Stewarding Our Sanctuary for Generations to Come
Dear First Presbyterian Church Family,
Few places on earth are as sacred to us as our sanctuary. Week after week, generation after generation, it has been the place where God’s people have gathered to hear His Word, to lift their voices in song, and to meet Almighty God in worship.
As we look ahead to the coming year, we are preparing for an important—and, I trust, joyful—undertaking: the renewal of our sanctuary. This project, which will unfold through most of 2026, is designed to replace our aging organ, improve the acoustics, and restore the beauty and integrity of the space to the genius of our founding fathers’ original design—an auditorium crafted for the spoken and sung Word of God to resonate with faith, hope, and love down through the ages.
This is not simply a renovation; it is an act of stewardship. We are caring for a place that has proclaimed the gospel for more than two centuries. We are investing in our children’s children, passing on the gift that has been so richly given to us.
Few places on earth are as sacred to us as our sanctuary. Week after week, generation after generation, it has been the place where God’s people have gathered to hear His Word, to lift their voices in song, and to meet Almighty God in worship.
As we look ahead to the coming year, we are preparing for an important—and, I trust, joyful—undertaking: the renewal of our sanctuary. This project, which will unfold through most of 2026, is designed to replace our aging organ, improve the acoustics, and restore the beauty and integrity of the space to the genius of our founding fathers’ original design—an auditorium crafted for the spoken and sung Word of God to resonate with faith, hope, and love down through the ages.
This is not simply a renovation; it is an act of stewardship. We are caring for a place that has proclaimed the gospel for more than two centuries. We are investing in our children’s children, passing on the gift that has been so richly given to us.
We are saved for the purpose of worship. That is why we exist as a church—and that is why this sacred space matters. The sanctuary itself is an edifice of theological architecture. It has no voice, yet it preaches a sermon every time its doors open. It points us heavenward—the spire, the light, the sound—all designed to whisper, “Lift up your eyes; God is here, and He is worthy of the fealty of your soul and of all the deepest, warmest affections and energies you have to pour out in His presence.” It is a haven for weary saints and wounded sinners—a place where grace is heard, faith is strengthened, and hope is renewed.
Our ultimate commitment is not to bricks and beams, but to the glory of God and the gospel of His Son. The building is not our message—but it must serve the message. This renewal is for the sake of future generations—our children’s children’s children—so that long after we are gone, this place will still resound with the praises of those who love the Lord Jesus Christ.
A video about this vision and the work ahead can be viewed above. I hope you will take a few moments to watch it prayerfully and to join us in gratitude for what God has done, and in faith for what He will yet do among us.
With affection and hope,
Yours in Christ,
Dr. Neil C. Stewart
Yours in Christ,
Dr. Neil C. Stewart
A Glimpse of What’s to Come


