Grace First Presbyterian Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about Grace First Presbyterian Church in Parker County. Now, most churches can trace their roots back to one founding congregation. This one started with three, and if you know anything about Presbyterians, you know they did not arrive at that arrangement quickly or without a good deal of prayer.

So pull up a chair, because this story stretches from 1859 all the way into the present day, and it covers schools, seminaries, a sanitarium, a case of mistaken identity, and a food pantry. That is a lot of ground for one congregation to cover, even by Texas standards. The oldest of the three founding congregations was the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and from the very beginning, education was central to its mission.

The Pioneer School at Veal Station was deeded to that church, so that Parker County's young people might have a proper education. Then, in 1889, the Presbyterians established the Texas Female Seminary. That institution flourished for more than two decades, until 1911, when it was sold to the Weatherford Sanitarium.

Now over in Weatherford itself, a separate congregation was taking shape. The Weatherford Presbyterian Church was established by the P.C.U.S. in 1874. That is the southern branch of Presbyterianism.

Then came the moment that changed everything, and you almost have to appreciate the irony of it. The Weatherford Presbyterian Church called a reverend named H. A.

Tucker to lead them. The trouble was, Reverend Tucker was affiliated with the northern branch of Presbyterianism, not the southern one. He was called by mistake.

And the result of that mix-up was the establishment of a whole separate congregation, the First Presbyterian Church U.S.A. right there in Weatherford. One wrong call letter, and you've got yourself a new church. Meanwhile, in 1906, the Grace Presbyterian Church grew out of the old Cumberland congregation, making it a U.S.A. congregation as well.

So now you have Grace over here and First over there, and after prayer and consideration, the two of them informally joined forces in 1927. Informally. They were doing what Presbyterians do, which is moving carefully.

It would take until 1964 for the Weatherford congregations to formally merge and organize as Grace First Presbyterian Church. That name carried all three of those original congregations inside it. And this community has not been sitting still since.

Grace First members helped establish Manna Storehouse, Inc., described right on this marker as the first community-based agency to provide food and clothing for Parker County's needy citizens. They helped start the Parker County chapter of Habitat for Humanity. They have been active in the Fort Worth Presbyterian night shelter.

And in 1974, Grace First Presbyterian Church celebrated one hundred years of worship and service in the Weatherford community by moving into a new building. Three congregations. One mistaken call.

A seminary, a school, a food pantry, and a century of showing up for Parker County. Some churches are built in a day. This one was built in layers, and every layer held.

What the marker says

Three congregations, the earliest founded in 1859, joined forces in Parker County to create Grace First Presbyterian Church. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the oldest of the three congregations, focused on education as an important ministry to this church. The Pioneer School at Veal Station was deeded to the church to improve the education of Parker County's youth. The Texas Female Seminary was established in 1889 by the Presbyterians and flourished until 1911 when it was sold to the Weatherford Sanitarium. The Weatherford Presbyterian Church (later the First Presbyterian Church) was established by the P.C.U.S. in 1874. When the Rev. H. A. Tucker, related to the northern branch of Presbyterianism, was mistakenly called by the Weatherford Presbyterian Church, the result was the establishment of the First Presbyterian Church U.S.A. Grace Presbyterian Church, a U.S.A. congregation, in 1906 grew out of the Cumberland congregation. Grace and first informally joined forces in 1927 after prayer and consideration. In 1964 the Weatherford congregations merged to organize as Grace First Presbyterian Church. Members have contributed to the community in numerous ways, including the establishment and continuing support of Manna Storehouse, Inc., the first community-based agency to provide food and clothing for Parker County's needy citizens. Grace First members helped establish the Parker County chapter of Habitat for Humanity and are also active in the work of the Fort Worth Presbyterian night shelter. In 1974, g Grace First Presbyterian Church celebrated 100 years of worship and service in the Weatherford community by moving into a new building, and continues to worship and serve the Parker County community to this day.