Mission & Vision
We seek to grow in our faith, share God’s love, and serve others, following the Holy Spirit that has sustained us and our ministries for over 150 years.
As an inclusive and welcoming segment of the Body of Christ, we actively seek justice for all and work together to build a compassionate world where all are valued.
Led by Christ and dependent on God’s grace, we embrace today’s challenges and live into tomorrow’s opportunities
History
Erected in 1870, the oldest existing New Mexico protestant Church building stands on Socorro Street in Las Vegas, New Mexico. It was New Mexico Territory’s original Presbyterian Church. The Rev. John Annin and his associate José Ynés Perea–later Rev. José Ynés Perea—built it.
While Perea supervised the construction of the church and the adjoining school building, Annin ran the school. The school continued in Las Vegas until February 1896 when it was moved to Albuquerque and became Menaul School.
The bell in the church steeple still rings on Sunday mornings, and on great occasions such as the centennial celebration of 1970. Cast in Troy, New York, the bell weighs 831 pounds and was hauled the last 250 miles to Las Vegas by wagon because the Atchinson, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad had only reached Grenada, Colorado by then.
When the railroad finally arrived in Las Vegas on July 4th, 1879, a new town grew up around the rail line. The current First United Presbyterian Church building was erected in 1880 in the new town district to attract newcomers. Annin & Perea’s original church remained virtually abandoned until a Spanish Presbyterian church was organized in 1884.
In 1960, the two churches, along with the Presbyterian church in Trementina, united to become the First United Presbyterian Church, headquartered at 1000 Douglas Avenue.
Leadership
Deacons
The ministry of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of compassion, witness, and service, sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, those burdened by unjust policies or structures, or anyone in distress.
— Book of Order, Part II of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
The deacons are officers of the church with responsibility to care for those in need: members, friends, and others. You’ll find them bringing meals to those in grief or illness, visiting folks in the hospital, giving a ride to a doctor’s appointment or to the grocery store, and many other ways of helping. Deacons are elected to two-year terms by the congregation at the annual meeting.
Session
As there were in Old Testament times elders for the government of the people, so the New Testament church provided persons with particular gifts to share in discernment of God’s Spirit and governance of God’s people.
— Book of Order, Part II of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
The session is the group of elders that is the decision-making body of the church. The work of the session is carried out by committees. Each session member typically chairs one committee and serves on another, but individual circumstances vary. Session members are elected to two-year terms by the congregation at the annual meeting.