Set on the north end of Broad Street in downtown Lancaster, Ohio, First Presbyterian Church has long been part of the rhythm of the Fairfield County seat. The congregation gathers each Sunday morning in a stone-and-brick sanctuary that has welcomed generations of families from Lancaster and the surrounding countryside. Worship, music, and outreach to neighbors near and far shape the life of the church, which sits within the Presbytery of Scioto Valley of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Worship in the Heart of Downtown Lancaster
The Sunday service begins at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary at 222 North Broad Street. Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month, and the bulletin, posted each week, lists the prayers, hymns, and readings for that morning. A staffed nursery is open throughout the service for infants through preschoolers, and elementary-age children are invited forward at a designated time for Children's Church in the Faith N' Friends area across the hall from the nursery. The sanctuary is intentionally centered on Holy Scripture, opening worshipers to the transforming power of Christ and sending them out inspired to make disciples.
Those who cannot attend in person can join online. Every Sunday's 10 a.m. service is live-streamed on YouTube, and a recording remains available afterward. The current worship bulletin can be opened alongside the stream so that anyone watching from home can follow the prayers and readings in real time.
Parking is available in the lot behind the church, along with street parking on South Broad Street and Wheeling Street and several nearby lots. Handicap access is available at the side and back entrances of the building, and a printable parking map is available.
A note on the service
The congregation is open about its musical philosophy: worship is not labeled "traditional" or "modern" but is designed as an intimate, engaging experience that resonates with everyone who gathers. Visitors are invited to come as they are and to stay afterward in the Heritage Room for refreshments and conversation during the Sunday coffee hour.
Children, Youth, and Family Life
First Presbyterian invests deliberately in the generations coming up through the church. The Family and Children's Ministry, directed by Stephanie Loudon, follows the conviction that children and families grow best when they learn about Christ together.
Sunday Learning Groups meet at 9 a.m. in Faith Village, on the lower level of the church, for children from preschool through fourth grade. The classes give children a chance to learn the fundamentals of the Christian faith and to share in fellowship with their peers. Learning groups do not meet during the summer months of June, July, and August, but nursery care continues to be provided on the main level during worship year-round.
Middle and high school students gather for the Youth Ministry, with three words: Faith, Fun, and Fellowship. Open to students in grades 6 through 12, the group meets every Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Youth Room. Throughout the year the schedule weaves together worship, discussion, activities, service projects, mission trips, and retreats. Leyton Mathias leads the group, working alongside a team that includes a dedicated Youth elder on the session.
Once a year, in early spring, the church sets aside money for college care boxes, sending packages of encouragement to students away at school. Parents and friends of college-aged young people are invited to share updated addresses through the Weekly Happenings announcement.
A Music Ministry Built Around Participation
Music is treated as a ministry of its own at First Pres, not merely a part of the order of worship. John McClain directs the program as Director of Music and Worship, with Caryn Ginter serving as pianist and accompanist. Services blend adorning hymns, guided hymn sings, moving piano reflections, prepared songs from the Worship Team, choral offerings from the Omnis Choir, and occasional guest musicians from Capital University and the broader Lancaster community.
Three ensembles anchor the program:
- Worship Team rehearses on Wednesdays from 8 to 9 p.m. in the sanctuary and leads congregational singing each Sunday. New singers and instrumentalists are invited to join.
- Omnis Choir rehearses on Wednesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. and sings in worship every four to six weeks and on major holidays. It is designed for people who enjoy singing without a weekly commitment.
- Celebration Ringers, a handbell ensemble directed by Bill Wittman, rehearses on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. in the bell room (room 318) and performs at special services and events throughout the year.
The church has also hosted premieres of new sacred music. In March 2025, the Omnis Choir and the Dayspring Vocal Ensemble gave the Lancaster premiere of Marianne Forman's five-movement work Trinity | Our God of Hope and Help, commissioned through a five-ensemble consortium.
Adult Discipleship and Fellowship
Adults at First Presbyterian can choose from several ongoing Bible studies and fellowship groups. The catalog of offerings is updated regularly and includes:
- Sunday Morning Study, which meets at 9 a.m. in room 319 and draws on RightNow Media resources to prepare hearts and minds for worship.
- Women's Loyalty Circle, part of the wider Presbyterian Women organization, which gathers on the third Wednesday at 10 a.m. in room 319, studies the current Horizons Bible study, and supports local mission projects.
- Women of a Great Inheritance, a Bible study that meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 9 a.m. in the dining room annex and engages in 6-to-8-week book and video studies, occasionally with guest authors.
- Men's Christian Fellowship, led by Pastor Nathan Loudon, which meets on the second and fourth Saturdays at 9 a.m. in room 319 for coffee, Bible study, and discussion.
Life Groups round out the fellowship picture. More than ten small groups, each with a different theme, meet for shared study, activity, and conversation. Members and regular attenders are invited to browse the catalog and connect with a group that fits their stage of life.
Membership and next steps
Anyone exploring membership can fill out a short form on the church's Ready to Join page. A staff member follows up to talk through the journey, and the church walks alongside new members as they take their next steps. Members are organized under the care of elders and deacons; the current elders and deacons, grouped by term, are listed on the church's About page.
Hands and Feet in Lancaster
Local mission is one of the three pillars the church points to alongside music and message. Through partnerships with organizations across Fairfield County, members serve neighbors in practical ways each month.
- Christmas Baskets, delivered with Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action, supply selected families with toys, clothes, cleaning products, food staples, and a traditional Christmas dinner.
- Connexion West meals are prepared and served to local youth on the fourth Monday of each month.
- Foundation Dinners are cooked and served by church volunteers on the fourth Friday of each month, while Foundation Shelters is supported through fundraising and donations for the homeless of the community.
- Habitat for Humanity of Fairfield County draws day groups from the church for new home builds each season.
- Maywood Mission and the Vineyard Food Pantry receive regular volunteer hours and financial support to feed hundreds of neighbors each week.
- The Lighthouse, which assists women and children survivors of domestic violence, and The Salvation Army, especially through the Christmas Cheer Campaign and red-kettle bell ringing, are supported with donations and volunteer hours.
- Cub and Boy Scout Pack #5 is sponsored in part by the church, which funds mini-scholarships so scouts can attend summer camp.
- Multi-County Youth Guidance / Youth for Christ Central Ohio is supported financially through Chaplain Steve Telfer, who evangelizes to youth in detention centers across Central Ohio.
- CRU, both locally and through missionaries around the world, is supported with prayer and finances.
The Mission Committee meets on the second Tuesday evening of each month at the church to review financial updates, hear from guest speakers, and discuss volunteer opportunities. Anyone is welcome to join.
Reaching Beyond Borders
Global mission is woven into the life of the congregation. Through the Presbytery of Scioto Valley, the church supports missionaries Mark Hare and Jenny Bent, whose work focuses on disciple-making movements, leadership development, and community-based creation care. Through CRU, the church supports Toshe Temelkov, a global expansion specialist. Through Nuru Ya Mapendo, meaning "Love's Light," missionary Jane Wise serves in Kasenga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, pairing sustainable agriculture with pastoral support and spiritual nourishment.
The church is also an active benefactor of two ministries through Samaritan's Purse. Each year the congregation purchases items for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, packs them, and sends them on their way to more than 170 countries. Members have deployed to U.S. Disaster Relief bases in Lewisburg, West Virginia, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Fort Myers, Florida, and Mayfield, Kentucky, among other locations.
For more than twenty-five years, First Presbyterian has been rooted in the village of Nuevo Paraiso, Honduras. Beginning in 1999, year after year the church has sent mission teams, contributed to schools and educational initiatives, and walked alongside Honduran partners in projects focused on nutrition, clothing, and sustainable community needs. Many of the same people return year after year, joined by new faces who catch the vision for the first time.
Prayer, Pastoral Care, and Life Events
The Care First Prayer Team gathers on Monday mornings at the church to pray for the congregation, its people, and the wider world. Requests shared with the team are passed along to a prayer chain of about eighty people who faithfully lift up special intentions. Anyone can submit a prayer request through the church office.
Pastor Nathan Loudon and the Board of Deacons walk alongside members and friends through personal challenges, life transitions, and times of need. Pastoral care, premarital counseling, and support around funerals are coordinated through the office.
The sanctuary and other spaces of the church are also used for the milestones of Christian life:
- Baptisms are available for all ages, including infants, children, and adults, as a step into the community of faith.
- Weddings can be held in the sanctuary for members and non-members, with premarital counseling from Pastor Nathan and planning support from a wedding coordinator.
- Funerals, memorial services, and calling hours can be hosted in the Sanctuary, with meals arranged in the Dining Room.
Outside groups and community organizations can request use of the building or grounds by submitting a Building Use Form. Gifts to support the work of First Presbyterian can be made online through the giving page or by directing a Venmo payment to @FPC-Lancaster, with options to designate funds toward the general offering, music, family and children, local and global missions, or the youth ministry.