A Century on Gleason Street
First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach sits one half block south of Atlantic Avenue on Gleason Street, in the heart of the barrier island that gives downtown Delray Beach its walkable, small-town feel. On October 19, 2025, the congregation marked its 100th anniversary, a milestone rooted in the work of 66 charter members and the Rev. James H. McCormick, who was installed as the first minister in 1926.
The story of the church is one of steady growth through building projects. Worshippers began meeting in borrowed spaces before renting a building on Bronson Avenue in 1928 and purchasing it the following year. A Christian Education Building was completed and dedicated in 1962, and on Easter Sunday 1977 the first services were held in the present Sanctuary on Gleason Street, which was dedicated in May of that year. The building program continued with the renovation of Fellowship Hall and the Courtyard, dedicated on June 25, 2000, and listed that November on the Register of Historical Places in Delray Beach. In 2009 the church property and Fellowship Hall were recognized as a State of Florida Historical Point of Interest, with a historical marker dedicated on March 8. The Christian Education Building was renamed the Center for Christian Studies in 2016, and the Sanctuary was expanded, parking increased, and five auxiliary buildings demolished through a $3.5 million campaign completed in 2018. The Memorial Garden, created in 1985, provides a place of remembrance for members of the congregation.
Through every chapter the church has been served by a procession of pastors, beginning with Rev. Willis McFadden in 1931, followed by Dr. James Robinson (1941 to 1957), Rev. Robert Morey (1957), Dr. Seth Morrow (1969), Dr. Theodore A. Bush (1984 to 2011), and Dr. W. Douglas Hood, Jr., who began his pastorate on June 15, 2012. Dr. Hood was installed as Co-Pastor alongside Dr. Greg Rapier on September 8, 2024, and following Dr. Rapier's departure on October 19, 2025, Dr. Hood continued as Pastor.
Sunday Mornings at First Delray
The church's purpose statement reads, "Building Disciples, Transforming Lives." The invitation is simple: "You Are Welcome Here. Come like you are." Worship is described as "compelling, traditional worship with outstanding music and exceptional thought-provoking sermons."
Service times follow the rhythms of South Florida's seasons. From November through April, two Sunday morning services are held at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. From May through October, the congregation gathers for one combined service at 10 a.m. Communion is observed thirteen times a year: on the first Sunday of every month and at the Maundy Thursday service, with gluten-free bread and non-alcoholic juice used so that everyone can come to the table. Children depart the Sanctuary after a Time with the Children and are escorted to their Sunday School classrooms; parents pick them up directly from those rooms at the end of worship.
The Sanctuary seats 364, with approximately 100 additional seats in the overflow Covered Patio. The 14 rows of pews on either side of the center aisle frame stained glass windows that the church has worked carefully to protect. Recent hurricane protection has been added to the stained glass, and four new Gospel stained glass windows depicting Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were installed in the lobby.
For those with hearing or vision needs, a large print bulletin is published each week with the Scriptures and the words to the songs sung in worship, and a hearing assistance system allows hearing aids with a t-coil to loop into the service, with headsets available for those who request them. Worship services are livestreamed for those who cannot be there in person.
A Presbyterian Identity
First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and belongs to the Presbytery of Tropical Florida. The denomination traces its roots to John Calvin at the time of the Reformation and is part of the wider Reformed tradition. Within the PC(USA), more than 10,000 congregations are served by more than 12,000 active pastors, connected through 166 presbyteries and 16 synods across the United States, and gathered annually at the General Assembly.
The church's own mission is "To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and participation in God's mission of hope in the community and the world," and its vision is "To build a church where people grow in Jesus Christ." Members may join by letter of transfer, by reaffirmation of faith, by profession of faith (with baptism if they have never been baptized), or as affiliate members if they live in the area only part of the year.
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music is woven into the identity of the church. The Chancel Choir, more than fifteen voices augmented with professional soloists, rehearses Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in the Choir Room on the second floor of the Center for Christian Studies. Members describe themselves as "The Church Family Choir" and are always looking for new family members. A separate Children's Choir welcomes all children ages six to twelve for Sunday morning rehearsals during the school year, culminating in participation in services and a Christmas Pageant or Musical in early December.
The First Delray Ringers, the church's handbell choir, rehearses on Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. in the Bell Room on the same floor, fostering the kind of fellowship that has accompanied handbell ringing in churches for centuries. The chancel is graced by a pipe organ dedicated in 1986, with 32-foot Subbass pipes installed in 2007 and enchamade trumpet pipes donated by Mrs. Marty Baker installed in 2004.
Don Cannarozzi has served as Organist and Director of Music since 1994 and is widely admired for his playing on both piano and organ. Birgit Djupedal Fioravante was hired as Associate Director of Music on February 1, 2022, and Mijin Choi also serves as Associate Director of Music. Together they lead a roster of professional soloists and volunteers whose work is a hallmark of worship at First Delray.
The First Delray Concert Series
What began as a dream in 2023 became the First Delray Concert Series, which debuted its first season in 2024. Four concerts a year are presented in the Sanctuary, whose acoustics and 375-seat capacity make it a natural venue for the varied genres on offer. The series is underwritten by sponsors and supported by ticket sales, with sponsorship levels ranging from Friend to Diamond.
The 2026 season has included programs built around the music of Broadway legend Richard Rodgers and the big band classics of the 1930s through 1950s, and concludes on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with "Lights, Camera, Music!," an afternoon of movie scores performed by the First Delray Singers and Phil Hinton. Plans extend through a Peter and the Wolf family concert with the Master Chorale of South Florida in April 2027 and a "Wicked Good Music" Halloween program in October 2027. Reservations can be made through the church, with tickets picked up at Will Call, paid for at the church on Sunday mornings, or settled by mailing a payment to the office.
Children and Youth
Children and families are central to life at First Delray. Nursery care is available for the youngest children, up to age three, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Children three years old through kindergarten meet in Bible Bunch, while children in first through fourth grade gather in the Primary Class, and fifth grade and above are known as God Squad. The classes use Foundation Edge for nurturing children's love of God, and volunteers are screened and trained.
Grace Hood serves as Director of Children and Family Ministries, working alongside Family Ministry Associate Rachel Therrell. Together they oversee the Christian Parenting Workbook the church has shared freely with other congregations, the Vacation Bible School, and trips to the Montreat Middle School and High School Conferences.
The Youth Group, open to all students in grades 6 through 12, gathers upstairs after worship on Sunday mornings to share a meal, play games, and talk about God. Recent highlights have included a confirmation class for grades 8 to 12, a community service board-game night, the all-night Rock the Universe trip to Universal Studios, and the two annual Montreat Youth Conferences. Friends are always invited.
Holly House
Tucked into the northeast corner of the church campus is Holly House, a ministry of the church where a dedicated group of women meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon to sew, craft, and create items that are sold at the Holly House Holiday Gift Shoppe each November and December and at a Rummage Sale each February. The hum of sewing machines and the warmth of glue guns fill the space as costume jewelry, holiday decorations, and housewares come together. Proceeds support the ministries of the church, and the building itself, dedicated on November 8, 2012, was made possible by gifts from across the congregation.
Mission Outreach
First Delray is recognized in the community as a primary leader among area congregations for its direct involvement in local mission work. The Mission Outreach Ministry oversees mission funds, service projects, and mission trips, with a primary focus on hunger and poverty, abused and neglected children, developmentally disadvantaged children, disenfranchised youth, homeless families, alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence, migrant health care, local and national disaster relief, and theological education at home and abroad.
Achievement Centers for Children and Families was started more than fifty years ago in one of the classrooms at First Presbyterian Church with two teachers and twenty children and now serves more than 900 children with preschool, afterschool, team and summer camps, and family strengthening services, providing 243,000 free meals each year. The Caridad Center, co-founded in 1989 with the help of the church, provides vital health care to more than 6,000 uninsured Palm Beach County residents each year through more than 500 volunteers. CROS (Christians Reaching Out to Society) Ministries operates seven food pantries in the county, with the local pantry open Monday through Friday from 12 to 3 p.m. at 141 SW 12th Avenue, and serves a hot lunch each day, including on Thursdays at First Presbyterian.
The church also supports Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches, Aging in Place Elder Care Services, the Back to Basics Angel Program that serves up to 6,000 children each holiday season, the Boys and Girls Club of Delray Beach, Campo Alegre (the Farmworker Children's Center), the CROSSROADS Club for those affected by addictive substances, the Drug Abuse Foundation, Family Promise of South Palm Beach County, Living Skills in Schools, the Milagro Center, The Soup Kitchen of Boynton Beach, Wayside House, and the Pajama Program. Internationally, the church has supported Freedom in Creation's work in Uganda, particularly during 2009 and 2010 when help with water access and a Center for Sustainability were foundational.
One local initiative in which the whole congregation can take part is Pennies from Heaven, launched in September 2012. Individuals and families collect five cents for every meal eaten in a month and donate the total to the program, which directs the funds to community food programs and to members of the congregation experiencing hard times. To date, donations have totaled more than $90,000, with $13,475 raised in 2026.
Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministry is a lay caring ministry in which trained congregation members provide one-to-one care to those going through difficult times, including grief, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, divorce, relocation, and other challenges. The program follows a Christ-centered training model through Stephen Ministries. The church's Stephen Leaders, Skip Randolph, Wil Brown, and Laura DeBrita, oversee the ministry. New Stephen Ministers are recruited and trained through an application and a fifty-hour course of study.
Adult Ministries and Fellowship
Beyond Sunday worship, adults gather in a wide range of smaller groups. The Monday Morning Women's Bible Study meets at 10 a.m. via Zoom, viewing and discussing video studies prepared by pastors, professors, and Christian educators, with prayer requests shared in a supportive and confidential atmosphere. The Monday Women's Book Group meets on the first Monday of each month from October through May, also at 1 p.m. via Zoom. The Women's Lunch by the Sea meets on the second Tuesday of every month at noon at Boheme Bistro on Atlantic Avenue, with no reservations needed and attendees responsible for their own meals.
On Thursday mornings at 8:30 a.m., the Men's Fellowship gathers at The Original Pancake House on South Federal Highway for fellowship and the reading of meditations and books, while the Women's Discipleship Group meets on alternate Thursdays at 10 a.m. in the Meeting Room on the second floor of the Center for Christian Studies.
The Deacons, the order of ministry set apart for compassion, witness, and service, share in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, and anyone in distress. The Session, the congregation's governing council, oversees the life of the church, while the Trustees handle property, financial, and legal matters.
The Distinguished Preacher Series
Each year the church welcomes a celebrated preacher to fill the pulpit through the Distinguished Preacher Series. Past guests have included Dr. Michael B. Brown, Dr. Thomas Tewell, Dr. Jonathan Lee Walton, Rev. Susan Sparks, Dr. Craig Barnes, Dr. Will Willimon, Dr. Steve Eason, Dr. Sally Brown, Dr. William Carl III, Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor, and Dr. Thomas Long. Dr. Brown, the pastor at Blowing Rock Methodist Church in North Carolina and former Senior Minister at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City, is scheduled to return on January 10, 2027. Rev. Susan Sparks, an ex-trial lawyer turned standup comedian and minister at Madison Avenue Baptist Church in New York City, is the 2028 Distinguished Preacher, with the date to be determined.
Weddings and the Sanctuary
Weddings are a part of the ministry of First Delray, and the Sanctuary with its stained glass windows provides a setting for ceremonies. Non-members may be married at the church as part of the congregation's outreach, with all ceremonies conducted by one of the church's ministers (or a pastoral substitute) unless an exception is granted on appeal. Weddings are not held on Sundays, and the church suggests services be held while it is still light so that guests can experience the stained glass windows. No alcoholic beverages are allowed on the property, no flash photography is permitted during the service, no prerecorded music is used, and no rice, confetti, or flower petals may be thrown on the premises (fake petals are acceptable, with a $500 penalty for violations). The Wedding Coordinator oversees the rehearsal and ceremony, working alongside the Pastor, and the church does not provide a unity candle or aisle runner; an aisle runner should be 50 feet long.
The Renew & Rejoice Capital Campaign
In January 2025 the church launched the Renew & Rejoice Capital Campaign with a goal of $3 million and a challenge goal of $4 million. The campaign has already funded emergency stained glass window repairs, organ repairs, elevator circuit board replacements, a new golf cart, termite treatment, pressure washing and exterior painting, hurricane protection for the stained glass windows and hurricane windows on the east and west sides of the Sanctuary and church office, the elevator door lock, forty replacement light fixtures for the Courtyard and the east side of Fellowship Hall, the four new Gospel stained glass windows in the lobby, and repairs to the east wall of the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary and Education Building air conditioning system is being installed, and contracts have been signed for necessary roof repairs and for painting the interior of the Sanctuary and Covered Patio. Pledges are voluntary and not legally binding, payable over three years beginning the month after the active campaign ends.
Giving and Legacy Giving
The church supports a wide range of giving options, including online giving through the Presbyterian Mission Exchange, stock and mutual fund transfers, and gifts of digital currencies such as Bitcoin. Planned giving options include bequests through a will, beneficiary designations on life insurance policies, retirement assets, POD (Payable on Death) bank accounts, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and real estate. Members and friends who make such gifts are recognized as Legacy Partners, ensuring the continued vitality of the church for the next generation. IRA owners aged 73 or older can make a direct, tax-free transfer of up to $100,000 to First Presbyterian or another charity through an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution. Tribute gifts in honor or memory of loved ones are welcomed. The church's tax ID is 59-0830740.
Nurture Faith with Dr. Doug Hood
Dr. Hood writes a regular weekly devotional, "Nurture Faith with Doug," available by subscription. Recent meditations, written by guest contributors from across the country, have included "Praying With Eyes Wide Open," "The Therapy of Prayer," "Prayer and Doing It for Jesus," "When You Are Angry with God," and "Facetiming with God." The devotional is also available in print within the pages of The Spire, the congregation's monthly magazine, which has been published since January 1979.
Pastoral contacts follow a clear path. For general questions, weddings, funerals, baptisms, prayer requests, or the Memorial Garden, the church office at 561-276-6338 reaches Nancy Fine, extension 10. For a Stephen Minister, callers ask for Doug Hood at extension 11. For baby arrivals, baptisms, or information about children's ministry, the contact is Grace Hood at extension 17. Rachel Therrell handles youth activities and young adult programs. Don Cannarozzi is the contact for joining the choir. Colleen O'Rourke handles contributions, pledges, and questions about donations.
The church campus has ample parking both across the street from the Sanctuary doors and on the church grounds, and visitors are warmly greeted at the lobby doors by the Welcome Team on Sunday mornings. In whatever season, with whatever history a visitor brings, the church's invitation stands: "Come like you are. All are welcome."