Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I’m come…

Back in the early 1880's, Lansdowne was a small village on the outskirts of Philadelphia. Other than the Friends meeting, no formal churches existed in the village. The Reverend James Roberts, pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Darby met with a new resident, Joseph Davis, and proposed that they start a Sunday school in Lansdowne.

On March 15, 1887, the provisional trustees of the church accepted a gift of an acre of ground for a church site, donated by Mr. and Mrs. W. Albert Johnson. On May 26, 1887, a Presbytery committee officially organized the Lansdowne church and designated the first pulpit pastor. The First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne was incorporated on June 6th, 1887, and the first congregational meeting was held on June 9th.

By the turn of the century, the membership had grown significantly and the congregation outgrew the church building. In 1910, the congregation approved plans for building a new church. On May 26th, 1916, on the 39th anniversary of organizing the church, members met for the first time in their new sanctuary, which remains in use today at the corner of Greenwood and Lansdowne Avenues.

While once the largest congregation in the area, the First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne has remained steadfast in spite of social and economic challenges. The church continues to minister to the needs of the local and worldwide communities through a mission emphasis. The church structure houses the local food pantry and a repurpose shop whose sole purpose is to provide items to those in need and use the profits of the shop for mission work, both at home and abroad.

Today, the First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne is a diverse congregation that welcomes, embraces, and affirms people regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, and other labels that would seek to divide us as disciples of Christ.