Presbyterian Church of the Covenant
Nederland, Jefferson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The First Presbyterian Church of Port Arthur ws organized with 18 charter members on February 18, 1900, by the Rev. F. E. Robbins of the First Presbyterian Church of Beaumont. The Port Arthur congregation called its own pastor the Rev. F. J. Pankey, in September. The Rev. W. A. Ziegler and 43 members established the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Port Arthur on October 19, 1924. The Rev. Frank W. Langham was called as first pastor. As both congregations grew, they each relocated to new facilities. In 1966 First Presbyterian Church dedicated a church building on this site. First Presbyterian and Westminster Presbyterian churches merged on April 8, 1979, adopting the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant. The congregation continues a tradition of worship, religious education and service. (2000)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This congregation traces its roots to two Presbyterian churches organized in Port Arthur at the dawn of the twentieth century, the first in 1900 and a second in 1924. As both grew and relocated, a church rose on this site in 1966, and in 1979 the two congregations merged into the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant. Across the decades the community sustained a tradition of worship, religious education, and service.
Why it matters
The founding, growth, and eventual merger of these congregations mirror the story of countless American communities where faith institutions anchored civic life through a century of change.
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Themes & tags
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