First United Presbyterian Church of Grand Junction will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding on Sunday, Oct. 10, during church services at 10:30 am. It’s actually a 150+1 event as the celebration was postponed a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Presbyterian Church in Grand Junction was established on June 5, 1870, a year after the town of Grand Junction was founded. Services were first held on the second floor of the new two-story brick school house built that year at the southeast corner of Hager St East and 12th st South (site of the current sports court). The growing congregation built a church across the street to the west at 12th and Hager in 1876.
In 1911, the church members approved an expansive remodeling project. The church was raised so a new basement with a fellowship hall and kitchen could be built. New stained glassed windows were installed and the church was painted. The tall steeple above the bell tower was also removed. Total cost was $4,000.
The church held celebrations for its 25th and 35th anniversaries and a special two-day event was held for its 50th anniversary on June 5-6, 1920.
In 1961, the church accepted the donation of the Dutton House from Pauline Dutton Rachofsky in memory of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Dutton. Located just across Hager St to the north of the church, the three-story, brick Dutton House was occupied by the Dutton family for 75 years. The Dutton House was used for a number of years as a church annex.
The church celebrated its 100th anniversary on Sunday, Aug. 30, 1970, with a dinner for 200 persons served in the East Greene High school lunchroom followed by a Centennial program in the church.
A new fellowship hall, classrooms, kitchen and restrooms were built in 1979 next to the original church. Services and program were then moved to the new fellowship hall while construction got underway on a new church structure. The sanctuary with new stained glass windows, narthex, pastor’s study, church office and central corridor was completed in 1982 and connected with the fellowship hall, creating a handicap-accessible facility all on one level.
In the early 1970s, the Presbyterian churches in Paton and Grand Junction voted to share a pastor while each retained its own church building, Session (governing board), deacons, and financial operation. That relationship continued until 2017 when the Paton, Grand Junction and Presbyterian Churches formed the Greater Greene County Presbyterian Ministries (GCCPM). Similar to the original Paton-Grand Junction alignment, the three churches maintain control over their own churches but share pastoral staff and some church events. An ordained pastor and commissioned ruling elder (layperson) serve the three congregations from the church office at First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson.
All three congregations will worship together at the 10:30 am service on Oct. 10 in Grand Junction with fellowship and refreshments to follow. The service will be conducted by the Rev. Kim Nofel, pastor, and Wendy Pittman, commissioned pastor.
