The congregation traces its roots back to 1758 when a chaplain preached about the English victory at Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War. Early trustees of First Presbyterian attended this sermon, developing a congregation over the next two decades. Founders of First Presbyterian became leading merchants and industrialists who helped transform Pittsburgh into the “City of Steel.” The congregation has met in buildings of increasing grandeur over time: a 1786 log church, a brick church, an 1855 stone church, and the present Gothic Revival church. The current structure was designed in 1905 by Theophilus Chandler Jr., an early preservation architect who founded the University of Pennsylvania’s architecture department. The church houses distinct stained-glass windows, including Tiffany-designed windows with rare painted decoration.

First Presbyterian identifies as a “church in the heart of the city with the city in its heart.” The church prioritizes supporting disenfranchised and marginalized community members. With nonprofit partner Outreached Arms, First Presbyterian serves weekly meals to food-insecure neighbors. The congregation also distributes food, toiletries, and clothes to about 2,000 individuals or families each year. First Presbyterian collaborates with Point Park University to provide the city’s unsheltered population with safe gathering spaces, such as the church’s cafeteria. Youth chamber music ensembles also utilize the church as a practice space.

A National Fund grant of $200,000 with $800,000 in matching funds raised by the congregation allowed FPCP to address defects in the waterproofing system on portions of the concrete plazas on the north and east sides of its building. In addition, the project repaired heavily corroded steel beams that support part of the east plaza, eliminating water intrusion from that source. FPCP also offers an after-school program for high school teens, “The Cellar”. It has expanded its served population to 60 – 70 kids, three days a week, and FPCP has been investigating possible partnerships to expand services further. FPCP now has an outdoor space adjacent to the sanctuary where it can host receptions or community events. 

First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh by Barbara Friend