ABOUT US
We are a multi-racial, multi-generational, multi-cultural family of faith in the heart of Woodlawn
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"Multi" means we will never ask you to blend in. We welcome and celebrate all the particularities that make you who you are. We all come with many identities, backgrounds, and beliefs, and none of it is left at the door. We expect you to believe what's in your conscience, to love whom you love, and to reflect the image of God as only you can.
Since The First Presbyterian Church of Chicago was organized in the carpentry shop of Fort Dearborn in 1833, we have been devoted to racial justice, education for youth and children, the arts, and organizing for the welfare of our community. That rich heritage still shapes our sense of purpose as a church in and for our community.
There is so much to this community. We come with many stories and many identities, and we are united in our sense of call and our love for one another.
We hope you will visit us soon to get to know this beautiful, beloved community for yourself.
You don’t have to choose between having a progressive worldview and taking the Bible seriously.
At our church, we do both.
Whether you are a skeptic, a spiritualist, or a longtime saint, there’s a place for you here.
The First Presbyterian Church of Chicago is a progressive church with traditional theology. We strive to be radical in both basic senses of the word: (1) unreservedly open to everyone and (2) theologically rooted in a deep, serious tradition.
We are multigenerational, multiracial, multiethnic, and multicultural. We are queer, trans, straight, nonbinary, and everything in between. What brings us together is our curiosity about God and one other. We take the Bible and religion seriously, and we understand that requires imagination and openness.
We are a progressive and justice-focused community in the Presbyterian Church (USA). You can read more about our denomination here. As Presbyterians, we are part of the Reformed Tradition, which emphasizes the grace and freedom of God.
We like to say that our tradition is “reformed, and always reforming.” That means we are always open to ways we are being called to rethink and reimagine who God is and how God is calling us to live in the world. Our ancestors didn’t have the full picture, and we don’t either.
We hope you’ll join us in the ongoing reformation.
