First Presbyterian Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, some churches just appear in a town, quiet and sudden, like they were always there. But the First Presbyterian Church of Bryan, Texas, that one has a story worth sitting with.

It was organized on November 21, 1867, in the Presbytery of Brazos, by the Reverend J.H. Hutchinson. And by the reckoning of folks who keep track of such things, this was apparently the second denominational group to take root in Bryan.

Second. Not first. But don't let that fool you into thinking they were slow, because what came next tells you everything about the character of this congregation.

In 1871, the members themselves built their first sanctuary. Not hired out, not handed down, built it themselves, at Washington and 29th Streets. Now, the Synod took notice of that.

They praised the effort, and the words they chose are worth repeating: they called it, quote, the way to build a church. That's not a compliment you forget. Time moved on, as time will do, and in 1906 a new brick structure was erected at that same old site.

A church that had started with its own hands was now standing in brick. Then the congregation set its sights on a present site, and in June of 1958 the first services were held, right there in the educational wing, before the full sanctuary was even finished. They didn't wait.

In 1966, the present sanctuary was completed. And when that first century of the congregation was done and counted up, seventeen ministers had served this church. Seventeen.

From Reverend Hutchinson organizing a handful of believers in 1867, all the way through to a completed sanctuary standing proud in 1966. That, right there, is the way to build a church.

What the marker says

Organized Nov. 21, 1867, in the Presbytery of Brazos by The Rev. J.H. Hutchinson, this apparently was the second denominational group in Bryan. In 1871, members themselves built their first sanctuary at Washington and 29th Streets. This effort was praised by Synod as "the way to build a church". A new brick structure was erected at the old site in 1906. At present site, first services were held in educational wing, June 1958. Present sanctuary was completed in 1966. In its first century, congregation was served by seventeen ministers.