Our Church

A Congregation Rooted in 195 Years of Grace

Rev. Dr. Margaret Anne Hartley
Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. Margaret Anne Hartley

Senior Pastor  •  First Presbyterian Church

Dr. Hartley has served as Senior Pastor since 2016. A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Reformed Theological Seminary (D.Min.), she brings deep Reformed scholarship, pastoral warmth, and visionary leadership to First Presbyterian’s 195-year-old ministry.

Under her leadership, the congregation has grown to over 1,800 members, planted a daughter church in North Charleston, and expanded its global missions giving by 40%. She is the author of Formed by the Word: Catechism for the Contemporary Church.

M.Div. Princeton D.Min. Reformed

“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”

Psalm 145:4
Our History

A Legacy of Faithfulness

From a schoolhouse on Archdale Street to a landmark sanctuary on Meeting Street, the story of First Presbyterian Church is the story of God’s faithfulness to a covenant people.

1831
Founded
Organized as the Second Presbyterian Church of Charleston with 47 charter members, meeting in a rented schoolhouse on Archdale Street. Rev. James H. Patterson serves as the founding pastor.
1858
Name Change
The congregation votes to rename to First Presbyterian Church of Charleston, reflecting its growth to become the largest Presbyterian congregation in the city.
1871
Sanctuary Built
The current Gothic Revival sanctuary on Meeting Street is consecrated, built under the direction of architect William Preston. It seats 950 and remains the spiritual heart of the congregation.
1952
Centennial Expansion
Fellowship Hall and the J. Howard Christian Education wing are completed, tripling ministry capacity. The scholarship fund is endowed with a $500,000 founding gift.
2016
Rev. Dr. Hartley Installed
Margaret Anne Hartley is installed as the 24th Senior Pastor — the first woman to hold the position. The congregation grows 35% in her first five years.
2026
195th Anniversary
First Presbyterian celebrates 195 years with a Founder’s Day service, the dedication of a church plant in North Charleston, and the launch of a $4M capital campaign for sanctuary restoration.
What We Believe

Confessional. Reformed. Evangelical.

First Presbyterian Church holds to the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms as the fullest expression of the system of doctrine taught in Holy Scripture. These beliefs are not relics — they are our living inheritance.

The Westminster Confession of Faith as our doctrinal standard — the most complete and systematic summary of Biblical theology ever produced by a Protestant church council.

The sovereignty of God over all things — in creation, providence, election, and redemption. He works all things according to the counsel of His perfect will.

Covenant theology and infant baptism — understanding Scripture as the unified story of God’s covenant faithfulness from creation to the New Jerusalem.

The ordinary means of grace: Word, Sacrament, and Prayer — the appointed channels through which God’s Spirit forms His people week by week.