Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon, volunteers help with utility bills, prescriptions and food distributed from a pantry.
The 8:10 Mission Fund
Income from the church's 8:10 office building is placed in a mission fund for transformative local work. The church describes this transformation as change in the whole of human life, materially, socially and spiritually, and as renewed understanding of people as created in the image of God and called to care for the world and one another.
Schools, Art and Neighbors
At Anderson Elementary, First Church is a partner in education through a lunch-buddy program and a Christmas gathering for hundreds of children. Masterwork Arts Academy teaches visual art, dance and music while helping elementary students reflect on God as Creator. Works of HEART gathers Monday morning volunteers at a day center for people experiencing homelessness to lead art projects. Camp Loughridge, an independent nonprofit on 186 acres in southwest Tulsa, offers Christian camps, retreats, weddings and events. First Church acquired the property in 1959 and named it for missionary Robert M. Loughridge.
Local mission relationships also extend to:
- Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma, serving needs involving adoption, housing, food, dental care and immigration.
- Crossover Community Impact, working for reconciliation, love and justice across Tulsa.
- First Baptist Church Caring Center, Goodland Academy, Tulsa Habitat for Humanity and Tulsa Boys' Home.
- John 3:16 Mission, Lindsey House and Restore Hope Ministries, addressing homelessness, hunger, family stability and spiritual care.
- The Salvation Army of Tulsa, which provides aid during economic hardship and natural disasters.
Deacons, Homebound Friends and a Network of Care
Pastoral care is an essential part of First Church's ministry. The 30-member Board of Deacons is called and ordained for ministries of care and compassion. Deacons and other volunteers visit homebound and hospitalized people, assist with yard work and small home repairs through Days of Care, deliver flowers to care facilities, host bereavement receptions and organize a worship service and meal for people who may be alone around Thanksgiving. At Christmas, they work with Anderson Elementary and social service organizations to provide area families with food and other items. Hope is Alive ministry provides a meal and worship for men and women recovering from addiction.
Other groups widen this network. The Sisterhood of Widows offers support and fellowship. The Guild of Intercessors provides regular prayer, and the Pray-ers Ministry assigns participants to families for daily prayer. Ordained leaders take Communion to homebound people five times a year, and trained hospital chaplains work with pastors to offer spiritual support and prayer to hospitalized people. These ministries also include support for caregivers and people facing illness, grief and other transitions.
Mission Across Tulsa's Borders
First Church's global mission emphasizes justice, education, literacy, Christian communion and access to clean water. The International Justice Mission partners with local justice systems to end violence against people living in poverty and seeks to end slavery. Petra Kids Ministries supports Petra Christian School in Uganda, where more than 350 children are enrolled and 90 percent are orphaned. Literacy and Evangelism International creates biblically based reading materials, trains teachers and supports literacy and English teaching ministries. The Outreach Foundation connects Reformed churches around the world, while the Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon works for Christian communion, justice, creation and the next generation.
First Church also joins an Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery partnership with the Livingstone Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian and Bandawe Presbytery in Malawi. Members can learn about clean-water needs, fast from non-water beverages and give what they save to support sustainable wells in rural African villages. The church additionally supports missionaries and their families in places where access to the gospel is difficult.
Stewardship, the Foundation and Educational Support
First Church describes giving as an act of thanksgiving and worship. Contributions sustain worship, discipleship, outreach and pastoral work. A covenant of giving can be completed online or through the business office, and gifts can also be made through the church's online giving. Church leaders manage contributions prayerfully and provide the congregation with a detailed annual financial report.
The First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa Foundation was established in 1962 to support long-range work in worship, discipleship, missions, education, benevolence and community service. It accepts cash gifts, bequests, securities, retirement assets, real estate, donor-advised funds and other forms of charitable giving.
The church's scholarship program provides financial aid for people pursuing study at accredited institutions of higher learning. Most awards consider financial need, academic potential and performance, although individual funds carry their own requirements. The First Church Scholarship Fund, created in 1988, offers general scholarships and Christian vocation scholarships, while other memorial and restricted funds support education, ministry and Christian work.
Clergy and Ministry Leaders
- Clergy: Rev. J. Cameron Beaty serves as Senior Pastor and Head of Staff. Rev. Wambugu Gachungi is Associate Pastor and leads Tulsa International Fellowship, worship, Bible studies and outreach. Rev. James Estes serves as Associate Pastor with a focus on mission, and Rev. Julia Metcalf serves as Associate Pastor for Next Generation Ministries.
- Music: Ronald J. Pearson, M.M., directs Music Ministries; Eric Baird serves as Worship Leader; Gretchen Bashforth is Associate Director of Music Ministries; and Carol Tipton leads Children's Worship Arts.
- Next Generation: Erin Barnhart directs Children's Ministry, Pattie Gross directs Oasis Special Needs Ministry, Juddy Kanyeki serves as Associate Director for Elementary, Leah Craddock directs Middle School Ministries and Steve Wilson directs High School Ministries.
- Discipleship, care and mission: Duff Points is Executive Director of Adult Ministries, Elizabeth DeVore Massey is Ministry Assistant for Discipleship, Emma Myatt directs New Member Outreach, Athena DeSpain supports missions, outreach and TIF, and Grace Masaku assists with Pastoral Care.
A Church Built for Worship and Service
First Church's life moves between five Sunday voices and the daily rhythms of learning, music, care and service. In one connected downtown campus, the historic Sanctuary, intimate Kerr Chapel, contemporary Stephenson Hall and international Great Hall each make room for worship. Beyond those rooms, children and adults study, families receive support, neighbors find practical help, and mission partners carry the church's work into Tulsa and around the world. This is First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa, a church rooted in Tulsa's history and still growing in worship, discipleship and outward service.