headerphoto
About Our Ministries:
Children — Youth — Families — Adults

About Us

Welcome to our website! We hope that as you peruse the pages here that you will catch a glimpse of both the folk who make up the church here at First Presbyterian and the Lord, Jesus Christ, in our midst. If you have any questions, concerns, needs, thoughts, prayer requests, etc. please feel free to contact us or stop by to visit.

Our Beliefs

We are Christian
We believe that we know the one Holy, Living God in the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That humanity - created sinless - fell from that blessed state and finds itself separated from God through sin. God’s mission of reconciliation is to restore the divine human relationship. That reconciliation has been accomplished through Lord Jesus, the perfect God/Man. Therefore we are part of the Christian Faith.

We are Judeo-Christian
We believe in one God who alone is creator of all things. This God calls us into holy lives; therefore we are part of the Judeo-Christian tradition.

We are Protestant
We believe that we are saved by grace alone; God’s free gift of salvation won for us through Jesus on the Cross. We are saved through faith alone, a faith enabled by the work of the Holy Spirit. We know of this salvation through scripture, the Bible that is made up of the Old and New Testaments, and that the Bible contains all that is necessary for salvation and alone is our rule of belief and action. Therefore we are part of the protestant family of believers.

We are Reformed
We believe in a sovereign and loving God, and that it is God who takes the initiative in the saving act. From Genesis to Revelation we see the truth of God’s love for us. It is God who calls, God who saves, and God who preserves us in the faith. Therefore it is God, and God alone, who deserves all glory for our salvation and Christian growth. We are called to serve God by loving Him and neighbor, living out the ancient call to be a blessing as we have been blessed. Therefore we are part of the Reformed Tradition.

We are Presbyterian
We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ and continues Christ’s ministry of reconciliation; that Jesus Christ alone is the Head of the Church and believers are called to live out their faith in covenantal communities of worship, fellowship, discipleship, service, and outreach governed by elders; that this ministry is best carried out in relationship and accountability with others in unity of belief and mission. This mission is local, regional, national, and international... carrying out our Savior’s command to be witnesses of God’s love to the ends of the earth. Believing that we are saved and live by grace, we acknowledge that we are not perfect people but are forgiven and desire to live more holy and joy-filled lives.

Are we you?
We invite you to join us in our journey of faith and discovery as - together - we become the living Kingdom of God.

--

Since 1873 Presbyterians of this congregation have been giving witness to Jesus Christ in Walla Walla. Since our beginnings, we have been an active, alive, and vital congregation. Together we have embraced our mission to this valley and around the world, as we seek to make Christ known and minister to the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs in our community and world.
We focus our faith in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who came into the world to be our Savior and Lord. He took upon himself our sin and died upon the cross so that we might, through the power of the Holy Spirit, experience his resurrected power and life, both now and for all eternity. We believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God.


The word Presbyterian comes from the Greek word which means “elder.” Presbyterian Church denotes a denomination governed or ruled by “elders” rather than clergy. The Session is the governing body of a local congregation. The Session is comprised of “elders” elected by the congregation and it is moderated by the Pastor.

For a list of our current Session members please click here.

Calendar

Click here for full calendar

For detailed info click on an event or visit the Upcoming Events page.

Coming Up

History

There were two predecessor churches to our current church:

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in January 1873 and built the church seen at the right in 1876 on the corner of Third and Poplar.

A second Presbyterian church was organized in November 1877 under the auspices of the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions.

In 1883, the second church built the “Brick Church” on the site of the current YWCA on First and Birch.

In 1907 the two churches merged when the Cumberland Church brought its members into the Presbyterian Brick church which was just a little larger.

It soon became evident that the Brick church was too small and construction on our current church building started in 1912.

The first services in the current church were in the fall of 1913, but the church was not dedicated until 1915 when the pipe organ was installed and operational.

The Christian Education wing was dedicated in 1970 and was the last major addition.

In 2004 the First Presbyterian Church celebrated 131 years of being a congregation and 90 years in this building. In those 131 years, 33 ministers  have been called to serve the Lord in our midst.



Recent Renovations

In 2009 a million dollar capital campaign provided for a major overhaul of the sanctuary and to provide central heat and air through much of the 1912 structure. The historic nature of the sanctuary was retained with the use of historic colors and preservation of the dramatic architectural lines. At the same time the sanctuary was updated and now has the ability to utilize modern technology.

This generational improvement is the first part of a two-part plan. Upon the completion of the financial obligations related to the sanctuary project, phase Ia of the master plan will begin. This second phase will provide for total handicapped access with elevator and central navigation in an expanded entryway.

An unexpected turn was taken the Sunday after Easter in 2009 when the church suffered an arson fire. The fire resulted in over one million dollars of damage and much of the recently finished restoration had to be fully restored a second time, with all three floors of the 1912 building repainted and much of the flooring replaced.

A separate challenge took place earlier in the year when in December of 2008 the building experienced flooding due to ice dams that were created in the downspouts. Over one-hundred-fifty thousand dollars of water damage was the result. This has precipitated many of the walls and ceilings needing new sheet rock, plaster and paint, as well as installation of a heating system to avoid future ice issues in the gutters and downspouts.

While we are honored to be the recipients of a Godly heritage, a church is not an historical entity alone; it is the living active body of Christ. Dr. Thomas Gillespie, while president of Princeton Theological seminary, put it this way: Traditionalism is the dead faith of people now living; while tradition is the living faith of people now dead. We seek to be a living tradition committed to knowing Christ and making Him known.

Employment & Volunteer Opportunities

First Presbyterian Church of Walla Walla is a growing and thriving congregation. Our membership, church attendance, youth attendance, and budget have all increased in the last few  years. Just as we see God breathing new life into our community by His Spirit, we believe that we are called to share the Good News of our Lord with our neighborhoods and the world. If you feel led to do the same, consider joining us on a vocational, volunteer, or simply congregational level.

Positions available:

Volunteer Opportunities:
Volunteers from the congregation and community play a vital role at First Presbyterian Church. From making coffee to answering phones; cooking meals for the homeless to Sunday childcare; playing music for services to leading youth and children's events (and so much more), volunteers are what keep things going around here. If you are interested in spending some time lending a hand, please contact the office to see where you might be needed or to offer a particular skill or time.

There are currently no staff positions available.

To apply for this position please send your application to:

First Presbyterian Church
C/O Discipleship & Equipping
325 South First Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362
info@wwpcusa.org

A complete application includes:

1) Completed Application Form
2) Professional Resume, including educational and work experience
4) Three Letters of Recommendation

Contact & Location

First Presbyterian Church
325 South 1st Ave
Walla Walla, WA 99362
click for full map

*handicapped parking available in the main parking lot and the "alley" behind the church building.*
Phone: (509) 525-1093
Fax: (509) 525-1099
Email: info@wwpcusa.org

Please visit the Staff page for additional contact information.

Office Hours
*please use the double glass doors on First Ave or from the "alley" behind the church during office hours.*
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
(closed 12 – 1 for lunch)

Media

Audio (Sermons)
click here for past sermon posts

Note: the 10:31 service is broadcast live on the radio each week on 1320 KGDC

Video
click here for past video posts
YouTube (All Church)
YouTube (Youth)

Photos
click here for past photo posts
Shutterfly (All Church)
Shutterfly (Youth)


Staff

click here for current employment and volunteer opportunities


Albert Gillin
Pastor
gillin@wwpcusa.org
Visit the Pastor's Page

Albert is married to his delightful and faithful wife, Lori, and is the father of two busy, growing and wonderful boys. He graduated from Lewiston High School in 1983, Lewis-Clark Stage College in (1988 (B.S.), Princeton Theological Seminary in 1992 (M.Div.), and is currently enrolled at Columbia Theological Seminary (D.Min.).

Before coming to Walla Walla, Albert served churches in Grandview and Spokane, Washington, Dallas and Lubbock, Texas, and Los Angeles (Hollywood), California. In these communities he has been an active part of the Exchange Club, the Friends of Children, United Way, and the SOS Clinic board, as well as coaching Youth Football, YMCA Basketball, and Little League Baseball.

Mary Bundy
Office Secretary
bundy@wwpcusa.org

Collie Parsons
Membership Secretary
collie@wwpcusa.org

Julie Dandrea
Financial Secretary (comptroller)
julie@wwpcusa.org

Sarah Thomson
Director of Children's Ministries
sarah@wwpcusa.org

Kevin Gates
Director of Youth Ministries
kevin@wwpcusa.org

Kevin has enjoyed ministering to youth for almost two decades at a number of churches in the Greater Portland, Oregon, area and feels God has gifted him with a personality that allows him to relate well with students, and understands the need to connect with the rest of the congregation, the community, and their families. He believes that family and neighborhood ministries are at the heart of maintaining a sustainable and fruitful church, and brings his passion, time, learning, awkwardness, and faith to our congregation here in Walla Walla.

Kevin holds a Bachelors degree in Religion & Christian Ministries from Warner Pacific College, and enjoys playing guitar, listening to music, cooking, watching [too many] movies, hanging out at games and cafes, and generally chilling with friends and students.

Eric Aeschliman
Director of Music
eric@wwpcusa.org
Music & Worship-Arts Blog

Eric double-majored in Church Music and Applied Voice at Northwest Nazarene University where he studied with Dr. Judy Marlett. He has been seen on stage there, and in previous years at the Little Theatre of Walla Walla and Walla Walla Amphitheater. He sings with the Walla Walla Choral Society and is the Director of Music here at First Presbyterian Church of Walla Walla. In his spare time he plays with his nephew, plays the guitar, and occasionally sleeps.

Ben VanDonge
Associate Director of Music
ratherbeworshipping@gmail.com
Ben is a native Walla Wallan and joined us as the 9:01 Praise Team leader in November of 2007. He has enjoyed playing with various worship bands since 1999. To him, worship and music go hand and hand. If you are interested in joining the 9:01 praise team, or would like more information, please contact Ben.

Ben also has a passion for children and teens, and volunteers with the Youth.
Rolling Calendar (Praise Team Rotation)
Walla Walla Drums

Richard Scott
Organist


William Matschukat
Sound Technician Coordinator
william.matschukat@gmail.com
Grey Door Music Company


Bill Lewis
Caretaker
bill@wwpcusa.org

Mark VanDonge
Webmaster/Photography
wwpcusa@gmail.com
For a list of our current Session members please click here
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)