Sixteen Hitt Street, at the Top of Cherry
First Presbyterian Church sits at 16 Hitt Street in downtown Columbia, Missouri, where Hitt meets the top of Cherry Street and the building looks out toward the University of Missouri campus. The church is neighbor to Uprise Bakery and Ragtag Cinema, two of the cultural landmarks that anchor that end of downtown. Across more than four major renovations, the building has accumulated a layered set of worship spaces, classrooms, a youth floor, and offices - an unusual footprint that members and visitors describe as unlike anything else in the city.
As the church approaches its bicentennial in 2027-2028, First Presbyterian continues to describe itself with a single line: "Disciples Making a Difference." That phrase is shorthand for four commitments - embracing all people, engaging all neighborhoods, empowering lives, and encouraging each other - that shape everything from Sunday worship to a Tuesday morning Bible study group.
What First Presbyterian Believes
First Presbyterian is Christian, Protestant, and Reformed. Members worship one God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and confess that Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine, and that his life, death, and resurrection saves from sin and death. The congregation teaches that salvation comes by grace alone, received through faith, with the Bible as the inspired Word of God and the final authority for belief and life.
As a Reformed church, the congregation is led by an ordained Minister of the Word and Sacrament (called the Teaching Elder) together with laity ordained as Ruling Elders. Members strive to be good stewards of God's gifts by living generously, and they seek justice, peace, and the transformation of society. First Presbyterian belongs to the Presbyterian Church (USA), the largest Presbyterian body in the country, and holds that God calls people of every sexual orientation and gender identity to all ministries in the church, including ordained ministry.
That inclusive posture shows up in the congregation's life - in its Open and Affirming stance, in the existence of an LGBTQ+ group called FPC Pride, and in its welcome of students, refugees, and neighbors across central Missouri.
Sunday Morning at the Sanctuary
Worship normally gathers at 10:30 AM in the Sanctuary. Services are livestreamed on YouTube and archived there for later viewing. Music is both contemporary and traditional, built around the Middlebush organ, a chancel choir, the First Presbyterian Chancel Ringers (a handbell choir), and a rotating cast of instrumentalists.
Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. The liturgy connects theology, tradition, and daily life, with congregants seated at the foot of a 31-foot cross and surrounded by stained glass windows. A children's message is part of the service, and a children's worship area in the back of the worship space offers child-friendly activities for those who need to step out with a young one.
For the youngest, child care is available for infants and pre-schoolers in the Early Childhood Center during most services. A family room between the Sanctuary and the Ramsey Fellowship Center has a change table, rocking chair, and the livestream playing so a parent can stay close to the service.
On most fifth Sundays, the schedule changes. A potluck brunch begins at 9:30 AM in the Ramsey Fellowship Center, followed by an abbreviated and relaxed worship service in the same room - a pattern that turns the day into something between a family meal and a chapel gathering.
Christian Education for Every Age
Sunday School meets at 9:30 AM for children, youth, and adults. The Director of Christian Education, Audra West, oversees a program that begins with the Early Childhood Center opening at 9:00 AM and stretches up through the youth floor.
For children from birth through fifth grade, the church offers Sunday morning classes, Bible study, mission projects, and seasonal events such as Vacation Bible School, which has focused on verses like Philippians 4:13 ("I can do all things through him who strengthens me"). Children's Mission and Movie Days bring games, snacks, mission projects, Bible stories, and a movie together in one afternoon, often benefiting partners like Missouri River Relief and 3 C's Rescue Ranch. A Child, Youth and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy governs all programming.
For youth in grades six through twelve, the program is built around Bible study, mission, and fellowship. The youth floor is a dedicated space within the building. Mission partners include Loaves & Fishes, Benton Elementary, Columbia Public Schools, the Ronald McDonald House, the Heart of America Marathon, the CoMo Mobile Aid Collective, Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services, Unchained Melodies, For Columbia, and Welcome Home. Confirmation classes, retreats, and a fall youth retreat round out the calendar.
UKirk at the University of Missouri and Beyond
UKirk is the church's college ministry - a name that means "University Kirk," with kirk being the old Scots word for church. UKirk welcomes students from the University of Missouri, Columbia College, and Stephens College into an inclusive student faith community rooted in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
The ministry is built around three habits: gathering, thinking, and creating. Once a month, students and Pastor Kati walk downtown for Sunday Lunch after worship. Semimonthly Conversations in the Chez Coffee House, held on Wednesday evenings at 6 PM during the fall and spring semesters, bring together philosophy, theology, ethics, and real-life faith questions - and free pizza. Open Mic Nights, revived by UKirk in the Chez, feature songwriters, poets, bands, comedy, and improv, and have drawn performers from across the region. A Final Study Prep night each semester offers space and snacks for students preparing for exams.
The Chez Coffee House - one of the earliest coffee cafes in the country when it opened in the 1960s - is now home to study time, Wi-Fi, and conversation for college students, alongside its continuing role as a gathering space for the congregation.
Presbyterian Women and Circles
Presbyterian Women, the women's organization of the PC(USA), has a long-standing chapter at First Presbyterian. The group's purpose is to nurture faith through prayer and Bible study, support the mission of the church worldwide, work for justice and peace, and build an inclusive, caring community of women.
Circle groups meet monthly from September through May and mix Bible study, friendship, mission, and fellowship. Circle 3 gathers on the first Thursday at 2:30 PM at the church. Oval 4 meets on the fourth Monday at 4:00 PM at the church. Circle 5 meets on the second Tuesday at 9:30 AM at Lenoir. A Book Club gathers on the fourth Tuesday at 6:30 PM at the church. Members are encouraged to try several groups before settling on a fit. The PW chapter also subscribes to the national magazine Horizons and the annual PW Bible study.
FPC Pride
FPC Pride is the church's LGBTQ+ group, providing a safe space for LGBTQ+ people, facilitating church-wide education on LGBTQ+ topics, and advocating for LGBTQ+ causes in the local community. The group normally meets in the Chez at 6:00 PM on the second Thursday of even-numbered months. Recent studies have included "Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians," and the group walks through curated studies that feature ministers who identify in the LGBTQIA family. Membership is open to everyone.
Learning for Adults: Books, Breakfasts, and Lectures
Adult Christian Education at First Presbyterian stretches well beyond the Sunday School hour. The FPC Book Club meets monthly to discuss fiction and non-fiction, alternating between the Chez and local restaurants. A Men's Breakfast gathers Presbyterian men for food, fellowship, and faith on a regular morning. The Haseman Lectures, endowed in memory of members Wilbur and June Haseman, bring thought-provoking speakers to Columbia on biblical, theological, and spiritual topics. Past lecturers have included Victor Aloyo, Damayanthi Niles, Amy Plantinga Paul, Rodger Nishioka, Richard Mouw, Anna Case-Winters, and John Bell.
The John Parker Community Lecture Series is a newer offering named for a beloved member who used to organize similar events. It features weekday-evening talks by scholars and practitioners - recent topics have included caring for creation and the childhood of Jesus - and begins with a social hour at 6 PM before the presentation at 7 PM.
Music, Fellowship, and the Building Itself
Music is one of the visible centers of the congregation's life. The Sanctuary's Middlebush organ anchors traditional repertoire; the Chancel Choir and Chancel Ringers (handbells) carry much of the week-to-week leadership, and guest instrumentalists fill out special services. The Ramsey Fellowship Center, used for fifth-Sunday brunch worship and many of the church's larger gatherings, takes on a very different character - a flexible hall rather than a formal nave.
Fellowship weaves through the week. Second Sundays include a coffee hour after worship. Fifth Sundays add the brunch. In September, the church gathers at Twin Lakes Park for a picnic with food, music, and games - a tradition that returns each fall. The building itself, with its four major renovations, has been shaped by every generation that has used it.
Local Mission: Saturday Cafe, Benton, and Refugee Resettlement
First Presbyterian takes seriously its work as a neighborhood church. The Saturday Cafe is a downtown collaboration that provides a hot, free breakfast to anyone in the community who needs a warm meal in a quiet, safe place. First Presbyterian serves during January and February at the VAC Opportunity Campus on Bowling Street, alongside partner congregations.
The church is a Partner in Education with Benton Elementary School, supporting teachers, staff, children, and families. Members support Loaves & Fishes, which serves a free meal each evening to those who are hungry, with regular collections of non-perishable food. The Connect Team coordinates these collections.
Afghan Refugee Resettlement is one of the longest-running local commitments. The church adopted five Afghan families in February 2022 and trained volunteers through Catholic Charities to walk alongside them. Members helped families move into apartments, navigate schools and employment, and adjust to life in Columbia. Over time, the families have grown more self-sufficient, and the church continues to assist with medical costs, dental work, and the higher rent and food prices that persist.
The church also offers quarterly support to New Day Columbia, Meals on Wheels, Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services, Room at the Inn, Services for Independent Living, the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, True North, and the Voluntary Action Center.
Nationwide and Global Mission
Through the PC(USA), First Presbyterian supports four church-wide special offerings: One Great Hour of Sharing (received on Easter, supporting food aid and disaster relief), the Pentecost Offering, Peace & Global Witness, and Christmas Joy. Members also volunteer through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, traveling to communities in crisis across the United States. The Theological Education Fund supports the seminaries that prepare the next generation of Presbyterian leaders.
At the global level, the church partners with Presbyterian World Mission and PC(USA) mission co-workers who serve in 80 countries. The mission statement reflects the conviction that ministry reaches "to the ends of the earth."
Pastoral Care, Deacons, and a Quiet Trust Fund
Pastoral care at First Presbyterian happens in homes, in the pastor's office, in hospital and nursing home rooms, and over a cup of coffee. Pastor Kati Collins meets with individuals, couples, and families, and can refer to community partners for counseling and therapy.
The Deacons are elected by the congregation to be caregivers. Each deacon stays in touch with their flock, serves communion, helps coordinate meals and transportation, and supports prayer requests. The Caring Chefs, a ministry of the Deacons, provides meals when members face illness, injury, the death of a loved one, or the arrival of a new baby. When a member's loved one dies, the pastor helps plan a funeral or memorial service that gives thanks for that life, and the church may host a reception in the Ramsey Fellowship Hall.
The Kermack-Parker Committee, named for two sisters whose grandfather was a minister of FPC, manages a trust fund that serves women over sixty in Columbia and Boone County. The fund provides wheelchairs or walkers, assistance with prescriptions, and modest living stipends.
Creation Care and the Earth
First Presbyterian is a certified Earth Care Congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA), a designation given to Presbyterian congregations committed to environmental stewardship. In 2020, the church was a winner of the Mayor's Climate Protection Awards, recognizing work that has included upgrading lighting to high-efficiency LEDs and ongoing attention to the building's footprint.
Partners Who Share the Building
Several nonprofit organizations rent space inside the church building, and First Presbyterian calls them community partners. EnCircle, a Woodhaven program, offers vocational training, social skills development, and therapeutic recreation for neurodivergent students. Escuelita Alegría is a Spanish-immersion preschool for children ages two through six. True/False Film Fest uses the Ramsey Center each year - transforming it into the Globe Theater - for an annual celebration of nonfiction cinema.
Staff, Officers, and the Year Ahead
The church staff is led by Rev. Dr. Kati Collins, who came to First Presbyterian in April 2024 after ministry in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. A graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary and a recent Doctor of Ministry graduate of Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, she lives in Columbia with her husband Robbie and their two daughters. Audra West, the Director of Christian Education, grew up in Oklahoma and taught in public schools for twenty years before finding her calling in Christian education. Fran Muench joined as Financial Coordinator in 2019; she grew up as a pastor's daughter in the Presbyterian Church. Noreen McNelis serves as Office Coordinator. Arnold Cromwell and James Scott form the custodial team.
The church is governed by Ruling Elders and served by Deacons. Both offices have biblical and confessional roots, and both are elected by the congregation. Officer training in the PC(USA) draws on the Book of Confessions and the Book of Order, and the church's own Manual of Operations supplements those constitutional documents.
Looking ahead, First Presbyterian is preparing for its bicentennial celebrations, which run from September 2027 through September 2028. The John Parker Community Lecture Series will look back at the church's history as a community partner in times of civil strife, recovery from tragedy, and city-building, while looking forward to the next chapter of ministry in Columbia.
Giving, Pledging, and Supporting the Mission
Members and visitors can give in person by placing a check or cash in the offering baskets during worship, or by mail to the Financial Coordinator. Online giving is available through a secure portal, with one-time gifts, recurring donations, credit card, debit card, or ACH options. Giving supports the operating budget, special offerings, the endowment funds, and pledges made through the annual Stewardship Campaign. The church also maintains a parking lot - currently fully rented, with a waitlist - and parking renters can make their payments online.
Planned giving, including bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and other arrangements, is coordinated through the Gifts & Memorials Committee and the Presbyterian Foundation.
The church's pastoral team can be reached through the office at (573) 442-1164 or office@fpccolumbia.org, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Sunday worship is at 10:30 AM, the doors are open to anyone who wants to walk in, and the livestream is always running on YouTube.