History of Second Presbyterian Church

The first Second - 21 College Street (3rd Avenue N. at Gay Street)
Cornerstone laid: April 25, 1844. Dedicated: September 6, 1846

Second Presbyterian Church began as a Mission "Sabbath School" of First Presbyterian Church, meeting April 13, 1842, in the basement ofa salt warehouse on Market Street, now Second Avenue.

With 32 charter members, Second Presbyterian was formally organized November 12, 1843. A plan was adopted November 22, 1843, to build a church on land donated by James Erwin.

During the Civil War, the congregation was split in its suppOrt of the Union and the Confederacy, resulting in Presbytery's dissolving pastoral relations on June 29, 1861. In 1862, Union troops commandeered both the church building and the adjacent minister's manse for a military post chapel and headquarters, taking Communion silver and all church records that miraculously reappeared years later.

In 1867, dedicated members began to rebuild the church which was taken back into the care and government of Nashville Presbytery October 18,1871. The Greek revival building was razed in 1979 after serving its final years as a warehouse.

The second Second - 9th Avenue N. at Monroe Street
Cornerstone laid: April 20, 1903, Dedicated: September 25, 1904

Surrounded by commercial ventures, Second sold its downtown property and moved to North Nashville in 1902, meeting with Edgar Presbyterian Church after Presbytery ratified the union.

A split developed within the congregation in 1938, with the Reverend Fred Stroud removed by Presbytery November 25. He then orgnized the First Independent Church and took many Second members with him.

When Presbytery became interested in establishing a local church to serve Monroe Harding Children's Home, which had moved to Glendale Lane from North Nashville in 1935, Second Church voted in 1939 to build a church in that area.

The congregation, which had retained the building, sold it to Reverend Stroud's group in November 1939.

The third Second - Belmont Blvd. at Graybar Lane
Ground broken: August 4, 1940, Dedicated: June29,1941

Monroe Harding Children's Home deeded land in 1939 to the Session and Trustees of Second Church with the understanding thar it would be the church home of its children.

When the mortgage was burned June 3, 1951, ground was broken on a Sunday School annex. An addition was added in 1961 to the Sunday School building tha included classrooms, a new parlor, fellowship hall, kitchen, pantry, and half bath.

Dedication of a new two-story addition was held November 18, 1990; the Activity Center was completed in 2002. The Sanctuary as well as other spaces were destroyed in a tragic fire September 17, 2003. Worship and a majority of other regular activities were held in the Activity Center until December 3, 2006, the first service in {he new sanctuary.

The fourth Second - Belmont Blvd. at Graybar Lane
Groundbreaking: May1,2005, Dedicated: June 3, 2007

The new church, with its white painted brick and dark green shutters, and an exact replica of the former steeple standing on its original site, conveys continuiry from the previous building. Irs spiritually inspired design reflects the appearance and function of a Reformed church: clean simple lines and functional transition from the outside world through a gathering hall and a narthex before entering the nave itself The nave features natural light symbolizing the pure light of God's reason and visually focuses on the central pulpit, with the choir and custom-built pipe organ in the rear balcony.

Other features include:

• Peaceable Kingdom area and children's worship space
• Two large youth rooms with cafe
• Facilities for FiftyForward and Room in the Inn guests
• Enhanced music wing
• Fellowship Hall
• Prayer Room This church, like its predecessors, was built not just for the current congregation but for generations to come.

The new church, like its three predecessors, has been built not for ourselves but for our community. New spaces include a sanctuary, fellowship hall, cafe with adjoining youth spaces, choir rehearsal space, prayer room, children's worship space and Peaceable Kingdom for elementary age children. Within the first few months of opening our doors, the church has offered space to countless non-profit organizations, mission trips and community service organizations. Some of the organizations using our spaces on a regular basis include:

• Room in the Inn homeless shelter
• Exchange Club Family Center's supervised visitation program
• Learning Matters (a non-profit tutoring company providing services on a sliding scale basis)
• FiftyForward Meals on Wheels program and Adult Daycare services
• Various self-help organizations
• Nashville English Country Dancers
• Oasis Center
• Better Decisions
• Overnight groups for mission and disaster relief work