A Congregation on South Chestnut Since 1846
First Presbyterian Church of Prattville sits in the heart of historic downtown Prattville, Alabama, on the 200 block of South Chestnut Street. Organized in 1846 with thirteen members and the Reverend W. H. Mitchell as founding minister, it is the oldest continuing Presbyterian witness in Autauga County. The congregation belongs to the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and holds to the doctrinal standards summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
Members describe the church as a community shaped by three commitments: an inviting character, a loving reflection of Jesus Christ, and an expression of grace and mercy. The mission statement placed on its materials is straightforward: "Glorifying God by making and building up disciples of Jesus Christ, equipped to fulfill their God-given ministries and to reach the lost in Prattville and beyond for Christ."
The Shape of a Sunday
Worship on the Lord's Day begins well before the service. Sunday School gathers at 9:00 a.m. for children, youth, and adults in age-appropriate classes across the campus. From 10:00 to 10:25 a.m. the church opens its fellowship space for refreshments and conversation. The Sunday morning worship service begins at 10:30 a.m., with congregational hymns and psalms, anthems from the Chancel Choir, and a sermon. Children through age three are cared for in the nursery from 9:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., and families are invited to return in the evening for a 6:00 p.m. service.
Midweek life is built around Wednesday nights. A fellowship supper is served at 5:30 p.m., and at 6:00 p.m. three tracks begin at once: an adult Bible study, a youth Bible study with D-Groups in the Coke and Coffee Room, and a children's program that combines music, scripture memory, and a curriculum called "Teach Us to Worship." The women's Bible study meets separately on the first Monday of each month at 9:30 a.m. in the Wicker Classroom.
Three Sanctuaries on One Lot
The story of the building on South Chestnut Street is the story of a congregation that has rebuilt itself in place. The original 1846 sanctuary stood there until it was eventually relocated to Sixth Street, where it now belongs to First Missionary Baptist Church. A second structure on the present site was completed and furnished in 1896. In 1919 classrooms were added, the roof was remodeled, and plumbing was installed, with further additions between 1921 and 1930.
In January 1941, during the early years of the Second World War, fire destroyed the sanctuary. Rather than disband, the congregation moved its services to the local grammar school, now known as Prattville Primary School, and formed finance and building committees to plan a third home. The replacement sanctuary, the bell tower, and an administration and classroom wing were dedicated on October 3, 1941. A two-story educational wing and the chapel were added in the 1950s, and the fellowship hall and kitchen followed in the 1960s. In 1982 the Gordon Musgrove family commissioned the Vertian Company of Atlanta, Georgia, to forge the brass bell that is still rung today.
The most recent chapter came in 2008, when the present sanctuary was completed and the first worship service in it was held on April 20 of that year. The building therefore carries four generations of additions around a single corner of downtown Prattville.
What the Church Believes
First Presbyterian teaches that the Bible is the written, authoritative Word of God and that its confession of faith is most fully set out in the Westminster Confession of Faith. "Presbyterian" refers to the church's form of government, ruled by elders; "Reformed" refers to its doctrine.
The church confesses belief in one God who exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Human beings are created to image God, made with dignity but also born sinful and unable to save themselves. Salvation is by God alone, through Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death to atone for the sins of all who trust in him; he was raised for their justification, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return bodily and visibly to judge and to renew all creation. The Holy Spirit indwells God's people, giving them strength and wisdom to follow Christ. The Church is being gathered from every nation, race, class, and culture to bring the truth and values of God's kingdom to bear on every realm of life.
These convictions shape its values. The congregation describes itself as a family that knows it has been adopted by the Father and called by Jesus Christ to invite others in. Members hold to the historic Christian faith summarized in the Apostles' Creed and aim to be a people who recognize their own sin while celebrating Christ, who lovingly reach others where they are, and who continually bring people to him.
Children's Ministry from Nursery Through Sixth Grade
First Presbyterian gives a great deal of attention to its youngest members. The nursery serves infants and children through age three in a safe and loving environment and is open during Sunday School, worship, and Wednesday night activities. Three Children's Sunday School classes meet at 9:00 a.m.: a 4K/5K class, a first-through-third grade class, and a fourth-through-sixth grade class. The curriculum is the Christ-centered Answers in Genesis material, which walks children from Genesis to Revelation.
Wednesday nights are anchored by a 5:30 p.m. family dinner with parents, followed at 6:00 p.m. by a children's Bible study for 3K through sixth grade. Using the "Teach Us to Worship" curriculum, the program is designed to immerse children in the elements of worship and to prepare them to participate meaningfully as part of God's covenant family.
On the same campus, First Presbyterian Kindergarten provides a Christian educational environment for young children, partnering with parents to help each child grow academically, socially, spiritually, and emotionally, and to begin a personal relationship with Jesus as Lord. The kindergarten has its own director, Julie Cavnar, and its own site at fpkprattville.com.
Youth Ministry, Grades 7 Through 12
The youth ministry is built around a clear aim: to come alongside families to equip, disciple, and train the next generation to glorify Christ in every realm of life. Three values organize the work. The program is Gospel Driven, making the good news of Christ the center of everything it does. It is Relational, understanding that gospel ministry happens in personal relationships that include simply having fun together. And it is Integrated, partnering with parents and helping students take their place in the work and worship of the local church.
Students in grades 7 through 12 meet for Sunday School in the Chapel at 9:00 a.m., a time of singing and Scripture study. On Wednesday nights they gather in the Coke and Coffee Room from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. for fellowship, games, singing, Bible study, and D-Groups. Throughout the year the group travels to retreats and conferences, including separate Middle School and High School RYM Retreats, with activities ranging from talent shows and spike-ball tournaments to barbecues on the basketball courts and time in worship with hundreds of other students.
Adults
A variety of adult Sunday School classes meet each Sunday at 9:00 a.m., covering a range of ages and stages of life. On Wednesday evenings adults join the broader church family for the 5:30 p.m. supper and gather again at 6:00 p.m. for Bible study. Women in the church meet separately on the first Monday of each month at 9:30 a.m. in the Wicker Classroom for Bible study together.
Music and Worship
Music plays a central role in the church's life. Members describe worship as the giving of glory to God and as the purpose of life itself. The aim when the congregation gathers on the Lord's Day is to glorify and enjoy God in accordance with his written Word.
The Chancel Choir leads the singing of hymns, psalms, and anthems each Sunday morning and rehearses weekly during the week. The choir is open to anyone in tenth grade or older. In addition to congregational singing, the service often features vocal solos and instrumental music. The team that leads this ministry includes Steve Lee as Director of Music Ministry, who has served in the role since December 2014 and who also directs several music groups in the Montgomery area and sings with the Montgomery Chorale; and Emmanuel Iheyinwa, who serves as organist and pianist.
Missions in Prattville and Beyond
The church supports a small portfolio of mission partnerships. Locally it works with the Autauga Interfaith Care Center and the River Region Pregnancy Center, both in Prattville, and with Palmer Home for Children in Columbus, Mississippi. The church also hosts an English as a Second Language ministry, with details available by calling the church office. Among its international partners are Matt and Deborah Stanghelle in Norway and Reformed University Fellowship International, with Michael Alsup.
The Team and the Officers
The Rev. Allan Bledsoe has served as pastor since 2014. A graduate of Mississippi State University and Westminster Seminary California, he previously served at First Presbyterian Church in West Point, Mississippi; Grace Presbyterian Church in Starkville, Mississippi; Christ Presbyterian Church in Temecula, California; and Grace Community Church in Memphis, Tennessee. He and his wife Jane Gray have three sons, James, David, and Seth. The Rev. Bryant Hansen is the church's other teaching elder.
Steve Lee directs music, Mary Penton directs children's ministry, John Rees directs youth ministry, Julie Cavnar directs the kindergarten, and Emmanuel Iheyinwa serves as organist and pianist. Donna Sparks serves as administrative secretary and Cathy Collins as financial secretary. The Session of Elders is composed of Gary Kirk, Gray Penton, Tom Newton, and Steve Milton, with Allan Bledsoe as the teaching elder; the Board of Deacons is chaired by Neal Cox and includes Zack Barker.
Loving Prattville
First Presbyterian frames its relationship with its city in unusually direct language. Members believe that God has placed the church in the heart of historic downtown Prattville to glorify him and to reach every realm of life. They pray for the city's success in industry, education, government, retail, medical science, music, law enforcement, public works, the fire department, art, and beauty. After more than a century and three quarters on South Chestnut Street, the congregation continues to gather each Sunday morning to teach, to sing, to welcome children, and to extend an invitation to anyone who would join them.