Our Story

Founding

St. John’s Presbyterian Church was founded in 1984 to reach out in love and community to people living in the expanding neighborhoods of north Durham. In the early days, church took place in people’s homes–worshiping in living rooms and studying scripture around kitchen tables. After saving and planning for several years, St. John’s purchased 6 acres of property on N. Roxboro Road.

Ministry

Following the leading of the Holy Spirit, St. John’s took part in many ministries of outreach and love to our Durham neighbors. St. John’s cherished the creativity of God’s Spirit in the world and fostered vibrant ministries of the arts, handicrafts, and liturgical art. St. John’s also joyfully began embracing brothers and sisters with disabilities as a part of the church’s worshiping community, discovering together that God’s beauty is revealed in all of creation and in all creatures. In recent years, the congregation began to dream and plan for a garden on the church’s property that would serve those in need in the community with healthy food and nutritional education.

Diversity

In response to God’s movement in the congregation, St. John’s began an intentional focus on growing into increasing diversity in our congregation’s membership, seeing this as both a scriptural mandate in the reconciling work of Jesus Christ and a reflection of God’s desire to see all people worshiping the Lamb in the glorious Kingdom future.

Future

Growing from each strand of St. John’s story, we discerned a call to move in a radically new direction.  Together with the congregation of Northgate Presbyterian Church, St. John’s entered into a process of dying to ourselves in order for a new church to be born.  Durham Presbyterian Church is the result of the merger of these two congregations and the belief in God’s new vision for us all.  On February 26, 2012, Durham Church began to worship for the first time.  The community from St. John’s gives thanks to God for the many amazing years of life and vitality and looks forward to a new future of blessing for God’s Kingdom.