First Presbyterian Church sits in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina, just off Cherry Street and within easy walking distance of the city's civic core. As a member congregation of ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, the church describes itself as a community reliant on God's grace and the promise of His Word, blending contemporary and traditional, current and historical, looking within and reaching outward. Its mission is to invite all people to say "yes" to Jesus with their whole lives.
Sundays at First Pres
Worship happens twice each Sunday morning, in two different spaces. At 8:45 am the service gathers in the Sanctuary, and at 11:00 am a second service is held in the Worship Center. Each service runs about an hour and includes a Scripture-based message, blended music, and liturgical elements. Communion is typically observed on the first Sunday of the month.
Beginning at 8:15 am, Gather Time opens in the Worship Center, offering coffee and conversation that runs through the start of the 11:00 am service. At 10:00 am, Sunday School meets for every age group. Children's Sunday School classes meet on the first and third floors of Building A (infant through preschool on the first floor, kindergarten through fifth grade on the third floor), while middle and high school students gather in Building B. Adult classes meet in Building A as well, with greeters available in the Welcome Center to help newcomers find a room. Open to new participants at any time, the adult classes are studying The Gospel of John, The Epic of Eden, Paul's Prison Letters, Ruth and Jonah, and Ephesians during the current semester.
Wednesday Night Live
Wednesday Night Live is the church's midweek hub, opening with a community dinner in the Fellowship Hall from 5:00 to 6:30 pm. Dinners cost $8 per person, with children age five and younger eating free and a $35 family maximum. Pre-registration is required by Monday at noon.
From 6:15 to 7:15 pm, programming runs for every stage of life. Preschoolers through age five gather for Mustard Seeds, where they sing worship songs, memorize Scripture, and learn about Jesus' love, while infant and toddler care is offered from 5:30 to 7:15 pm. Elementary children begin with Children's Choir from 5:30 to 6:15 pm, then move into Mountaintop Kids, which divides K-2nd and 3rd-5th grades for age-appropriate Bible lessons and hands-on projects. Middle school students meet in B-100 for Middle School Connect, an evening of games, worship, and interactive Scripture study.
Adults can join a 10-week book study of With by Skye Jethani during the same 6:15 to 7:15 window, and the Sanctuary Choir rehearses from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Some long-term groups also meet on Wednesday evenings.
Children's Ministry
Children's Ministry at First Presbyterian, led by Children's Ministry Director Hannah McNeely, is designed to help the youngest members begin learning, experiencing, and sharing the depth of Jesus' love. On Sunday mornings, childcare is provided for infants through Pre-K on the first floor of Building A, and Children’s Church for kindergarten through third grade is offered during the sermon portion of each worship service. Children begin in worship with their families and are dismissed at the start of the sermon.
Fourth and fifth graders participate in the worship services alongside their families, with worship bags and resources available to help them follow along. The church sees this intergenerational worship as a meaningful opportunity for older children to engage fully with the congregation. A dedicated ministry also walks alongside new and expectant parents, offering friendship, prayer, and support.
Student Ministry
Director of Student and Young Adult Ministries Emory McNeely oversees ministry for middle and high school students, with the prayer that young people will know Jesus has said "yes" to them and will in turn say "yes" to Jesus for a lifetime. High school youth group meets on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 pm and is currently studying With by Skye Jethani alongside the church's broader ministry theme. Middle School Connect gathers on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 pm with snacks, games, and small-group Bible study. High School Ministry Associate Allysen Waters serves alongside Emory McNeely in this area.
Small Groups Around the City
Small groups are a hallmark of life at First Presbyterian, with eight groups meeting across Winston-Salem and surrounding neighborhoods during the fall semester. Options include groups meeting Mondays at First Pres, Tuesdays in Greenbrier and Clemmons, and several groups meeting on Wednesdays during Wednesday Night Live, on Thursdays at First Pres and in neighborhoods including New Sherwood and Aldbridge Heather Hills, and a dedicated men's group that meets Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm. One Thursday group is reserved for those under 37 years old and meets every other week. Each group runs for ten weeks and is currently studying With by Skye Jethani.
Women's and Men's Ministry
The Women's Bible Study walks women through the Gospel of Luke over the fall and winter/spring semesters, with a Thursday morning option at 9:30 am that includes childcare and a Thursday evening option at 7:00 pm. An on-your-own option allows women to engage the same teaching on a flexible schedule, with each lesson incorporating the practice of lectio divina. Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Mission Amy Carlan oversees the study.
Men's Ministry gathers in several weekly rhythms: a Tuesday morning Bible study and fellowship at 6:45 am in the Fellowship Hall over a light breakfast; a Thursday evening book study at 7:00 pm; and a Friday morning study of the Gospel of Matthew at 6:45 am. Sports and fellowship groups include fishing, senior golfing, and F3 workout groups, and the ministry is open to men from other churches and denominations.
Music and Worship Arts
Director of Worship, Music, and Arts Michael Dodds leads a music ministry that includes both modern and traditional expressions, supported by Director of Modern Worship and Production Dylan McKeeman, Assistant Director of Modern Worship Michael Anderson, Organist and Associate Director of Music Susan Orgain, and Children's Choir Director Krista Steinour. The Sanctuary Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings and welcomes new singers at any time. Children's choirs and chime ensembles provide opportunities for younger musicians.
What the Church Believes
First Presbyterian's beliefs align with ECO's core values: a Jesus-shaped identity, biblical integrity, thoughtful theology, accountable community, egalitarian ministry, missional centrality, center-focused spirituality, leadership velocity, and kingdom vitality. The church confesses faith in the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaches that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, with eternal life understood as a present reality as well as a future hope. Two Presbyterian sacraments are observed: the Lord's Supper, celebrated in worship and shared by those who confess their need for Jesus, and Baptism, given to believers and to the children of believing parents as a sign of God's covenant.
Local and Global Partnerships
The church partners with local ministries in Winston-Salem and supports global partners around the world as part of its missional strategy of encountering God through worship, equipping one another in discipleship, and engaging the world in mission. Members are encouraged to use their gifts in serving one another and the wider neighborhood, with opportunities in children's, student, adult, hospitality, audio/visual, and music ministries.
Weddings, Funerals, and Baptisms
Weddings at First Presbyterian are framed as an act of worship, with couples meeting with the pastor in the season of planning. Funeral services are likewise held as acts of Christian worship, celebrating the resurrection of Christ and His promise of everlasting life. Infant baptism services are held on the third Sunday of each month, with meetings scheduled with the baptizing pastor in the week prior. Lead Administrative Assistant Jeanne Nifong helps coordinate weddings, funerals, and baptisms.
Parking and Getting Here
Free parking is available in the Primary Lot steps from the Worship Center, accessed by navigating to 128 North Cherry Street. Two additional free on-campus lots, the Marshall Street and Cherry Street lots, are reserved for those with special needs and offer a convenient drop-off area. A Cherry Street parking deck sits across from the campus and accepts QR code slips available from greeters for free parking, and city-owned pay-by-text spaces line Cherry, Marshall, and Third streets. ADA parking is available in all three church-owned lots and the Cherry Street deck.
Stewardship and Legacy Giving
Each October the church sets aside time to focus on giving for the upcoming year, asking covenant partners and friends to prayerfully consider a financial pledge. Beyond annual giving, legacy gifts are set apart for the church's endowment and reserve, building kingdom purpose across generations. Gifts can be made online, through automatic bank draft, by check, through bank bill pay, by donation of securities, or through a Qualified Charitable Distribution from an IRA.
The Building and Campus
The downtown campus is organized into three buildings. Building A holds the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall along with children's and adult ministries. Building B houses administrative offices and student ministry. Building C is the Worship Center. A Memorial Garden and Columbarium are part of the campus, and the building is available for use by outside groups through a Building Use Request process.
Sermon Archive and Livestream
Sermons are archived online and available as audio and video, with a current series exploring "I Am With You" through the book of Exodus. Recent series have included walks through Romans 8, the Gospel of Mark, Advent in Isaiah, and studies of stewardship and the work of the Holy Spirit. The 11:00 am Traditional Worship service is livestreamed on YouTube, and a sermon archive goes back several years.