Sunday Morning at 10:00
Worship at First Presbyterian Church of Farmington centers on a single Sunday gathering at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary. The service lasts about an hour and includes hymns, prayers, a sermon from the pastor, and music led by the Chancel Choir. Hymns range from old familiar tunes to recent compositions, drawn from the Glory to God hymnal and accompanied by a grand piano and a Reuter/Rogers pipe organ. The congregation often stands for hymns and responses, but kneeling benches are not used. Worshipers can sit anywhere they like and participate as much or as little as they feel comfortable with.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. All baptized Christians, regardless of denomination, are welcome at the Lord's Table. Elements, normally gluten-free bread and juice, are distributed in the pews; on the few occasions when communion is served at the front of the sanctuary, those unable to come forward are served in their seats. The Bible used in worship is the New Revised Standard Version, and large-print bulletins, hymnals and Bibles are available alongside the projection screen. Devices to help those with hearing impairment can be requested from an usher.
Children are considered full members of the worshiping community. Worship bags are available at the back of the sanctuary for young children, and a nursery with professional staff is provided for infants and toddlers when parents prefer. Baptisms of both children and adults take place during the regular Sunday service, often during the "Time with Children." The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) recognizes one baptism across the church universal, and baptisms performed in other Christian traditions are honored here. Services are livestreamed on YouTube, with bulletins posted in advance so members and friends near and far can follow along.
The Building at the Corner
The church sits on a five-acre site at the corner of 11 Mile and Farmington Roads in Farmington Hills, Michigan, with the address 26165 Farmington Road. Ample parking is available on the west side of the building. The building is barrier-free throughout, with wheelchair seating in both the front and back of the sanctuary. The sanctuary itself seats 280.
A Reuter/Rogers hybrid pipe organ anchors the worship space. Installed during the 2004-2005 sanctuary renovation, it was one of the first hybrid organs in the United States, combining traditional air-blown pipes with a digital suite that adds tonal range. After years of electronic wear, an organ committee led by Ron Prieskorn oversaw a major upgrade; the instrument was returned to use with both pipes and digital voices.
Knox Fellowship Hall, the church's large gathering space, holds about 150 for dining. The library and parlor sit on the second floor, where an elevator (to the right past the first set of double doors) and stairs (on the left) lead up from the lobby. From the front lobby, the church office is at the end of the hall on the second floor. On weekdays, visitors enter through the far-left door under the covered portico (look for the blue handicapped access sticker) and use the doorbell-like buzzer in the middle of the four doors; the office staff will unlock the door electronically.
Outside Knox Hall, the Edge Taylor Cope Memorial Garden offers a place for the interment of ashes, with many members' loved ones resting there. The garden is maintained with loving care, and members may prearrange the interment of their own ashes.
From 1954 to 400 Members
The congregation's history begins with the 166th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the USA. On May 20, 1954, 141 charter members walked across the stage of the Masonic Temple in Detroit and were received into membership in the new First Presbyterian Church of Farmington. Worship had begun just months earlier in what was then the "new" Farmington High School.
The property at 11 Mile and Farmington Roads was purchased in 1955. The five-acre site came with a residence called Knox House, which became the church offices, and a small barn, never used as such, that became the chapel. The first worship service on the new property took place in October 1955. A new church building was formally dedicated in 1961, and a fellowship hall followed in 1972. In 1980, the congregation voted to expand and reverse the sanctuary to make it more comfortable and energy-efficient. Stained glass was added to the front and side windows during the 1990s. By the early 1990s the church had outgrown its office, school and fellowship space, prompting construction of a new wing that was dedicated in May 1994. As part of that project, the original Knox House was sold and moved to the corner of Ten Mile and Farmington Roads, and the barn, or original chapel, was decommissioned and removed from the property.
A Presbyterian presence in Farmington actually dates back to 1826, but that earlier church failed to thrive and was eventually dissolved, making the current body a fresh start in 1954. The congregation has grown to about 400 members, with the motto that has guided its life: "Welcoming All, Sharing Christ, Serving Others."
A Commitment to the Wider Church
First Presbyterian Church of Farmington is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the mainline Reformed body that traces its heritage to the 16th-century Protestant Reformation and the writings of John Calvin (1509-1564). The denomination has approximately 2.3 million members, more than 10,000 congregations, and 14,000 active ordained ministers. Locally, the congregation belongs to the Presbytery of Detroit, one of the regional bodies between the congregation and the General Assembly, and through the Presbytery to the Synod of the Covenant.
Salvation is understood to be assured through faith in Jesus Christ, and that assurance calls the congregation outward into service. Members are governed through a representative system: ministers of the Word and Sacrament serve alongside elected elders and deacons. Elders, also known as Ruling Elders, are elected to three-year terms, with up to four new elders elected each year to keep the staggered terms balanced. The Session, the church's governing board, is made up of the pastor and up to twelve elders and normally meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Deacons, also elected to three-year terms, lead the congregation in caregiving, reaching out to those who are grieving, ill, or recovering from surgery. Dorothy Tait serves as Clerk of Session. Jerry Scheel serves as Financial Secretary, and Rick Fuller is Treasurer.
The Music That Fills the Sanctuary
Music is central to worship and to the wider life of the congregation. The Chancel Choir, directed by Minister of Music Peter Cartwright, sings almost every Sunday and is accompanied by the grand piano and the Reuter/Rogers pipe organ. Anthems range across traditional, gospel, modern, and occasionally liturgical or adapted hymns and foreign-language pieces. The Bell Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings and assists in worship about once a month.
Peter Cartwright also brings in special musicians from inside and outside the congregation, and the music program is supported in part by an annual Spring and Fall Craft Fair and bake sale. In recent years those events have raised several thousand dollars to bring in jazz bands, opera singers, and other guest artists. The Presbyterian Players, a drama group, presents an annual Christmas play that is open to the public. The Plymouth Community Band has also performed in the sanctuary as a benefit concert for the music program.
Farmington Presbyterian Preschool
The state-licensed Farmington Presbyterian Preschool has been a part of the church's ministry for many years, operating in space within the church building. The preschool offers a faith-based early education program for children from age 2.5 through pre-kindergarten. Teachers include Co-Director Kim Kucharski, a former Director of Family Ministries at First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak and longtime 3s teacher, Co-Director Zena Maghamez, who holds an associate's degree in Early Childhood Education from Schoolcraft College, teacher Shana Butcher in the 2.5-year-old classroom, and teaching assistant Jessica Erickson, who works with the pre-kindergarten students.
The preschool serves families from across the community and is supported by the congregation. Annual fundraisers, such as the spring Pancake Dinner in Knox Fellowship Hall, raise money for scholarships for families who need tuition assistance. A portion of proceeds from a designated Silver Dairy ice cream day has gone to the preschool, and donations are accepted year-round through the Mission Ministry. Sunday school for older children was held in session during the program year, with family-friendly seating areas in the narthex, sanctuary, and Knox Hall to make worship easier for parents of young children.
Presbyterian Women: One of the Most Active in Metro Detroit
First Presbyterian of Farmington has one of the most active Presbyterian Women (PW) groups in the Detroit metro area, part of a network of nearly 90 local PW organizations in the Presbytery of Detroit. Membership is open to any woman who shares its purpose.
The PW circles, small Bible-study and fellowship groups that meet monthly except in July and August, form the heart of the women's ministry. ACTS (Action, Commitment, Talent, and Service) meets on the second Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the Parlor with coffee and refreshments, and provides a sitter for a small fee. Deborah meets on the second Thursday at 10:00 a.m. in Room 208-210 with coffee and continental breakfast, working through the Horizon Bible Study. Phoenix meets on the third Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. in various homes, with dessert provided.
Mission is the PW byword. Circles cook and serve dinners for S.O.S., weed and prune beds around the church, sponsor a family through Farmington Youth Assistance at Christmas, provide gifts to seniors at Mercy Center, cook for Alternatives for Girls, collect for the Salvation Army Bed and Bread program, serve in hunger programs and local food banks, and sponsor a young girl in India through World Vision. ACTS sponsors her through monthly contributions. Congregation-wide collections led by PW include Sweet Dreamzzz, the Hat and Mitten tree for the Farmington Goodfellows, Dress for Success clothing donations, Habitat for Humanity, Neighborhood House, and Second Mile Center. PW also takes part in the national Presbyterian Women of the PC(USA) programs: the Thank Offering in October, the Birthday Offering, the Least Coin prayer collection, and the Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study.
Adult Learning and Small Groups
Several Bible-study and discussion groups meet on a regular basis for those who want to dig deeper into faith and current issues. The Wired Word meets Sundays at 9:00 a.m. in Room 208/210 and uses a current-events-based curriculum to spark conversation. The JOY Book Study gathers via Zoom on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. for thoughtful discussion of books on faith and spiritual practice. The Social Justice Book Club meets on the last Monday of each month via Zoom; recent titles include There Is No Place for Us by Brian Goldstone and The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
A Future Church Prayer Group meets every Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Garden Room/Parlor to pray specifically for the future of the church, the Pastor Nominating Committee, and the next pastor. Men's Fellowship gathers regularly for breakfast at Leo's Coney Island on 12 Mile at Farmington Road. Several times a year, a Day of Prayer covers the sanctuary with continuous prayer from morning until evening, with members and friends signing up for half-hour slots and a chime sounding on the hour and half-hour.
Lent has become a season of intentional study. Recent courses have included multi-week video series from The Prayer Course, with discussion questions and practical prayer activities. Ash Wednesday is observed with the sanctuary open for candlelit prayer and self-imposition of ashes, and Maundy Thursday brings a special evening service with the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
Children, Youth, and Family
The church believes that "faith is caught, not taught," and that children belong in worship. Worship bags for young children are stocked at the back of the sanctuary, and the sanctuary has a "prayground" where children and their grandparents can sit together. A nursery with professional staff is available for infants and toddlers. Sunday school for older children meets during the program year, with family-friendly areas added in the narthex and Knox Hall.
Vacation Bible School has been offered in cooperation with Hope Lutheran Church on 12 Mile Road in Farmington Hills, with drama, games, snacks, music, and age-appropriate groups for children from age 4 through 10. The church also supports Youth United, a diverse, interfaith, hands-on service experience for middle and high school students founded in 2018 by a coalition of about ten congregations in Farmington and Farmington Hills. Youth United's June service experience draws around 80 teens from multiple faith traditions to work on projects for local nonprofits, and a Martin Luther King Jr. Day pop-up brings students together to pack meal kits for CARES of Farmington Hills.
The church also sponsors BSA Scout Troop 179, providing meeting space and camperships for Scout campers. The scouts have supported the church's mission work, including a recent toilet paper drive for CARES, and helped with property work days.
Serving Others: Mission and Outreach
Service is the third leg of the church's vision: "Welcoming All, Sharing Christ, Serving Others." Historically the congregation has spent 10 percent or more of its annual budget on mission and outreach, and it partners with a wide network of local, regional, and international agencies.
Locally, the church supports C.A.R.E.S. of Farmington Hills, a campus of hope with a food pantry and SNAP grocery store serving Farmington Hills and seven surrounding communities, providing food and personal care items, financial support, and a steady supply of toilet paper. Baldwin Center in Pontiac receives food, clothing, and after-school program support. Crossroads of Michigan receives emergency-assistance funding. Lighthouse, formed from the merger of Lighthouse of Oakland County and South Oakland Shelter, receives ongoing support. Neighborhood House in Farmington and Farmington Hills receives regular contributions and was the recipient of the church's Dick Tupper Community Service Award nomination. Oakland County Foster Closet receives hygiene and clothing donations. Freedom House Detroit, which provides comprehensive services for those seeking asylum in the United States and Canada, receives both financial support and donations. The FPS Operation Common Good program supports families in Farmington Public Schools dealing with poverty or homelessness, including the church's ongoing laundromat change drive and cereal-for-summer collection that have delivered more than 140 boxes of cereal to the Detroit Presbytery. Farmington Public Schools, Danika Community Development Inc., and Second Mile Center in Detroit all receive sustained involvement.
At the regional level, the church participates in the Presbyterian special offerings (One Great Hour of Sharing, the Christmas Joy Offering, and the Peacemaking Offering) and supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and the Presbyterian Mission Agency. The Presbytery of Detroit's Hunger Action Coordinator has acknowledged the congregation's cereal donation efforts. The Synod of the Covenant and the General Assembly are supported through the annual per capita apportionment of $41 per member.
Internationally, the church has supported World Central Kitchen, both with annual gifts and in response to humanitarian crises. The Men's Group has partnered with Marion Medical Mission since 2020 to fund simple freshwater wells in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia, contributing to nearly twenty wells to date. Members walk annually in the CROP Hunger Walk, with 25 percent of funds remaining local. Members also serve with Rise Against Hunger, joining other metro Detroit Presbyterian churches to package 10,000 meals at a time for shipment to places of need.
Youth United's interfaith teens have done similar work closer to home, landscaping, sorting and stocking pantry shelves, and making fleece blankets for Children's Hospital, soup kits for Metro Food Rescue, snack paks for the Song and Spirit Institute, and reusable bags from T-shirts. The church also shares a strong relationship with the Farmington Area Interfaith Association, with lay leaders regularly building relationships with clergy, school, city, fire, and police representatives, as well as local nonprofits.
Weddings, Funerals, and Pastoral Care
The pastor works with couples who wish to be married at the church, treating the wedding as a worship service in which God is praised, the couple's commitment is celebrated, and God's blessing is sought. The pastor meets with both members of the couple before a date is set on the church calendar.
Funerals and memorial services are also worship services, marked by the reading of scripture and the declaration of hope, and supported by the Board of Deacons, who host a reception for family and friends in Knox Hall immediately following. Presbyterians accept internment, cremation, and donation for medical purposes as equally faithful choices. Ashes may be buried in the Edge Taylor Cope Memorial Garden outside Knox Hall.
Pastoral care is shared between the pastor and the Parish Associate, who supports calls and visitation, staffs the Board of Deacons, and leads worship one Sunday each month. The Board of Deacons coordinates caregiving through cluster groups, a prayer chain, flower delivery, and home communion visits from lay elders. The church also offers a prayer-request form for members and friends who would like the prayers of the clergy and congregation.
Leadership and Staff
Rev. Jonathan Freeman was called as the new Pastor and Head of Staff after a candidating weekend in late August 2026, following an eighteen-month search by the Pastor Nominating Committee. He is supported by Rev. Craig Aue as Parish Associate, who served as Temporary Acting Head of Staff during the pastoral search and continues to lead worship, officiate weddings and memorial services, staff the Board of Deacons, and co-lead the Wired Word adult Bible study.
Jennifer Taub serves as Office Administrative Assistant and is the first point of contact during office hours, Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Peter Cartwright directs the music ministry as Minister of Music, Organist, and Pianist. Lidia Neathammer serves as Audio-Video Tech Intern, running the soundboard and livestream. Dorothy Tait serves as Clerk of Session, Jerry Scheel as Financial Secretary, and Rick Fuller as Treasurer. Kim Kucharski, Zena Maghamez, Shana Butcher, and Jessica Erickson make up the preschool teaching staff.
A Note on the Pipe Organ
The Reuter/Rogers pipe organ was installed in 2004-2005 as part of a sanctuary renovation and other facility upgrades, designed to last 40-50 years with routine tunings. After years of electrical wear and damage to the electronics controlling the air-blown pipes, an ad-hoc organ committee led by Ron Prieskorn evaluated the instrument. Options ranged from doing nothing to a full replacement, with the committee ultimately supporting a path that returned the pipes to use and replaced the failing electronics with a sustainable console. A New Organ Fund campaign has been underway to help cover the cost.
Giving and Finances
Members and friends give in several ways: through the offering plate during worship, by mail or drop-off to the church office, through electronic ACH transfers from a checking or savings account, by stock or bond transfer, and through one-time or memorial gifts via PayPal. The Mission Ministry allocates monthly supplies of toilet paper to C.A.R.E.S., the church budget historically dedicates 10 percent or more to mission and outreach, and a $300,000-plus Endowment Fund distributes 4 percent annually. The annual budget is reviewed and approved by the congregation at the Annual Congregational Meeting.
Visiting First Pres
Visitors are warmly welcomed. The church is barrier-free, with wheelchair-accessible parking and restrooms. Devices for the hearing impaired are available from the ushers. Most adult worshipers wear anything from business casual to Sunday best, and anything a child or youth would wear to school will work here. Visitors are encouraged to come as they are and to participate as much or as little as they wish.
Those who cannot attend in person can watch the livestream on YouTube, read weekly bulletins online, and sign up for the monthly Community Connections newsletter by email. Those who wish to learn more about membership are invited to attend a "Getting to Know You" gathering, a relaxed introduction to the church's story and a chance to share one's own.