Independent Presbyterian Church stands at 3100 Highland Avenue S. in Birmingham, Alabama. Its work also extends to Highland Hall next door and to the Children’s Fresh Air Farm at 501 Park Avenue. The church is known for more than a century of worship, a notable organ and choral tradition, Reformed teaching, education from nursery through preschool, and service that addresses hunger, housing, learning and care in Birmingham.
At IPC, as members call it, Sunday worship is joined by nursery care, Sunday school, youth gatherings, weekday adult groups, counseling, music and fine arts, and ministries rooted in the city. The same concern with beauty, education and service that shaped the congregation’s early life continues through its sanctuary, classrooms, chapel, Great Hall, columbarium and Fresh Air Farm.
Three Ways to Worship on Sunday
Traditional Worship is held in the Sanctuary at 8:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The 11:00 a.m. service is livestreamed on YouTube. At 5:00 p.m., Table Worship takes place in Highland Hall. The two morning services gather for Holy Communion on the first Sunday of each month, while Communion is served weekly at Table worship.
The church treats children as full participants in worship. The IPC Nursery serves children from 6 weeks through 5K on Sunday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Children of every age may remain with their families, and during the 11:00 service, preschoolers may be led to worship care by acolytes.
At 10:00 a.m., Sunday school classes meet for adults, youth and children. Adults study Scripture and Presbyterian subjects in several classes, youth meet in Room 101, and younger children gather in the Atrium for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. IPC Youth also meets at 6:00 p.m. in the Highland Hall Garage for dinner, activities and a message.
Parking is available on the street and in the lot across from the church. Accessible parking spaces are provided, and a ramp near the chapel entrance offers step-free access. People who are curious about Christian faith and longtime followers of Jesus Christ are both explicitly welcome.
From Temple Emanu-El to Highland Avenue
Independent Presbyterian Church was founded in Birmingham in 1915 when members of South Highland Presbyterian withdrew to form a new independent congregation dedicated to proclaiming the gospel through community service. It soon affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). During its first seven years, the congregation worshiped at Temple Emanu-El and held evening services at downtown Birmingham’s Lyric Theatre. From those first locations, its leaders emphasized taking the gospel out into the community.
Dr. Henry M. Edmonds led IPC as its first pastor from 1915 to 1942. He taught that beauty in God’s created world reflected God’s love for humanity and humanity’s love for God. Under his leadership, the Education Building opened in 1922, the Women of IPC began the Children’s Fresh Air Farm in 1923, and the Sanctuary was completed and dedicated on Good Friday, April 2, 1926. The congregation’s worship, education and service grew together during these early decades.
Successive pastors included Dr. Clark Neale Edwards during the war years, Dr. John N. Lukens from 1948 to 1966, and Dr. M. Scott McClure from 1967 to 1995. Under Dr. McClure, membership grew from about 900 to 2,300. Dr. James L. Carter, Dr. Conrad Sharps and Dr. William J. Carl III later served as IPC’s fifth, sixth and seventh pastors. An April 1992 fire severely damaged the campus but spared the Sanctuary and chapel; the congregation worshipped at Temple Emanu-El while the sanctuary was cleaned and restored.
IPC purchased the property at 3116 Highland Avenue in 2011 and named it Highland Hall, creating space for Sunday evening worship, education, Boy Scouts, college ministry, children’s musicals and special events. Major sanctuary repairs followed in 2011 and 2012, when the Joseph Schreiber Memorial Organ was installed. The pastoral team now consists of Rev. Kevin Long as pastor and associate pastors Rev. Susan Clayton, Rev. David Seamon and Rev. Nicole Newton, whose respective roles cover congregational care and adult ministries, mission and outreach, and discipleship.
Truth, Beauty, and Service
IPC’s mission joins its Jewish roots and Scottish heritage to a commitment to glorify God through truth, beauty and service to others. Its guiding principles describe a community that is Christ-centered and Trinitarian in worship, study and service; Presbyterian in doctrine and polity; and committed to Scripture, prayer, discernment and life together in Birmingham and the world.
The church describes itself as theologically diverse, with openness, love and respect for people who differ on faith and practice within the essential tenets of the Reformed faith. Its emphasis includes art, music, education and action, as well as evangelism and social justice ministry. The Brief Statement of Faith used by IPC centers on the one triune God, Jesus Christ as fully human and fully God, the goodness of creation and the renewal of life through the Holy Spirit.
Baptism and Communion are the two sacraments of the Reformed tradition. IPC understands baptism as a sign and seal of God’s grace and recognizes a baptism performed in another church. Communion reminds the congregation of Christ’s real presence and power and marks believers for service.
Catechesis, Youth, and the IPC Day School
Children’s Ministries seeks to help children develop faith in Christ, love one another and serve God’s world through Scripture, prayer and community. Its Sunday formation for ages 2 through 12 uses Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-based approach with interactive lessons and hands-on materials. Four atria serve toddlers and children through sixth grade, using objects that help children explore biblical stories, worship and the Christian calendar.
IPC Youth serves students in grades 7 through 12 and describes its ministry as authentic, inclusive, joyful and transformational. Youth may register as acolytes for the 8:45 and 11:00 services, participate in Sunday school, and join the Sunday evening gathering. The broader youth schedule includes retreats, conferences, campouts, dinners and service opportunities.
IPC Day School has provided Christian preschool education since 1965. The school-year program runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for children 6 months old through the five-year-old class. Its curriculum combines play-based, child-directed learning with traditional teacher-directed activities and addresses social, emotional, cognitive, language, physical and spiritual growth. Enrichment includes music, science, Spanish, movement and faith formation, while weekly worship and prayer are part of life in the school.
Children also participate in the annual APPLE summer camp and optional before- and after-school activities such as art, martial arts, soccer, dance, music, chess and yoga. The HERO Scholarship Fund, established through an IPC Foundation grant, helps families connected with the church’s tutoring and Fresh Air Farm work pursue preschool.
Classes and Fellowship Across the Week
Adult education seeks knowledge of the biblical story, application of God’s story in daily life and service of compassion, reconciliation and justice. Sunday school meets at 10:00 a.m., with classes that vary by interest and stage of life. Longstanding group names include Reformed, Presbyterian 101, Presbyterian Women, Wonder Years and Bridges, alongside Bible studies and discussions of theology and church history.
Weekday formation extends beyond Sunday morning. Regular groups include intercessory prayer at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesdays, Centering Prayer at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, a women’s Bible study at noon on Thursdays and a men’s study over breakfast at 6:30 a.m. on Fridays. Grace Groups bring people together in homes or through Zoom for six weeks of Scripture study and relationship twice a year.
Wednesday night begins with dinner in the Great Hall from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. Meals are prepared for adults and children, with to-go meals available as well. Bible study with the pastor follows at 6:00 p.m., while other groups meet for study, fellowship and music. Children in 5K through 6th grade can participate in KidsROCK musical rehearsals, and preschool programming is offered during the same part of the evening. The IPC Choir rehearses weekly in the music suite.
Adult fellowship includes yoga, chair yoga, bridge, mahjong, hiking, gardening, knitting, lunch gatherings and Beer and Hymns. These groups connect shared interests with friendship and church life, with formats suited to beginners, experienced participants and people with limited mobility.
The Fresh Air Farm and Birmingham’s Needs
The Children’s Fresh Air Farm has operated since 1923 and remains a Christian-focused ministry for children and families. Its Summer Learning Program began in 2010 for children connected with Birmingham’s Hayes K-8. Six weeks of reading, writing and mathematics in the morning are balanced by art, music, drama, science and swimming in the afternoon, with Bible study and daily worship included in the program.
STAIR 3.0 places IPC tutors at Hayes K-8 for twice-weekly, one-to-one tutoring of third graders. Volunteers also work with STAIR Birmingham to tutor students in the early elementary grades. The Open Door, begun in 2016, offers free GED preparation, basic literacy and ESL classes to people in the North Avondale and Kingston neighborhoods.
Community Ministries also addresses hunger through the IPC Food Pantry, Blessing Boxes, Weekend Buddy Bags and free mobile markets that distribute healthy produce at five Birmingham locations. Volunteers deliver food and hygiene supplies, collect donated produce from markets, assist with food distribution and prepare evening meals for women and children staying at First Light.
Work around homelessness and housing is shared with First Light Shelter, Habitat for Humanity, One Roof and Birmingham Warming Stations. IPC’s Earth Care Team emphasizes recycling, repurposing plastics and caring for God’s creation. The church also supports relationships with organizations such as Living River, which offers environmental education, and Kirkwood by the River, a nonprofit retirement community.
Boy Scout Troop 28 is one of IPC’s oldest ministries. Formed in 1923, it meets weekly behind Highland Hall and contributes service projects at the Fresh Air Farm, along with the annual Shrove Tuesday pancake supper and holiday tree sale. The troop has counted 204 Eagle Scouts, and 17 Eagle projects have benefited the Fresh Air Farm.
Care for People at Every Stage
Congregational Care is supported by several Shepherd Ministry Teams whose members share compassion, time, prayer and practical care. Their work includes funeral ushing, grief anniversary cards, home Communion, intercessory prayer, bereavement support, meals for people recovering from illness or loss, calls to homebound members and support for older adults at Kirkwood.
Professional counseling is available by appointment for individuals, couples, families and small groups. The counselors consider spiritual and emotional dimensions together, and no one is turned away because of an inability to pay. A six-week grief group is open to members and people from the wider community. Caregiver Connect offers a six-week study for people supporting someone with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, ALS or another chronic, life-altering condition.
Recovery meetings hosted at IPC include Lakeview Alcoholics Anonymous on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, Birmingham Al-Anon on Wednesday evenings, and Alateen on Thursday evening. Life-event ministries include baptism, confirmation, weddings, funerals and memorial services. Weddings may use the Sanctuary or chapel, and the Great Hall can accommodate a reception. The columbarium includes 256 niches for church members, ministers and their immediate families.
Organ, Choir, and the Walking Prayer Garden
The Joseph W. Schreiber Memorial Organ, built by Dobson Pipe Organ Builders and dedicated in 2012, anchors a music ministry that has played a major role in Birmingham. The November Organ Recital Series began in 1965 and is one of the longest-running organ series in the nation. More than 180 artists from the United States and Europe have played it. Free concerts are held at 4:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary on the first four Sundays of November.
The IPC Choir has given more than 175 concerts and special services since its first Christmas Concert in 1964. It continues to present free seasonal concerts, while the IPC Camerata, a select group of choir singers, leads Choral Evensong on selected Sundays. That ancient Christian liturgy combines music, prayer and reflection in the Sanctuary. The Religious Arts Festival has brought artists and speakers in drama, music, dance, architecture, sculpture, literature and art to Birmingham for more than 50 years.
Music also extends to children through KidsROCK, children’s choirs and youth worship. These programs use songs, activities and Bible study to help young people participate in worship.
East of the main church building, a seven-circuit octagonal labyrinth forms a prayer garden inspired by the labyrinth at Amiens Cathedral in France. Its sandstone pavers match the existing architecture, while an oak tree, benches and other plantings create a quiet place for walking meditation and prayer. The labyrinth has no dead ends; walkers follow one path toward the center and retrace it as they leave. It is open as a place of prayer for members and the surrounding community, and its pattern became the basis of the church’s modern logo.
The main campus brings together the Sanctuary, chapel, church offices, Great Hall, Christian education classrooms, Day School and courtyard. Highland Hall next door contains space for evening worship, education, Scouts, college ministry and children’s events. The Fresh Air Farm at 501 Park Avenue extends the church’s ministry into a separate setting designed for children’s learning and summer programs.
Becoming a Member
IPC is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley. Membership rests on faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and acceptance of his lordship over life. Baptism and a public profession of faith in Jesus as Lord are the visible signs of entrance into active membership.
People join through profession of faith and baptism, confirmation of baptismal vows, reaffirmation of faith or transfer from a congregation that transfers letters of membership. Those making a profession of faith affirm reliance on God’s grace, renounce evil and promise to participate actively and responsibly in the worship, life and mission of IPC.
New members take part in classes about Presbyterian identity and the life of IPC, share dinner at the pastor’s home and are recognized during Sunday morning worship. These opportunities are offered several times each year. Independent Presbyterian Church’s membership, like its worship and service, joins faith in Jesus Christ with fellowship, learning and responsibility toward God and the Birmingham community.