Central Presbyterian Church (Austin, Texas)

"Deliberately diverse and fully inclusive, Central Presbyterian Church in downtown Austin is a community of Christian faith where each person is welcomed as a unique child of God." [ http://cpcaustin.org/Information/Mission%20Statement.htm ]

Located on the northeast corner of Brazos and Bois d’Arc (now 8th Street) in Austin, Texas, Central Presbyterian Church traces its roots to the organization of the first Presbyterian church in Austin on Sunday, October 13, 1839. First identified as Presbyterian Church (South), the congregation has been known subsequently as Austin Presbyterian Church, Southern Presbyterian Church, Free Presbyterian Church (i.e. its pews were not for sale to families), First Southern Presbyterian Church and Central Presbyterian Church. The most renowned pastor in Central’s history has been Reverend Richmond K. Smoot. His 29-year ministry, 1876 until his death in 1905, carried the church to great heights of service, inspiring young men to enter the ministry and stimulating the founding of Texas’ first Presbyterian school of theology, which became the present Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

William Sidney Porter, the acclaimed O. Henry of American short story, sang bass in the choir of First Southern in the mid-1880s.

Central Presbyterian Church is a member of Mission Presbytery, in the Synod of the Sun region of the Presbyterian Church (USA).