General Information

General Information

From the history and traditions of First Presbyterian Church of Clinton to the vision and strategy we encourage our members to abide by, learn more general information about us!

First Presbyterian Church, Clinton, South Carolina

History & Traditions

Great oaks from little acorns grow

The First Presbyterian Church of Clinton was founded in 1855 by a group of hard working Scotch-Irish settlers in the upstate of South Carolina.  In 1864 the Rev. William Plumer Jacobs was called to become the first pastor of the church in Clinton where he lived the remainder of his days. He was a visionary whose prayers and perseverance were instrumental in the development of the town of Clinton and of Presbyterianism in the upstate of South Carolina.


Dr. Jacobs envisioned a home for children who had been orphaned by the War Between the States, a school for his charges and other children in the area, and understanding the growing importance of education, an institution of higher learning. The session and members of the First Presbyterian Church in Clinton supported these initiatives both spiritually and financially and in later years, the congregation once again contributed to the establishment of the Presbyterian Community of SC retirement home in Clinton.

As the congregation grew, First Presbyterian Church physically expanded by 1901 from a 40 x 50 foot wood frame building into a beautiful granite structure with stained glass windows and oak pews. In December of 1929 the church was destroyed by fire, and in the midst of The Great Depression, First Presbyterian Church rebuilt their structure, cleaning and reusing the granite which had been provided by a church member. Members were petitioned for subscriptions to rebuild and the second granite sanctuary which stands today was dedicated in 1940 after the construction debt was retired.  By 1959 an education building was completed; in 1974 a bell tower and carillon graced the courtyard of the sanctuary; and the Christian Life Center, a bustling center of activity for the church and the community, was completed in 1998. 


First Presbyterian cares for its surrounding community by supporting United Ministries of Clinton, The Open Door Christian Center, CHAMPS, and by offering C.A.M.P. (Christ As My Pal), a two-week day camp for underprivileged children in our community each summer. During the school year, “Snack Backpacks” containing healthy snacks are provided to many of these same children in order to provide healthy weekend meals. In addition, each year our youth group and advisors carry out a mission trip fundraising campaign and spend one week assisting a community in need.


Not only has the church provided assistance locally, but an alliance was forged with a sister church in Saltykovka, Russia, where an educational building was constructed in 1993 using funds raised by First Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Outreach Foundation, and Worldwide Ministries of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. By 1996, this outreach was to become a model for the Strategy for Congregational Twinning in Russia which was launched by the PC USA General Assembly in 1996.


Vision & Strategy

The vision and strategy of First Presbyterian Church of Clinton are best found in the Visioning Documents last published by the Session in April 2009. The basic Vision Statement, Mission Statement, Core Values, and "The Great Ends of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)" are summarized below. We encourage all interested in better understanding how First Presbyterian Church is organizing and operating around these principles to review the entire publication.


Visioning Documents of First Presbyterian Church of Clinton, South Carolina




Vision Statement

As the body of Christ, we are called to follow Jesus Christ in loving God and our neighbor.


Mission Statement

In the spirit of the Great Ends of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), First Presbyterian Church is called to nurture its people through worship and Christian education, enabling them to serve joyfully the community and world, equipping all to become mature disciples of Jesus Christ.


Core Values

  1. United In Christ - The grace of God in Jesus Christ is for all people, and with joy we celebrate our unity in Christ. Guided by our confessions, we embrace our uniquely Presbyterian heritage by practicing a faith that calls us to serve God faithfully and our neighbors lovingly.
  2. Inspired in Worship - Worship is at the center of the Christian faith. We gather to encounter the living God through the reading and preaching of God’s word, the celebration of the sacraments, the songs, prayers, and fellowship of the people, honoring God with our very best.
  3. Equipped in Christian Education - An understanding of the scriptures and reformed theology is vital to our belief that we are a priesthood of all believers.  Therefore, we strive to be diligent and effective in encouraging a varied program of Christian Education that engages people of all ages.  Through Sunday school classes, bible studies, children and youth ministries, and special learning events, we aim to offer Christian Education that is well organized, well led, and well supported in the church and the community. 
  4. Engaged in Acts of Love through Selfless Service - The love of God is unconditional.  We respond to God's steadfast love through acts of compassion reaching beyond the boundaries of race, economics, and culture to serve our church, our community, and our world with hope and confidence in God's purposes. 
  5. Joined in Fellowship - The church is a family in Christ.  We strive to bring all generations of the church family together with activities both to celebrate joyful encounters and to support each other through grief and hardship.  We share the burdens of those in our congregation and community and encourage each other as we develop faith and trust.  In God's love we celebrate and recognize the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit in our lives through fellowship. 



The Great Ends of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

  1. The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind;
  2. The shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God;
  3. The maintenance of divine worship;
  4. The preservation of the truth;
  5. The promotion of social righteousness;
  6. The exhibition of the kingdom of heaven to the world.


Church Organization

First Presbyterian Church is organized into a number of committees that are led by a member of the Session. Congregation members serve on committees at will, offering their specific gifts from God for God. Committees are the primary unit for organizing and executing much of the work of the church. The committees and email links for the chairperson of that committee are provided below.

Clerk of Session

Bob Link

2023

Administration

Van Mattison

Chair, 2023

Budget and Finance

Kay Cleveland

Chair - 2023

Christian Education

Lee Dailey

Chair - 2023

Congregational Care

Cyndi Coker

Chair - 2023

Congregational Life

Sonya Atkinson & Jean Johnson

Chair/Co-Chair - 2023

Community Outreach

Jackie Waldron

Chair - 2023

Global Mission

Ron Zimmerman

Chair - 2023

Music and Worship

Chad Gambrell

Chair - 2023

Weekday Preschool Board

Danny Cook

Chair - 2023

Property

Jerre Threatt & Ted Davenport

Chair/Co-Chair - 2023

Church Government

All Presbyterian USA churches are governed by the Book of Order and Book of Confessions. Each congregation is governed by a session. At First Presbyterian Church of Clinton, our session consists of 30 elders elected by the congregation. Each serving elder is responsible for a particular committee with particular responsibilities. Congregation members serve on committees at will, offering their specific gifts from God for God.

Location & Maps

The church office entrance and parking lot of First Presbyterian Church of Clinton is located on the corner of East Carolina Avenue and South Adair St. in Clinton.


410 East Carolina Ave.
Clinton, SC 29325


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