A Pioneer Church on the Harpeth
Harpeth Presbyterian Church stands on Hillsboro Road in Brentwood, Tennessee, in a setting that predates the city itself. The congregation is the oldest institution in the area that was once known as Beechville, organized in 1811 on land near the Little Harpeth River where a meeting house had been built two years earlier. By the time the first post office opened in the community, Harpeth Presbyterian was already sixty-five years old.
Today the church is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA), gathering each Sunday in a brick sanctuary built in the 1830s and an adjoining fellowship hall named for the pastor who helped the congregation grow into a suburban church in the twentieth century. Worship is rooted in the Reformed tradition, marked by Scripture, prayer, preaching, and congregational singing, with a special warmth for newcomers and families.
From Log Meeting House to Brick Sanctuary
The story of the church begins in 1809, when Samuel McCutcheon built a meeting house on his property near the fording place of the Little Harpeth River. Two years later, the pioneer Presbyterian missionary Gideon Blackburn passed through the region organizing churches, and Harpeth Presbyterian Church was formally established. McCutcheon then deeded the log structure and the surrounding land to the congregation. The log house, with its shady front yard, also served weary travelers who passed through the ford.
In 1836 the present brick sanctuary was begun, using bricks made on the farm of Robert McCutcheon, one of Samuel's sons. Parts of the original pulpit are thought to survive in the paneling still in place today. Over the next century and a half the building grew with the community. A two-story addition wrapped around the rear in 1951, the vestibule and bell tower were added to the front in 1954, a freestanding classroom building was completed behind the fellowship hall in 1962, and a gym and kitchen were attached in 1979. In 2022, restorations to the historic sanctuary brick were completed, preserving the look of the original walls.
The Priestley Miller Years and a Suburban Parish
In 1948, Harpeth came under the care of the Presbytery so it could grow into a church that would serve the coming suburbia. That same year, Rev. Priestley Miller became the church's first full-time minister, beginning a long era of expansion. The classroom building and gym followed his arrival, and in 1969 Priestley Miller Preschool was organized, naming the school after the pastor whose tenure shaped the modern campus.
Sundays at Harpeth: Breakfast, Sunday School, and the Late Service
Sunday mornings unfold in three movements during the program year. At 8:30 a.m., worshipers gather in Steele Hall, the fellowship hall, for the Breakfast Service. The setting is casual: members and guests sit around tables, worship together, and share Communion each week. At 9:45 a.m., Sunday School meets for all ages, with classes for preschoolers through fifth grade, middle and high school youth, and adults. At 11:00 a.m., the Late Service fills the historic Sanctuary for a more traditional service that still carries the warmth of the Harpeth community. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month in the Sanctuary. Live stream is available during the sanctuary service.
During the summer and the Advent season, the schedule shifts to a single combined service at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary, giving the congregation one opportunity to worship together in the older space. Worship typically runs forty-five to sixty minutes, with special music woven through the liturgy and the congregation singing the Benediction together at the close.
A nursery is open during worship for children from birth through kindergarten. Children typically head to the nursery after the Children's Message and before the sermon, but they are always welcome to remain in the service with their parents.
A Blended Style of Music
Music at Harpeth Presbyterian blends the church's hymn traditions with a more contemporary sensibility. The Music Director, Jeff Burnham, is a pianist and vocal coach who has served on the faculty at Vanderbilt and other local universities and has accompanied the Nashville Symphony Chorus since 2015. He works with the Harpeth Choir, an open ensemble where no audition is required; singers simply come to rehearsals and join in.
The choir is described as a healthy spiritual environment in which fellowship grows through music worship, and its rehearsals are welcoming to anyone with an interest in singing.
Rooted Kids and the Youth Ministry
Children's ministry at Harpeth is anchored by Rooted Kids, the Sunday School class for preschoolers through fifth grade. Class meets at 9:45 a.m. upstairs in the Art Room and uses the Spark curriculum, weaving Bible stories, music, crafts, and hands-on activities into each session. Children are welcomed throughout the year for special events such as the Fall Fest, Milk and Cookies and gingerbread house making, the Christmas Pageant performed at the Christmas Eve service, the Easter Egg Hunt, an outdoor worship service, and Camp Harpeth, the church's summer Vacation Bible School for children who are three years old and potty-trained through fifth grade. Camp Harpeth runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon, with optional bring-your-own-lunch and afternoon activities on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Youth ministry gathers middle and high school students for Sunday School during the school year, using the Feasting on the Word curriculum. Beyond the classroom, the youth group meets sporadically for fellowship, games, retreats, and mission projects, often spending time at Camp NaCoMe. Each summer the youth also travel together on a mission trip, recent journeys having taken them to St. Simons Island, Asheville, and North Carolina destinations where they serve neighbors and grow in faith together.
Sunday School for Grown-Ups
Adults meet each Sunday during the school year at 9:45 a.m. in Steele Hall for Coffee and Conversation, a time of fellowship and study around scripture, faith, and everyday life. The verse that frames the class, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, captures its tone: all scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.
A Congregation That Reaches Out
Harpeth Presbyterian supports a wide network of local, national, and international mission partners through financial contributions, food and item collections, and hands-on service.
Local partnerships include Oak Cottage, Room in the Inn, Graceworks, Second Harvest, Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County, UKirk Presbyterian Campus Ministry, My Friend's House, and the Nations Ministry Center. On the national and international side, the church supports Red Cross Blood Drives, Project C.U.R.E., and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. The congregation also walks alongside Ashley and Justin Guest, missionaries serving through World Gospel Mission in Stockton, California, where Ashley directs The Center, an after-school drop-in program for at-risk children from preschool through high school.
Every summer the youth add a mission trip to this rhythm, spending a week serving in a community beyond Brentwood and learning how that community cares for those in need.
Caring for One Another
The Congregational Care Committee carries much of the pastoral care among the membership. The committee gathers as needed and shows love to the church family by sending cards, preparing meals, making visits, and making phone calls. When a member of the church family dies, the committee offers support and comfort. The group's stated focus is to keep the teachings of Jesus at the center as members love and support one another.
Priestley Miller Preschool
For more than fifty years, Priestley Miller Preschool has offered a nurturing, Christian-centered environment for preschool-aged children on the church campus. The program provides developmentally appropriate classroom time, hands-on activities, community enrichment programs, and Chapel.
Classes are offered for eighteen-month-olds, two-year-olds, three-year-olds, four-year-olds, and Pre-K children, with a three-day program running Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Aftercare is available on Mondays and Wednesdays until 3:00 p.m. Tuition is set at $340 for non-church members and $320 for church members. The Preschool Director is Hilarie Zimbicki.
Guiding the Life of the Church
The church is governed by a Session of ruling elders, each responsible for an area of ministry. Current Session members include Ray Scheetz (Adult Ministry), Tyler Merideth (Children's Ministry), James Peeler (Congregational Care), Tom Giere (Personnel), Dixon Witherspoon (Service and Mission), Patrick Hawkins (Building and Grounds), Art Allen (Planning and Finance), Lee Boone (Membership Growth), Amy Childs (Youth Ministry), Caroline Sgro and Anna Allen (Worship), Jennifer Bent (Priestley Miller Board), Brad King (Session Clerk), and Sue Giere (Treasurer).
Worship is currently under the pastoral care of Warner R. Durnell, who serves as Transitional Pastor. A graduate of The Lincoln University and Columbia Theological Seminary, with additional study at The Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, he was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) on August 8, 1978, and brings decades of experience in church-campus pastorates and mid-council executive roles. He is married to Cassandra Ann Walters, and Psalm 100:2a, "Serve the Lord with gladness," is a favorite scripture of his.
Annual Fellowship Rhythm
Fellowship runs through the year at Harpeth. The Easter Egg Hunt opens the spring, followed by the Spaghetti and Bingo Wednesday Night Dinner. The Outdoor Service and Potluck kicks off the summer schedule, and Camp Harpeth fills a week with Vacation Bible School. Fall brings the Fall Fest, the Halloween Party and Chili Cookoff, and the Milk and Cookies Christmas Party to close out the year. A weekly email newsletter, Harpeth Happenings, keeps the congregation connected to the calendar.
Planning a Visit
First-time guests are invited to come as they are. Attire ranges from casual to traditional across the congregation, and the worship services are described as welcoming, reverent, and relaxed. Parking is available on site, and the church office welcomes questions at office@harpethpresbyterianchurch.org or 615-373-8386. Those who cannot attend in person can join the live stream of the sanctuary service on YouTube, and giving is available online. Whether guests are new to the area, exploring faith, or looking for a church home, Harpeth Presbyterian offers a long-standing congregation on a quiet Brentwood hillside, ready to welcome them.