HISTORY OF FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The congregation of First United Presbyterian Church gives thanks to God for our  rich and faithful heritage.  We are thankful for the men and women who helped to create a congregation that loves and serves Jesus Christ. 

In 1833, a Presbyterian Sunday School began meeting on South High Street.  In the spring of 1837, Alton Presbytery was organized with Thomas Lippincott as Moderator and Elijah Parish Lovejoy as Stated Clerk.  In June 1839, the Presbytery sent Rev. Lippincott to Belleville.  He organized the First Presbyterian Church of Belleville on December 14, 1839.    The First Church of Belleville built its first church building in 1844 on the southeast corner of “A” and North Illinois Streets.  The Belleville congregation then relocated to 225 S. High Street in 1874. 

It is interesting to note that the Rev. Lippincott moderated the Session of the Belleville church when his wife’s niece, Julia Trumbull, joined the congregation.  Julia was the wife of Lyman Trumbull, the U.S. Senator from Illinois.  Senator Trumbull later penned the 13^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting slavery.  It is known that the influence of the Revs. Lippincott and Lovejoy helped to inform his anti-slavery beliefs.

East St. Louis was introduced to Presbyterianism through the efforts of Rev. A. J. Norton in January 1867.  He organized the congregation on July 14, 1867.  The congregation of First Presbyterian of East St. Louis has its first sanctuary on “B” Street on Bloody Island (named for a former rendezvous point for duelers).  The congregation in East St. Louis flourished.  In 1892, they moved to a new church building on the northwest corner of 13^th and Gaty Streets.  The Winstanley Park Presbyterian Church was organized in 1906 at a site at 28^th and Ohio Streets in East St. Louis.  In 1943, they changed their name from Winstanley to Second Presbyterian.

The First Presbyterian church of East St. Louis, feeling a need to move southeast toward new population growth.  For this reason, they acquired property at 69^th and State Streets and on November 23, 1952 laid the cornerstone of a new educational building.   The Rev. Clinton Bowman opposed the relocation and remained with a remnant of the congregation at the 13^th and Gaty site.  That group became the Westminster Presbyterian Church of East St. Louis on January 31, 1953.  Meanwhile, the majority of the congregation moved to the new location at 69^th and State Streets, and they then called the Rev. Arthur B. Smith as their pastor.  These two congregations eventually merged in 1957 and moved to a new building on 28^th and Ohio Streets in 1958.  The Rev. Cornelius Terhune pastored the merged congregation, renamed Second Presbyterian.

The First Presbyterian Church of Belleville experienced new growth and vitality during the later 1940s and early 1950s, under the dynamic leadership of the Rev. Dr. Frank L. Eversull.  Dr. Eversull served the church as Supply Pastor from 1947 to 1950 and as the Installed Pastor from 1950 to 1957.  In June of 1959 ten acres were purchased by the First Presbyterian Church of Belleville at Highway 161 and Royal Heights Road.  The Rev. Fred Cornell became the Associate Pastor in 1956 and the Senior Pastor in 1957.  The congregation moved to the new site with a chapel and educational facilities on February 24, 1963.

On November 15, 1963, the Westminster Church of East St. Louis was dissolved and the members joined the First Presbyterian Church of East St. Louis.   The pastor from Westminster, Rev. Terhune, became the Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian and served with Senior Pastor  Rev. Arthur B. Smith.  The Rev. Arthur B. Smith retired on July 31, 1981. 

The merger of the First Presbyterian Church of Belleville and the First Presbyterian Church of East St. Louis occurred in the spring of 1982.  The Rev. Fred Roblee guided the merger. First United Presbyterian Church completed a 600-seat sanctuary in 1982.  The new congregation was served by Co-Pastors Rev. Fred M. Cornell and Rev. James A. Capps.  The congregations were officially merged on May 30, 1982. On August 31, 1983, Rev. Capps left the congregation and Rev. Cornell resumed the position of Senior Pastor.   The Rev. Blythe Denham was called as Associate Pastor in 1983 and the Rev. Andrew Kramer was called as a second Associate Pastor in 1985.  Rev. Cornell retired in May 1988.  On January 6, 1991, the congregation called Rev. Gary Looman as its new Senior Pastor.  On October 1, 1994, the Rev. Blythe Denham Kieffer left to accept a call to a St. Louis area church.   

After 12 years as the Senior Pastor of First United, the Rev. Gary Looman retired from the ministry on June 27, 2003.  The Rev. Elizabeth Rolf Kanerva was hired as Interim Head of Staff and began her ministry on October 27, 2003.  On December 31, 2003, the Rev. Andrew Kramer left First United to accept a call as Senior Pastor of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Belleville.

Today, First United Presbyterian Church is served by the Rev. Dr. Greg R. Stovell and the Rev. Alex Hendrickson. Rev. Greg Stovell was called to First United Presbyterian Church on September 2005 as the Head of Staff. The Rev. Elizabeth Dick served as the Interim Associate Pastor from May 2006 until April 2007.  The Rev. Alex Hendrickson was called as our Associate Pastor in of May 2007.

Thank you for your prayers and good wishes as First United Presbyterian continues to serve the people of God into the future.