History
Roots In the Colonies
The First Presbyterian Church of Matawan traces its roots to 1686 when a group of Scots arrived from the Port of Edinburgh on the ship Henry and Francis. Seeking freedom to worship, they soon set about building a place of worship. While there are few historical records from this period, there were worshiping Presbyterians in what is now the Bayshore area during nearly all the formative years of the colonies.
The earliest deed for property to be used for a church building is dated June 1, 1727. Known as The Old Scots Church, this building was replaced in 1763 only to be burned by the British in 1777 during the Revolutionary War. In 1798 a second church was built on the Mount Pleasant site. This building existed until 1840 when deterioration forced the congregation to move temporarily to the Philips Academy, which is now the corner of Route 516 (Broad Street) and Route 79 (Main Street).
1842 Church
19th & 20th Centuries
The cornerstone for the Main Street church was laid in 1841 and this site was the church's home for 114 years until fire again destroyed the congregation's home. In 1957 with foresight and much courage, the congregation decided to relocate to a spacious site on State Highway 34 where the church flourished. Ten years after moving into its new sanctuary, the new education wing was dedicated and for 52 years the present structure has been home to our congregation.
Our Church Facility Today
Ministers With Vision & Leadership
Many ministers served Presbyterians in this area during the congregation's first 150 years, often preaching in two or more locations. This included John Boyd, the first Presbyterian minister ordained in the colonies, and Charles McKnight, who died as a result of imprisonment by the British during the Revolution.
From 1833 to the present, there have been 21 pastors plus occasional interim ministers. Under the leadership of Charles Webster, the Main Street Church was constructed in 1841.
William Alexander's pastorate saw major growth and the construction of the new Stanford White Tower. Chester Galloway guided the congregation from 1949 to 1973, a period which included recovery from the devastating fire of 1955 and the construction of the new church home.
Rev. Charles Cureton became our pastoral leader in 1988 and remained in that position until mid 2001. Rev. John Caster then served the congregation for several years.
In June 2008, we entered a new era with Rev. Loril Hawk as our pastor.
To read more details on our early pastors click here.