OUR CHURCH
Our story began January 21, 1945 when people interested in forming a Cumberland Presbyterian church in Houston met for the first time. That year 25 people were received as members. Within a few years, a modest 20' by 40' building was constructed for worship at the corner of Peckham Street and what is now known as Avalon Place. We continue to worship at this location to this day.
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In 2001, the church was completely remodeled with community outreach in mind. We now have a hospitality suite so that we can host out of town guests staying in Houston while loved ones receive treatment in the medical center. In addition, a state of the art sound system and outstanding acoustics in the redesigned sanctuary make the location a favorite performance venue for local musicians. A recently updated playground is open daily for the neighborhood children as well as our own.
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Throughout the years, we have managed to maintain our roots by reaching out and building relationships. It is not uncommon for members raised in our church to return to their church home with their own families when they've grown. And yet, new faces are always made to feel welcome.
OUR PASTORS
Senior Pastor
Reverend J. Geoff Knight
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Joined our Church in 1997
Studied at Western Kentucky University
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Leads our 11am Sunday Worship
Associate Pastor
Reverend Fredy Diaz
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Joined our Church in 2013
Studied at Memphis Theological Seminary
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Leads our 2pm Sunday Latino Service
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OUR DENOMINATION
First Cumberland Presbyterian Church is part of a connectional denomination called Cumberland Presbyterian. The Cumberland Presbyterian denomination finds its place in American history beginning in the early 1800s during the Great Revival in the Cumberland Plateau region of Kentucky and Tennessee.
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During that time, people by the thousands would travel for days in order to attend revival meetings held under crude structures of hay supported by wooden poles. These “brush arbor meetings,” as they were called, were a place for people to hear the Gospel message, many for the first time. Many people committed their lives to Christ, and as a result many new Christians were in the area with few ministers to meet their needs. In response to the spiritual awakening in their area, Finis Ewing, Samuel McAdow and Samuel King joined together to form the Cumberland Presbytery. Before the three ministers, little progress was made organizing clergy on the frontier. In 1829, with establishment of the General Assembly and considerable growth within the presbytery, Cumberland Presbyterian Church was born.
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Spreading the Gospel message across the frontier was a challenge in the mid1880s, but the Cumberland Presbyterians continued to move West with American expansion. Along the way the Church established schools and colleges, a theological school located in Memphis as well as a home for children. Missionaries were commissioned across the United States and, as the Church grew, to foreign countries. It also made historical strides as it ordained the first woman in the Presbyterian denomination – Louisa Woosley, who was ordained in 1889.
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Cumberland Presbyterians continue to concern themselves with spreading the message of salvation through Jesus Christ to new frontiers. They are committed to community outreach and meeting social needs. More information on Cumberland Presbyterians as well as Confessions of Faith are available on the official Cumberland Presbyterian Web site, http://www.cumberland.org.