A Church at the Base of the Bridge

Set along North Henry Boulevard in Stockbridge, Georgia, Stockbridge Presbyterian Church has been a steady presence in Henry County since the spring of 1909. The congregation sees itself in the place it occupies: located at the base of a bridge, members describe their calling as bridging the gap between three relationships: with God, with one another, and with a community in need. That vision shapes everything from the 11 a.m. Sunday service to the food pantry that opens on Wednesdays.

Worship at Stockbridge Presbyterian is rooted in the Presbyterian Church (USA) tradition. The congregation sits within the Presbytery of Atlanta and lives out the connectional church through service, teaching, and shared mission. Visitors walking through the doors are likely to find a small but mighty body that has committed itself to being a healing presence in a hurting world.

Sunday Worship with Tradition and Twist

Worship begins at 11 a.m. each Sunday and is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube for those who cannot attend in person. The service draws on a traditional foundation, with piano, organ, and a choir carrying the music, while weaving in spirituals and praise music as well. The result is what the congregation describes as a typically traditional service with a lot of twists. People come dressed however they are most comfortable, whether that means Sunday best or a casual weekend. A nursery is available, and children are equally welcome to stay in the service.

The church uses the PC(USA) Book of Confessions and draws its Affirmation of Faith from those historic creeds during worship, while recognizing that many congregations limit the creed to the Apostles' Creed. The liturgy is offered as a welcoming space to learn and grow as a disciple of Christ.

Sunday School and the Wired Word

Education for all ages begins well before the 11 o'clock hour. Coffee is poured in the Fellowship Hall at 9 a.m., and at 9:20 a.m. the Wired Word class gathers to discuss current events through a faith lens. The Sunday School hour offers a relaxed entry point for newcomers who want to meet people and talk about the week before stepping into the sanctuary. Sunday School offerings for younger ages run alongside the adult class.

Zoom Theology on Wednesdays

For those who want to go deeper between Sundays, the church hosts Zoom Theology on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. The online Bible study runs in series and is open to anyone who wants to join from home. Study guides and sign-in information appear in the weekly newsletter.

An Inclusive Welcome in the Rural South

The congregation's Statement of Inclusion, adopted by Session in March 2026, is grounded in Romans 15:7: "Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." It reads as a clear-eyed confession as well as a promise. The statement affirms that all are created in the image of God and that people are called to change their hearts, not who they are. All are welcome to participate fully in the life of the church, including worship, baptism, communion, membership, ministry, and leadership, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental ability, socioeconomic status, marital status, family structure, country of origin, or immigration status.

The statement goes on to affirm that the covenant of marriage should be extended to any two consenting adults who seek a marriage based on love, responsibility, mutual respect, and trust in God's grace, while acknowledging that the Presbyterian Book of Order allows each pastor to follow their own conscience regarding performing any particular marriage. The church also acknowledges the harm that has been done to LGBTQ+ people, both within its own history and across the wider church, and names itself as a place working to be safe, loving, and restorative.

Stockbridge Presbyterian is a member of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, is listed on gaychurch.org, and does advocacy work through Presbyterians for Better Georgia.

Joseph's Pantry, the Blessing Box, and the Clothes Closet

The "Us and a community in need" part of the vision has real, practical shape. Joseph's Pantry, one of the congregation's longest-running outreach efforts, stocks non-perishable items and gives clients a voucher for perishables at Food Depot. Clients can make appointments every six months on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Blessing Box is a small outdoor cabinet off Burke Street stocked with non-perishable food for anyone who needs it or wants to give. The Clothes Closet is open by appointment on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and carries gently used and new items for all ages and genders, depending on what has been donated.

These ministries trace back to the early 1980s, when family night suppers became part of the church's soup kitchen outreach and Christmas for the Needy began. That Christmas ministry grew into a county-wide effort that is now facilitated through Connecting Henry. Joseph's Pantry, started in the same era, still serves the Stockbridge community today.

A Building That Hosts the Community

The church has long been a gathering place for groups beyond its own members. Alcoholics Anonymous meets on Mondays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. Food Addicts Anonymous meets on Saturdays at 10 a.m. The church also hosts Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and a karate program on weekday evenings. A second worship community, Transformation Covenant Church, led by Rev. Francis Githieya, a native Kenyan ordained in the Presbyterian Church in Kenya, holds a 1 p.m. Sunday service in the same sanctuary as a PC(USA) New Worshiping Community.

Cub Scouts Pack 65

Stockbridge Presbyterian is the chartered home of Cub Scouts Pack 65, a family scouting experience open to boys and girls in kindergarten through fifth grade. The pack is part of the Flint River Council and feeds into Boy Scouts Troop 65, a boys-only troop for grades 6 through 12 that meets on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and Arrow of Light dens each work toward grade-appropriate achievements. Lion is for kindergarteners, and Arrow of Light is for fifth graders, with handbooks available for each rank. Parents are part of the pack, especially at the younger levels.

A History of Faith and Rebuilding

Stockbridge Presbyterian Church grew out of a small weekly Sunday School class (originally called Sabbath School) and a once-a-month preaching service. Through the efforts of Harriet Tucker Hawkins and J. J. Gossett, the Presbytery of Atlanta organized the congregation in the spring of 1909. The first service in the new sanctuary was held on the second Sunday in June 1910. For its first twenty years, the church was served by ministers and students from Columbia Theological Seminary rather than a resident pastor. Presbytery minutes of 1916 listed 39 members and an annual budget of $264. By 1920, membership had grown to 52 with a budget of $382, $170 of which was the pastor's salary.

In 1943, the church fielded six Sunday School classes with 40 enrolled, and the pulpit furniture still in use was given in memory of Mrs. John Bellah by her daughters. In 1950, the sanctuary was moved and turned to face Highway 42, with three additional classrooms and a kitchen added at a combined cost of $6,000. George Dameron was called as the church's first full-time pastor in 1956, the year air conditioning was added to the sanctuary and ground was broken for an education building completed in 1960.

Ordination milestones continued: the first woman deacon, Doris Hooper, was elected and ordained in February 1969. Tragedy struck on December 7, 1974, when fire damaged the education building; the congregation met in the courtroom of Stockbridge's city hall for two weeks. The original building was taken down in 1977 and ground broken for a new sanctuary. Members worshipped in the downstairs fellowship hall of the education building for the duration of construction. The final cost was $211,912.97, and the mortgage was retired in 1988. In 1995, sanctuary windows were replaced with glass that matched the beautiful glasswork on the front of the building. A full history was prepared for the church's 100th anniversary in 2009.

Leadership and Governance

Rev. Kristy Ray serves as pastor. A native of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, she earned a bachelor's degree in Youth Ministry and Theatre from King College in Bristol, Tennessee, in 2008 and later completed an M.Div. and a Master of Arts in Practical Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. Her ministry has been shaped by summers at Massanetta Springs and a deep love of storytelling as a space for healing. She and her husband have two sons.

Andrea Emmel, who grew up in Brazil, directs the choir and serves as the church musician. She is also a music teacher in Gwinnett County and brings a passion for teaching and for sharing a variety of musical styles in worship.

The church is led by a team of ruling elders elected by the congregation and organized into three committees. The Discipleship Committee, which oversees worship and Christian formation for all ages, includes JoLinda Ingram and Earline Smith. The Witness Committee, covering congregational care, fellowship, outreach, and mission, includes Betsy Sierra and Paul Szeto. The Resources Committee, covering personnel, building and grounds, and finances, includes Aaron Roberts and Thomas Baxter.

Joining the Work

Anyone curious about serving, joining, or simply learning more is invited to reach out to Pastor Kristy. Prayer requests can be submitted online for the prayer team and pastor to hold in prayer. Online giving is available for those who wish to support the church's ministries, and the weekly newsletter keeps members and friends connected between Sundays. Whether the next step is attending the 11 a.m. service, dropping off a donation at the Clothes Closet, or sitting in on Zoom Theology on a Wednesday evening, the church's invitation is simple: come as you are.