First Presbyterian Church of Jonesboro sits on Lake Jodeco Road in Clayton County, just south of Atlanta. Its sanctuary was dedicated in September 2004, the latest chapter in a congregation formed by the 1989 merger of two older Presbyterian churches whose combined roots reach back more than a century. The church describes itself as a group of Christians meeting for weekly worship, Bible study, food, and fellowship, with outreach programs that serve neighbors from elementary schools to overseas wells.
A Lake Jodeco Road Congregation Born in 1989
First Presbyterian Church of Jonesboro was officially formed in March 1989, the result of a merger between Forest Park Presbyterian Church, established in 1954, and Jonesboro Presbyterian Church, established in 1879. The Rev. Dan Thornton of Forest Park and the Rev. Dr. Oliver Wood of Jonesboro served as co-pastors of the new congregation for its first several years.
The combined church held its early worship services in the original Jonesboro Presbyterian building on Lee Street until the Family Life Center at 1842 Lake Jodeco Road was completed in December 1993. Construction of the sanctuary followed years later, and the building was dedicated in September 2004.
In keeping the two heritage streams together, the church has kept a Presbyterian welcome on Lake Jodeco Road and built a campus large enough to share with two partner ministries that meet on site: The Front Porch Players and Victory Preaching Point of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.
Sunday Mornings at First Pres
Sunday is the heart of the week. Adult Sunday School begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Adult Sunday School room just off the fellowship hall, where Music Director and Adult Christian Educator Blakely Hardy leads the Second Cup class each week. The 10:30 a.m. traditional worship service follows in the sanctuary, running about an hour and fifteen minutes and including hymns, scripture reading, choral and organ music, prayer, and a sermon.
Printed bulletins are placed in the entrance hall to help visitors follow along. Asterisks mark each moment when the congregation stands. On the first Sunday of each month, the service centers on the celebration of communion.
Immediately after the service, the congregation gathers in the fellowship hall for fellowship time. On the second Sunday of every month, the church follows that hour with a fellowship lunch. Anyone is welcome.
For those who cannot attend in person, the service livestreams at 10:40 a.m. A rebroadcast then goes up on YouTube at noon on the following Monday, building a rolling archive of recent services that has included Palm Sunday 2026 and the worship services earlier in March 2026.
Wednesday Evenings Around the Bible
Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. bring the church together again for Bible study, a relaxed midweek gathering rooted in scripture and conversation. The summer series beginning June 7 is titled "Keeping Faith: Court Tales and the Early Church." Visitors are invited to drop in on Wednesday evenings or to follow the lessons online.
Mission and Outreach in Clayton County
Outreach shapes as much of the church's identity as Sunday morning does. Throughout the year, the mission team focuses on a steady roster of partnerships and projects, and new volunteers of all ages are welcome to join in.
Backpack Ministries is a year-round partnership with Suder and Arnold Elementary Schools. Each week of the school year, the program sends weekend food home with children who might otherwise go without. The church also collects non-perishable food for local food banks through the Souper Bowl of Caring drive on Super Bowl Sunday, and gathers clothing, blankets, and personal care items each year for World Homeless Day on or around October 10.
Around Valentine's Day, Valentines for Vets collects cards that are then delivered to the local veterans hospital. Marion Medical Mission is supported through monthly collections of loose change, funding the construction of fresh-water wells in rural Africa. The mission team makes several trips each year to assist with storm and flood cleanup in damaged areas.
Beyond its own projects, the church serves as a hub for several partner ministries. Gigi's House provides a faith-based safe home and trauma-informed therapy, homeschooling, mentoring, and life skills for girls ages 13 to 19 who are victims of sex trafficking. Promise 686 works in coordination with Clayton County DFACS to support families in transition through foster care and adoption. Furthering Fathering provides clothing for men transitioning from prison or other situations as they seek employment and reconnect with their children. The Good Shepherd Clinic in nearby Morrow receives fundraising support and donated supplies to continue offering free health care to under-insured Clayton County residents, and several church members serve on the clinic's board.
Beliefs and Presbyterian Governance
First Presbyterian Church of Jonesboro is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Its beliefs draw on the PC(USA) Book of Confession, summarized in A Brief Statement of Faith (1983). The church confesses belief in the Triune God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It affirms that Jesus Christ is fully human and fully God, that his death and resurrection break the power of sin and evil, and that the Spirit justifies by grace through faith. Salvation is understood as a gift of God's grace rather than something earned by human effort.
Rather than a single leader, Presbyterian churches are governed by councils of elders at every level: the Session at the local church, the Presbytery at the regional level, the Synod as a broader regional grouping, and the General Assembly as the national governing body. The PC(USA) has been active in addressing social issues such as civil rights, poverty, immigration, and environmental stewardship, with official statements that often encourage engagement with public life through Christian ethics.
Staff and the Session
Pastor Joshua Woodsmith (MDiv) joined First Presbyterian Church of Jonesboro in January 2022 as Contract Call Pastor. A 2021 graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary, he previously served as youth director at First Presbyterian Church of Peachtree City, Georgia, and at First Presbyterian Church of Marion, North Carolina. He and his wife, Jesse, live in Jonesboro with their son Theodore.
Blakely Hardy (M.Phil) has overseen the music ministry at FPCJ for more than a decade and also leads the Adult Education ministry in the Second Cup Sunday school class each week.
The church is led day to day through the Session, moderated by Pastor Woodsmith and made up of ruling elders who chair the committees that organize the church's life: Melissa Ham (Administration), Kevin Taylor (Buildings and Grounds), Traci White (Congregational Care), DeLores Wiggins (Outreach and Mission Team), Alan Bergmann (Stewardship and Finance), and Jane Luetkemeyer (Worship and Christian Education). Carol Abdo serves as Clerk of Session. All members and visitors are invited to sit in on any committee and find a place where their gifts fit the work of the church.
Coming to First Pres for the First Time
The church welcomes newcomers and anyone curious about Presbyterian faith. Visitors are invited to come as they are; some will be in their Sunday best, others in blue jeans and tee shirts. The congregation describes itself as a mix of families and singles, old and young, with a shared commitment to welcoming everyone who walks through the doors.
Parking is free and ample, with spaces in front of the church and beside the fellowship hall, including accessible parking spots in both lots. Bulletins in the entrance hall walk visitors through the order of service, and anyone in the pews is happy to answer a question or point the way to the restroom. Non-Presbyterians are warmly invited, and first-time guests who have never attended a church before will find the bulletin structure easy to follow. Communion is observed at the first-Sunday-of-the-month service, and all who trust in Jesus Christ are welcome at the table.
The church office is open Monday and Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Wednesday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Prayer requests can be submitted online for inclusion on the prayer list, with the option to share names or stay anonymous.
Annual Vacation Bible School draws families from across the area each summer. The 2026 program, "Rolling River Rampage," runs in the evenings of July 20 through 24, with dinner served at 6:00 p.m. and sessions from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. A parallel adult Bible study follows the same lessons the children learn each night.