Pastoral Care is one of the important ministries in any church. Jesus teaches us to love one another, and so we firmly believe that one of the greatest benefits of being part of a Christian community is the love and care we give to one another.

Our Pastoral Care Team is made up of members of our congregation whose gifts of mercy enable them to care for people in need of support. This growing team is responsible for helping our minister with hospital visitation and follow-up, as well as visiting our shut-ins in their homes and nursing homes, and providing more long-term pastoral care to members of our congregation.

Pastoral concerns can be phoned into the office (352-2313) and the pastoral team will be contacted immediately.

First Church engages in many ministries on a regular basis. If you have a heart for mission, there is certainly a place at FPC to use your God-given gifts. Please refer to the links on our home page to see more information on the different areas we minister in at the congregational and denominational level.

Finished in 1893, First Presbyterian Church is a stately brick structure located in the heart of downtown Chatham. Its stained glass windows and impressive architecture add to the beauty of the downtown core. First Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest buildings in the city.

The large sanctuary is an impressive place of worship. Beautiful stained glass windows, solid oak pews, and three balconies enhance the worshipful quality of the sanctuary. The acoustics in the sanctuary are first rate, and the sound of organ, instruments and voices carries clearly.

Behind the main sanctuary is the Christian Education area, which includes classrooms, recreation/meeting area, office, lounges and choir room. The Christian Education area includes the renovated “Children’s Garden” where our grades JK to 5 meet.

The lower hall holds 150-200 people and is used frequently for anniversary dinners, The Breakfast Club Sunday breakfasts, pancake suppers as well as our weekly free Saturday Breakfast. Also located in the lower hall is the nursery and the Toddler’s Room.

In preparation for our 100-Year Anniversary, a major restoration project was undertaken. This project included replacing the original slate roof with new slate, copper eaves, exterior paint window repair and pigeon control.

In 1998, the congregation gave its approval for the installation of an elevator, upgrading of washrooms, parking lot, doors, addition of ramps and other work necessary to make the church fully accessible.

In 2005 work began to repair the brick exterior of the building which had suffered the ravages of over 100 years of weather and an extensive and very loyal pigeon population! This renovation project is not merely a facelift; it is undertaken with the understanding that we are not just maintaining our building, but are equally committed to rethinking how we do church today and in the future.

In 2009 we undertook a major project to redesign the front of the sanctuary. The pulpit and choir loft were replaced with a semicircular hardwood platform. A new sound system and audiovisual screens completed the project. In 2013, more audiovisual equipment was installed, including a video camera which can send a live feed to the screens. The final result of all this work is a sanctuary that is both aesthetically beautiful and user friendly. Now Mike can preach closer to the congregation, and the Choir and Praise Bands have ample room to praise God in song. As well, our up-to-date audiovisual capability allows us to use a variety of media during our worship services.