Vanessa Smith’s Stewardship Offering on October 2nd
We come together as we enter into this season of stewardship and season of celebration, a celebration of 230 years as the first church of Knoxville. Let us reflect on our past as a congregation. Back in June I had a few moments of time so I thought, “let's explore.” I thought back to our church's past and decided to take a drive over to the site of Lebanon in the Fork. This is a beautiful site where the founders of Knoxville and First Presbyterian Church had once stood and worshiped. I found peace in those moments just standing in our history. In 1792 they moved to what is now Downtown Knoxville and built James White Fort.
The congregation followed our first pastor Samuel Carrick. He didn't have a church building, but he had faithful members. They would meet under trees or at the original courthouse, but they were still meeting and gathering to worship and fellowship together. Then in 1812 a building was constructed for a permanent meeting house. This original building was built about where the chapel is located today, and if you have been in this church for any amount of time you know the story. The story is of how James White, the founder of Knoxville, gave his turnip patch to be the site of the church and burial ground. As far as building structures go this site has seen a few, and all of them have had their fair share of stories to tell. During the Civil War our graveyard held horses and the building became a hospital.
When the war was over, our building was damaged and needed work inside to get started again before worship resumed. The story goes that women carried water up from First Creek and washed the building inside and out, and during that time is when ‘Jehovah Jireh’ was painted over the pulpit. God will provide. God has provided for this church for 230 years, so that we can serve her in the Heart of Knoxville.
As we go into this stewardship season our theme is “Remembering our Past, Living our Present, and Preparing for our Future”. I ask that you think about the past, think of the hardships this congregation has gone through, and yet the land that this church stands on is because of stewardship. Those who built the first building, and those who helped fund every new building and renovation since, have all been because of stewardship. Let us lean into our past as we live in these moments to prepare for the future generations and another 230 years of service here at First Presbyterian Church serving the Heart of Knoxville.