You’re looking for a massive brown stone building with a tall, square bell tower on your right, just across from the High Museum-look for the big wooden doors and the sign announcing First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta standing proudly near the sidewalk.
Now, as you stand before this striking stone landmark, imagine a chilly January day back in 1848. Atlanta was barely more than a railway outpost, and yet, nineteen determined Presbyterians squeezed together in a log building known as the male academy, stubbornly planting the seeds of the city’s very first Presbyterian church. Picture those early worshippers in scratchy coats, heating up the room with hope and a little elbow grease! Fast-forward a few years to 1854, when this humble congregation finally gained its official name-the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. Back then, this was the only Presbyterian church in the whole city. Talk about a monopoly!
Their original church stood on Marietta Street, but by 1916, Atlanta was booming faster than you can spell “Presbyterian." The government wanted their land for a shiny new Federal Reserve Bank, so the church sold up and packed their hymnbooks, heading here to Peachtree Street. The current building, finished in 1919, was designed by the architect Walter T. Downing. Just look at all that impressive stonework! And, if you spot sunlight streaming through those tall windows, thank the famous Tiffany Studios-some windows were crafted by them, filling the sanctuary with color and wonder.
Now, imagine walking past here on a crisp Sunday morning in the 1930s. The streets are quiet, but the sound of choirs and sermons floats out of the church, blasted through Atlanta's WSB radio station. Folks who couldn’t make it to church could still hear every blessed word-except, that is, for one dramatic day. On September 3, 1939, the UK declared war on Germany and radio programming everywhere dropped everything for breaking news. Even prayers had to wait for world history.
Through every chapter, this church has stood for more than just walls and pews-it's been a place for Atlanta’s spiritual journey, community, and even a little social progress. For years, the church was a white-only congregation, but in 1973, the first Black member joined since the days of slavery, a small yet powerful sign of changing times. That legacy of inclusion and transformation is part of the church’s heartbeat today, embracing diversity, radical hospitality, and what they call “missional living”-making kindness and justice part of daily life, not just Sunday routines.
And here’s a little secret for music lovers: this church is home to a pipe organ that’s practically a skyscraper for sound. The mighty organ started with just 48 stops in 1919, but after being rebuilt and expanded so many times, it now boasts 112 ranks and a cool 6,397 pipes! It can sound like anything from thunder to gentle chimes. In fact, it’s so advanced, you could almost expect it to send your grocery list to the heavens-if only organs had WiFi.
Today, under the leadership of Dr. Tony Sundermeier, First Presbyterian’s thousands of members keep shaping Atlanta’s story
