An Aiken Congregation at the Corner of Laurens and Barnwell
First Presbyterian Church stands on the corner of Laurens and Barnwell Avenue NW in Aiken, South Carolina, the congregation's home since the fall of 1969. The church occupies a deliberate place in the life of this small Southern city: large enough to offer a full slate of ministries, and small enough, members say, to know each other by name. Worship, Christian education, a weekday preschool, music programs, and an active calendar of mission work all flow from the same campus, which includes a sanctuary, education wings, and a Family Life Center dedicated in 1993.
A 1853 Beginning on Laurens Street
The congregation traces its roots to 1853, when fourteen Aiken Presbyterians asked the Charleston Presbytery to organize them as a church. Early worship was held upstairs in the Aiken Town Hall on Laurens Street until a sanctuary could be built. With a donation of property at the southeast corner of Railroad (Park) Avenue and Laurens Street, the first sanctuary was completed in 1859 and dedicated that May.
A second sanctuary was built on the same site in 1925. By the early 1950s, growing membership was straining Sunday School space, and the 1957 bequest of the Grace Estate, located just south of the church, gave the congregation room to breathe and provided a setting for weddings, receptions, and Easter sunrise services. By 1962 the congregation had outgrown that facility as well. Property was purchased at Laurens and Barnwell Avenue, the non-traditional design went up over the following years, and the new building opened for worship in October 1969.
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:30
Sunday worship is held in person at 10:30 AM. The service includes prayers, inspirational music, engaging preaching, the celebration of the sacraments, special music, and a time with children. Visitors who cannot attend in person can join through a livestream on Vimeo, and a current worship bulletin is available online. The order of worship follows the historic Presbyterian pattern that the congregation describes as joyous worship.
For those interested in learning more about the church before visiting, a short online form invites worshipers to share their names and contact information so a member of the church can be in touch.
Wednesday Morning Prayer in the Sanctuary
On Wednesday mornings at 8:45 AM, a thirty-minute service of Morning Prayer gathers in the Sanctuary (the order alternates between the Sanctuary and the Narthex in different seasons). The service follows the format of The Book of Common Worship - Daily Prayer and includes scripture, prayers, and the Eucharist. It is one of the more distinctive rhythms at FPC Aiken and offers a quiet way to begin the middle of the week.
Christian Education for Every Age
Christian education is one of the church's four calling pillars, alongside joyous worship, loving outreach, and authentic relationships. Sunday School meets from 9:30 to 10:15 AM, just before the morning service, with classes for children, youth, and adults meeting on the same campus.
Children's classes gather in the Children's Wing. A class for four- and five-year-olds meets in Room 4 using the Big Faith curriculum, while first through fourth graders meet in Room 3 with the same materials. Youth classes meet in the youth wing: fifth through eighth graders in Room 1 using the Re:Form curriculum, and ninth through twelfth graders in Room 2 with Collaborate.
Adult classes meet in the Adult Wing. The First Class in Room 28 works through Adam Hamilton's study "Moses: In the Footsteps of the Reluctant Prophet," the Focus Class in the Conference Room follows the series "The Chosen," the Law Class in Room 26 uses "The Present Word," and the Lectionary Class in Room 32 studies the same weekly passages used in Sunday worship.
JAM, a children's ministry that supplements Sunday School, and the youth small-group program offer additional weekly opportunities for formation.
A Music Ministry with Wide Range
Music at First Presbyterian encompasses choirs for all ages, handbells, a contemporary band, and a bluegrass band, along with the Sanctuary Concert Series, a free community concert offering each year funded by sponsors.
The Sanctuary Choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM in the Choir Room and is open to all high school youth and adults; no music-reading ability is required, only a willingness to sing. The Carillon Ringers handbell choir offers two rehearsal times on Wednesdays at 5:30 PM in the Choir Loft. Children are invited to join the Children's Choir, which sings periodically during worship. The Water to Wine Band, made up of adults and youth, leads music at select Sunday services; rehearsals are Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM in Room 30. The Director of Music, Daniel Hamilton, oversees the program and serves as the contact for questions or participation.
Reaching Out Across Aiken
First Presbyterian's local mission work centers on partnerships with several Aiken-area nonprofits. The congregation supports ACTS (Area Churches Together Serving), which runs a food bank, financial assistance, transportation, and a resale store; Children's Place, a therapeutic childcare center for two- to six-year-olds; Christ Central, which offers food, clothing, and training for the poor and disadvantaged; the Community Medical Clinic, which provides ongoing healthcare to uninsured residents; Family Promise, which helps families experiencing homelessness work toward sustainable independence; Habitat for Humanity and its ReStore; and Stand at the Crossroads, a residential program for mothers and children rebuilding their lives.
Project Vision builds wheelchair ramps and handles home repairs for neighbors who need them. The Deacons maintain a Medical Equipment Closet stocked with wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, shower seats, raised toilet seats, and canes that are loaned out to members of the congregation and the wider community.
Each fall the church holds a Day of Service that draws together these partnerships in a single morning of hands-on projects around the city. Monthly collections support ACTS, with September contributions going to canned vegetables and October focusing on grits, oatmeal, and cereal.
Long-Term Partnerships in Honduras, Zambia, and South Sudan
Beyond Aiken, FPC Aiken maintains long-standing relationships in Central America and Africa. The Honduras Agape Foundation provides medical and dental care, education assistance, construction, and support for the community of believers in Honduras.
In Zambia, the church has supported the Mwandi Mission Hospital since 1993, helping fund the renovation of the original World War I-era facility and continuing to support the American Partners Board that raises money for the hospital's work. Out of that partnership grew Formula for Life, a project begun in 2009 by Catherine Vandegrift after a trip to Mwandi. The initiative sells handmade necklaces and tote bags to raise money for infant formula for babies born HIV-negative to HIV-positive mothers. To date, Formula for Life has raised more than $325,000, and the church's Zambia partner reports that the program has saved the lives of over 500 babies. The congregation also partners with the Presbyterian Church (USA) mission in South Sudan.
Stephen Ministry and Presbyterian Women
Stephen Ministry at First Presbyterian is grounded in the command to love one another. Trained volunteers meet weekly with individuals facing crisis, transition, hospitalization, grief, divorce, unemployment, terminal illness, aging, chronic illness, relocation, and many other difficulties. Each Stephen Minister completes fifty hours of initial training and ongoing continuing education and supervision. Stephen Ministers meet weekly with their care receivers, listen, help work through difficulties, and pray.
Presbyterian Women, an independent organization within the PC(USA), gathers women of the church for prayer, Bible study, mission support, and community. The group meets monthly for a morning Bible study on the second Wednesday at 10:00 AM. The Prayer Shawl Ministry, an outreach of Presbyterian Women that began at FPC Aiken in September 2007, knits and crochets shawls given as tangible reminders of God's love to anyone in the community who could use one, including baby items for new arrivals.
The Church Preschool
First Presbyterian Church Preschool operates weekdays out of the church's facilities. The preschool is registered with the South Carolina Department of Social Services (registration number 896), meets all state guidelines, and requires its staff to complete at least fifteen training hours each year along with annual Bloodborne Pathogen training. The preschool admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin. Director Melissa Patterson and Assistant Director Lori Toole lead the program, and registration materials are available from the church office.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Wider Use of the Building
First Presbyterian hosts weddings, funerals, and memorial services in its sanctuary. Weddings are arranged in close coordination with the pastors and follow a published set of Wedding Policies and Guidelines. Memorial services are understood as Services of Witness to the Resurrection; the pastors and staff help families plan music, scripture, and other elements of the service. A columbarium is part of the church's ministry to grieving families.
Beyond these rites, the building and grounds serve the wider Aiken community in many ways. The Family Life Center, dedicated in 1993, hosts a wide range of church and community activities. The campus hosts Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, Vacation Bible School, vaccination clinics, blood drives, basketball games, and music programs, and has at times opened its doors to serve as an evacuation site during emergencies.
Stewardship and Giving
The proposed total for the 2026 budget is $1,100,000, allocated across five focal areas: Worship ($348,000), Christian Education ($265,000), Fellowship ($162,000), Mission ($181,000), and Pastoral Care ($144,000). Members are invited to complete a Time and Talent sheet and a pledge card each year as part of the annual stewardship campaign. Online giving is available through the church's secure giving platform, and the church office, located at 224 Barnwell Ave NW, is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and on Fridays from 9:00 AM to noon.