Tucked into a 65-acre campus on Franklin Pike in Nashville, First Presbyterian Church of Nashville has stood as the city's inaugural congregation since 1814. The congregation worships in a single Sanctuary at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings, draws on a classically oriented music tradition, runs the largest recreational soccer league in the city, and operates Oak Hill School as a long-standing outreach. Members describe it as an "outpost of the kingdom" whose mission is "to know Christ, to make Him known and to exhibit His love through worship, education and service."
Worship in the Sanctuary
Worship is described by the congregation as the heartbeat of its life together. Two traditional services are celebrated each Sunday in the Sanctuary, both rooted in the Reformed, biblical, and Christ-centered preaching of the pastorate. The basic order stays largely the same week to week, with variety in song and prayer within the familiar shape of Presbyterian liturgy. "Presbyterian worship seeks to express something of the majesty and wonder of God, drawing from 2,000 years of rich traditions of Christian worship and liturgy," the church explains, "and yet to do so with the warmth and joy that Jesus Christ brings to life."
The 8:30 a.m. service is also livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel for those unable to attend in person. Both services include choirs that lead the congregation in song. Sunday School for every age meets between services, making 9:45 a.m. a busy hour across the campus.
The Liturgical Shape and the Sacraments
The two Presbyterian sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are central to worship. Baptism is normally administered in the presence of the congregation at the front of the Sanctuary near the baptismal font, with the pastor and an elder alongside the person being baptized (or, for a young child, the parents). The visible sign of water, sprinkled or poured, signifies cleansing from sin and being made new by the work of Christ. Communion is celebrated as the sacrament that enacts and seals what the Word proclaims. The church practices an open communion table, inviting all who confess Jesus Christ as Lord to share at the meal.
Baptisms of children and adults, weddings, and funerals all happen within the regular rhythm of worship. Acolytes assist with candles and other duties. Worship activity bags are provided at every Sanctuary entrance for families who want to keep younger worshipers engaged.
A Distinguished Music Tradition
First Presbyterian is widely known for the strength of its music program. The congregation describes it as "a long and distinguished tradition of musical excellence" that is "an important part of our identity as a Christian community" and "a beacon of quality and integrity in the Nashville area." The classically oriented program is open to all and offers music spanning the 21st century and the church's historic Christian heritage.
The Sanctuary Choir, open to amateur and professional singers, sings at both Sunday services and presents special programs with orchestra throughout the year. Rehearsals are held Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (August through May), and Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. in the Choir Room. Sanctuary Singers, a newer intergenerational choir for teens and adults, rehearses Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. and sings at the 11:00 a.m. service. Seasonal Women's and Men's Chorales are offered across the year for confident singers looking for a shorter rehearsal commitment. Choral Scholars is a program for collegiate vocalists who audition to deepen their artistry under the direction of the music staff.
The church is home to a Beckerath Organ. The Director of Music, Dr. Raphael Bundage, leads the program with the conviction that worship is the central gathering of the community of faith and that "only our best should be offered to God." The Organist and Assistant Choral Director, Dr. Ariana Corbin, leads the Sanctuary Singers and provides accompaniment at services and concerts, and the Assistant Organist, Rhonda Swanson, serves as Wedding Music Coordinator. A Children's Choir and the Choristers program nurture young musicians, and the FPC Concert Series presents outstanding programs and special events in the Sanctuary throughout the year, open to the public and without charge unless noted.
Rooted in the Reformed, Orthodox, and Evangelical Tradition
First Presbyterian is a congregation within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), part of the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee. The church describes itself as shaped by "the Reformed, orthodox and evangelical traditions of the larger church." Members affirm the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed and recognize Jesus Christ as the reconciler of God and humanity, whose death secured forgiveness and whose resurrection offers new and eternal life. The Bible is confessed as "the Word of God written, a unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ," and the church teaches that where the Word is read and proclaimed, the Living Word is present by the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.
The congregation embraces the historic Reformed affirmations: the unique authority of Scripture, the sovereign grace of God, and the Lordship of Christ over all. The Presbyterian church structure, the church teaches, is "governed by elected elders (presbyters) and connected to other churches in our local presbytery." Most Presbyterian churches also have deacons who serve the church's compassion needs. Guiding confessions include the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Westminster Confession of Faith and its Larger and Shorter Catechisms, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Second Helvetic Confession, the Scots Confession, the Theological Declaration of Barmen, the Confession of 1967, and A Brief Statement of Faith.
The church is intentionally honest about its identity in other ways too. It calls itself "evangelistic" in the historic sense of being committed to the atoning death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, and notes that it "resists the current attempt to co-opt the term as a descriptor of some allegiance within the framework of US politics." It calls itself "thoughtful" because it welcomes questions and doubt as part of faith and prizes the life of the mind. And it calls itself "a playful community," celebrating a risen Savior by recreating and playing together on its 60-plus acre campus.
Children and Families, Birth Through Sixth Grade
Children's Ministry at First Presbyterian exists "to nurture and teach the youngest disciples of Jesus Christ, from birth through 6th grade, through age-appropriate ministries of faith formation." The program partners with parents to lay a foundation for a lifetime of knowing and loving God, with Sunday morning and milestone ministries that engage the whole child.
On Sunday mornings, Nursery care for ages 0 - 3 is offered from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., with classrooms divided by developmental milestones (infants and crawlers, walkers and toddlers, two- and three-year-olds). Pre-K and Kindergarten (ages 4 - 6) begin in worship with the congregation and are invited to join Young Children & Worship following the Blessing of the Young Disciples; parents pick up at the Children's Ministry Wing. Children in first grade and older are encouraged to worship alongside their families with the help of activity bags. Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. follows a check-in process designed for safety: nursery through third grade must be checked in and out by a parent or high school sibling.
The Sunday School scope and sequence walks children through the grand story of Scripture in a year. The fall traces Israel's history from Genesis through the prophets; the winter and spring turn to the Gospels and beyond, following Jesus as the perfect Prophet, Priest, and King. The Children's Ministry also produces a series of sensory-processing resource sheets (Auditory, Gustatory, Interoceptive, Olfactory, Proprioceptive, Tactile, Vestibular, and Visual Systems) developed in collaboration with a Belmont University occupational therapy student. Other family offerings include Vacation Bible School, a Parents As Leaders program, and ministry staff who regularly attend children's games, recitals, and matches on request.
Youth: Seventh Through Twelfth Grade
The Youth Ministry exists "to help foster the spiritual formation of the 7th - 12th grade students at First Presbyterian Nashville and support families in the discipleship of their children." Sunday mornings begin with corporate worship at 8:30 or 11:00 a.m., followed by Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. in The Gathering Place, with a time of fellowship, games, and large-group teaching and adult-led discussion by grade.
Wednesday Night Youth meets from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in Stanford Chapel in the fall, winter, and spring. The first half hour is food, games, and community; then the group gathers for worship, large-group games, and a lesson before breaking into grade- and gender-based small groups with young adult leaders. A Student Leadership Team meets monthly for ongoing discipleship, training, and prayer.
The youth ministry's trip calendar is woven into its formation work. Each fall, current seventh- and eighth-graders attend a retreat at NaCoMe. A ski retreat at Beech Mountain, North Carolina, draws current ninth through twelfth graders in February. Graduating seniors take a pilgrimage to Yosemite National Park. Rising ninth through twelfth graders travel with Appalachia Service Project each summer to do critical home repairs in rural Appalachia, and rising seventh- and eighth-graders participate in Project Sweat, an in-town mission experience. Youth also volunteer at Vacation Bible School and head out together for river floats, rafting trips, and other summer outings. A long-standing tradition pairs every student with an adult Prayer Partner who commits to praying for them throughout their time in the ministry.
Adults: Sunday School, Small Groups, and Bible Studies
Adult discipleship is led by the Associate Pastor for Discipleship and supported by a small groups coordinator. The Sunday morning adult program includes a wide range of regular classes at 9:45 a.m., varying in size, format, and content. These include the Good News class, the Logos class, the Cornerstone class, and the Current Issues class.
Small groups and Bible studies meet throughout the week on campus and in homes for topical conversations, book studies, and seasonal groups. The Men's Ministry is part of the discipleship portfolio, and Nashville Fellows, a leadership and discipleship program for recent college graduates, sits alongside the adult ministry. The Connections and Engagement Coordinator helps newcomers and visitors navigate a first visit, membership, and finding a place to serve.
First Friends for Active Adults and Retirees
First Friends is the church's ministry for adults who are almost-retired, just-retired, and considerably retired. It provides spiritual and social support for members over 55 and connects them with the wider church family for fellowship, service, and personal growth. Monthly luncheons are held on the third Thursday at 12:00 p.m. in Courtenay Hall for a $10 fee, featuring programs on local history, church programs, and community leaders. A book club meets on the third Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in the Memorial Library, with selections spanning contemporary and historical fiction, memoirs, and biographies. The committee and coordinator continually develop new offerings, including bus trips, excursions to plays and museums, and service opportunities with mission partners.
Presbyterian Women
Presbyterian Women encourages women in their walk with Christ through study of the Word, prayer, fellowship, service, and support of the mission of the church worldwide. The PW year runs September through May and launches with a Fall Gathering. Three Circles meet on the second Tuesday of each month: Deborah Circle and Miriam Circle gather at 10:00 a.m. in Cheek House with a social hour at 9:30 a.m., and Mary Circle meets at 6:00 p.m. at the home of a member for dinner ($5 by reservation) and Bible study from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. The 2026 - 27 Bible study is N. T. Wright's "Acts for Everyone."
Missions Near and Far
First Presbyterian's commitment to the common good is rooted in Christ's call to love and serve neighbors here and around the world. Guided by the words of Jesus in Matthew 25, the church partners with local, national, and global ministries that serve the hungry, the stranger, the sick, the imprisoned, and the vulnerable.
Local mission partnerships fall into three groupings. Kingdom Partners are gospel-centered organizations deeply aligned with the congregation's mission, including Begin Anew, Eli's House, Legacy Mission Village, Matthew 25, Men of Valor, Nueva Vida, Safe Haven Family Shelter, and Siloam Health. Heritage Partners are long-term relationships reflecting the church's history of working for the common good in Nashville: Martha O'Bryan Center, Hospitality House, and Alive Hospice. Project Partners invite short-term or recurring service projects, including Habitat for Humanity, Rise Against Hunger, Room In The Inn, and various food, clothing, and blood drives. Beyond Nashville, the church supports missionaries and projects in Kenya, Taiwan, Mozambique, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.
Recurring hands-on opportunities include the Burnt Offerings Grill Team, which uses an 84-inch smoker and grill to provide hot meals to disaster victims and on-site meals for local mission partners. Disaster response happens in two ways: direct giving through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the emergency and refugee program of the PC(USA), and direct local service through the Burnt Offerings Grill Team and the Handyman Crew. Mission trips in recent planning include a medical mission to the Dominican Republic, the annual Jamaica trip, a Kenya trip, and student ASP and Project Sweat trips.
Congregational Care and Stephen Ministry
Congregational Care is described as "an essential part of ministry to our church members and community members." Pastors and lay caregivers visit the sick, maintain contact with the elderly, befriend the troubled, comfort the grieving, and coordinate help during life transitions. Stephen Ministry equips trained lay caregivers for one-on-one confidential relationships with people facing illness, loss, divorce, or job loss. Home Partners visit church members who cannot attend services because of health concerns once a month, delivering an Easter flower and a Christmas poinsettia on behalf of the church. The Handyman Crew undertakes minor home repairs for members over 55, widows, widowers, and single parents, from changing air filters to unclogging drains. The Medical Lending Closet accepts donations of walkers, wheelchairs, shower seats, crutches, toilet chairs, and canes for use by congregation and community members. The Manna Freezer provides food to persons going through challenging times, with church members delivering meals to neighbors who are ill, recovering, grieving, or experiencing financial stress. Monday Flowers takes the Sunday Sanctuary arrangements and redistributes them in smaller bouquets to homebound members. A Grief Support Group meets each winter under the leadership of the Parish Associate for Congregational Care.
For funeral and memorial planning, the church provides a Funeral & Memorial Services Checklist for Families, a Pre-Planning a Funeral or Memorial Service Brochure, and a "Love Letter to My Family" life transition planning document to help members record their wishes in advance. Prayer request cards are available in the Sanctuary pew racks and at the Prayer Request Box in the Narthex, and requests can be made confidential to the pastoral staff.
Recreation on a Sixty-Five-Acre Campus
The Recreation Ministry is rooted in the conviction that "recreation can be a meaningful avenue for fellowship and discipleship." The church hosts the largest recreational soccer league in Nashville, with more than 1,600 children playing in seasonal leagues each year. Referees and Game Day Assistants are hired for spring (March - May) and fall (August - October) seasons, with seven Saturday shifts between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The Rec Ministry also runs fall pickleball on Thursday evenings in the Enrichment Center, with two courts, paddles, and balls provided and players of all skill levels welcome. A church gym is available by reservation to church members and Oak Hill School families for basketball, fitness, and fellowship. Summer offerings include Camp Watermelon and the TEAM therapeutic horseback riding program. The church also hosts Boy Scout and Girl Scout meetings on campus, as well as community groups and events of all kinds.
Oak Hill School
Oak Hill School is an outreach of First Presbyterian Church, founded in 1961 by Dr. Walter Courtenay, then pastor of the church. It is a coeducational, nondenominational, independent school serving approximately 530 students in PreK through sixth grade. The school educates children "based on timeless values of personal integrity, academic accomplishment, and a strong spiritual foundation," and the school's Board Chair is a First Presbyterian Church member and reserve church officer.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Columbarium
First Presbyterian hosts weddings and funerals as services of worship. Weddings are available upon request to church members, the children of church members, and current church staff, and are scheduled around the church calendar (no weddings on Sundays, in Holy Week, on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, or on festival weekends). Couples meet with an officiating pastor, complete a Wedding Request form, and review the church's wedding policies for florists, photographers, and videographers. Premarital counseling sessions with the officiating pastor are required. Funerals and memorial services are coordinated with the pastors, who are available around the clock for emergencies. The Columbarium on campus provides a sacred resting place, and the church offers a Pre-Planning a Funeral or Memorial Service brochure and a Life Transition Planning document to help members record their wishes.
The Endowment and the Vance Society
The James I. Vance Society recognizes those who make a planned gift or an outright gift to the overall endowment program of the church. Named for the longtime First Presbyterian pastor (1862 - 1936) who served from 1894 to 1936 and was once voted one of the nation's twenty-five leading pulpit ministers, the Society strengthens the work of the congregation in perpetuity. Endowment income responds to special mission and outreach opportunities and provides resources for capital needs across 250,000-plus square feet of building space on the campus. Members support the endowment through bequests, life insurance, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, life estate contracts, gifts of real estate or securities, IRA beneficiary designations, and endowment pledges.
Leadership and Governance
The church is governed by a Session of teaching elders (pastors) and ruling elders, divided into three classes, and a Diaconate of deacons who serve those in need. A Coordinating Council brings together the Moderator and Clerk of Session with council chairs for Christian Education, Governance, Ministries, Missions, Resources, and Worship, plus the Treasurer and other ex officio leaders.
The pastoral team is led by Dr. Ryan Moore, who was called as Senior Pastor in October 2019 and previously co-pastored First Church Tulsa and served on the faculties of the University of St. Andrews. The Rev. Dr. Darren Kennedy, Associate Pastor for Discipleship, is a longtime PC(USA) missionary who taught at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. The Rev. Gage Arnold, Associate Pastor for Youth and Their Families, is an alumnus of the Nashville Fellows Program and a Covenant Theological Seminary graduate. The Rev. Mallory Hammond directs the ministry to children and their families and is also the church's contact for the Early Preschool. The Rev. Sara Hill and the Rev. Dr. Sandra Randleman serve as Parish Associates for Congregational Care, with Dr. Randleman also leading Stephen Ministry. The Rev. Dr. John Musgrave is a Parish Associate who teaches the Good News Sunday School class and is active in First Friends. Frank Coyle, Esq., serves as Church Executive, overseeing non-ordained staff, daily operations, and strategic planning.
On the Campus
First Presbyterian sits at 4815 Franklin Pike on a 65-plus-acre property that includes a Sanctuary, the Courtenay Hall gathering space, the Memorial Library, the Children and Family Ministry Wing, the Enrichment Center, the gym, the Gathering Place, the Gathering Lounge, the Stanford Chapel, and athletic fields used for soccer, flag football, and the annual Crud Day mud-volleyball tradition. Oak Hill School occupies part of the campus, and 250,000-plus square feet of building space supports worship, education, recreation, and outreach.
Worship is at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. on Sundays in the Sanctuary, with Sunday School for every age at 9:45 a.m. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visitors are welcomed on weekdays at the Hospitality Center entrance; on Sundays, regular entrances lead worshipers into the Sanctuary. To plan a first visit, newcomers can explore the church's New to First Pres page, and those wishing to give may do so online, by text (text "GIVE" to 707-475-3005), by stock transfer, by IRA qualified charitable distribution, or by placing a gift in the Sunday offering plate.