First Presbyterian Church of Brazoria
THE PRESBYTERIAN DENOMINATION HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN BRAZORIA SINCE THE 1830s. THEY WORSHIPED TOGETHER WITH THE EPISCOPAL AND METHODIST CONGREGATIONS IN THE UNION CHURCH, BUILT AROUND 1853 IN BRAZORIA. FOLLOWING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH IN THE 1900 STORM, THE PRESBYTERIANS MET IN THE FORMER COUNTY COURTHOUSE WHICH WAS USED FOR A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS AFTER THE COUNTY SEAT WAS MOVED TO ANGLETON IN 1896. ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1913, THE REVEREND T.C. JOHNSTON ORGANIZED THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BRAZORIA WITH ELEVEN MEMBERS. SERVICES WERE HELD IN A ROOM OVER SMITH’S STORE IN DOWNTOWN BRAZORIA UNTIL A PERMANENT BUILDING WAS ERECTED.
IN 1915, THE CHURCH TRUSTEES PURCHASED LAND FROM E. SHELBY SMITH IN THE NEWLY DEVELOPED AREA OF TOWN NEAR THE RAILROAD. BY AUGUST 25, 1916, A BUILDING WAS ERECTED ON THE CORNER OF LOUISIANA AND VIRGINIA STREETS. DUE TO MEMBERSHIP GROWTH IN THE 1920s, THE CONGREGATION BUILT THE FIRST OF MANY ADDITIONS AND RENOVATIONS. FUNDING FOR THE REPAIRS CAME IN PART FROM THE WOMAN’S AUXILIARY, WHO SERVED DINNER EVERY SATURDAY TO RAISE FUNDS. AFTER THE 1932 STORM, THE CHURCH WAS SHARED WITH OTHER DENOMINATIONS UNTIL THEIR BUILDINGS COULD BE REPAIRED. SIMILARLY, THE CONGREGATION CONTINUED ITS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WITH SEVERAL MUSICAL AND THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, PROVIDING A LOCATION FOR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, THROUGH VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL AND WITH LOCAL AND GLOBAL MISSION SUPPORT. THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, A RELATIVELY SMALL CHURCH CONGREGATION, HAS MADE A LARGE IMPACT THROUGH THEIR COMMITMENT TO LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.