Our Mission:  “To Know Christ, and to Make Christ Known.”

The First Presbyterian Church of Albion was organized February 5, 1837 with twenty-four members under Rev. Calvin Clark.  Fire struck the Church in February of 1873.  The congregation was devastated and had no insurance.  The building was a total loss. While the ruin was still smoldering, a little boy, Harlo H. Boyce, gave the minister Rev. Cooper, 21 cents, all he had, towards a new church building. Those very coins are embedded in the corner stone of the present sancturay

The Great Depression left its mark. Times were rough and the membership remained small.  In 1954, things began to change. The membership swelled and the baby boomers filled the Sunday school.  In 1956 a Sunday School and office wing was added and in 1959 the kitchen was enlarged and other changes made. For a number of prosperous post-war years two worship services were required to handle the large crowds in attendance.  The membership hovered around six hundred!

Almost as quickly as the prosperity came, it began to depart.  Economic and business cutbacks in Albion took people away.  Corning Glass left Albion in 1975.  From 1970 on, our church has declined in membership, attendance and finances. 

The bright side of this is that our church seems now ready to do what is needed to be faithful. We realize that our growth must be in discipleship, spirituality, outreach and stewardship in order to grow eventually in attendance and membership. We are willing, and we are learning how.  We see as century-and-a-half core values: ecumenism, community involvement, generosity, strong beliefs in Scripture and in social justice, a willingness to accept others into our fellowship and a willingness to overcome adversity.  Above all, we see caring for one another as a core value – one that must be extended to our community if our Church is to flourish.

Mission:  Stated above, our mission comes to life in our community involvement.  We partner or have partnered with several other churches, Albion Public Schools, Albion College, and the Community to involve ourselves and others in projects that benefit Albion.

Community Involvement: From the 1800’s First Presbyterian Church was involved as a part of the movement to give displaced southern slaves “40 acres and a mule.”  Our leadership was in the forefront of the Civil Rights movement, and church member, (the late) Bruce Borthwick was the president of the local NAACP.  The Johnson Day Care Center began in our church building.  Our building has also been a meeting place for Alcoholics Anonymous, Neighborhood Watch and the Citizens to Beautify Albion.  

Our present pastor John Sterner is chair of the Faith-Based Initiative of Albion.  The church has hosted an After School Kids Club for middle school students, and is very active in projects to enrich public schools.  We have been active in the CROP walk, the new Victory Park playground project, and a new book program that encourages reading in young children through the Albion Public Library.  The First Presbyterian Church provided leadership, management, and a place to paint for a new mural project that beautifies downtown Albion.