First Presbyterian Visionaries Celebrate 75 years
227 North Loop 336 West Conroe
by Kimberly Sutton

The public is invited to the two-day celebration.

“This church is filled with visionaries who are also willing to do the hard work to implement their ideas,” Green said. “I joke about it, but I’m not really joking. My best work happens when I say ‘yes’ to their ideas, raise enough money to let them do it, and get out of the way.”

A barbecue dinner will be served at 4 p.m. and there will be activities for the whole family. Two morning services will be on Sunday, followed by a lunch.

Part of the 75th Anniversary celebration includes a Time Capsule which is planned to be opened in May of 2039.

Individuals are invited to write a word of encouragement to the congregation or a prayer for the church to read or just record some thoughts.

“Our plan is to record all of the things we have done this year as a church, especially on October 25 and 26, seal the capsule and store it carefully sometime in the latter part of 2014,” said Donna Senecal, church administrator.

Children are encouraged to dress up as their favorite superhero or princess for the tailgating party Saturday and they can participate in Trunk or Treat while the rest of the family enjoys the tailgate party.

On Sunday, former pastor, Reverend Dr. Rick Young, will preach both services at 9 and 11 a.m. Afterwards, the congregation will enjoy a delicious potluck luncheon.

Music has always played an important role in the life the congregation, according to Church Historian Jeanette Defee.

“All of our music has proclaimed God’s glory and love for our fellow man. This has been the case regardless of the style of music performed, be it worshipful, solemn, sacred, soul-stirring, joyful, friendly or just plain fun,” Defee said. “We believe Christian education is essential for spiritual growth. These include Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Youth Club, junior and senior fellowship and Bible study groups.”

Staff Photo Michael Minsai
Rev. David Green poses for a portrait at First Presbyterian Church Conroe Friday.

“It’s funny to me that people will say, ‘Wow, 75 years. That’s really old.’ Personally, I can’t think of any 75-year-old person who has told me that he or she is really old,” Green said. “I think it’s important to celebrate milestone anniversaries like this. It’s a good time to reflect on all of the work that has brought us to this moment, and to contemplate the work that is here for us to do.”

Green was born in San Antonio and is a graduate of Austin College in Sherman, Texas.

He met his wife Leigh in a Sunday School class and they’ve been married more than 20 years. The couple has three teenage sons who attend school in Conroe ISD.

Before coming to Conroe, Green was the pastor of Galveston’s First Presbyterian Church, which is among the oldest Presbyterian and Protestant churches in Texas, he said. “Next year, they’ll be celebrating their 175th anniversary,” Green said.

His work in Galveston will always be defined by Hurricane Ike.

“The storm devastated the community, severely damaged the church sanctuary and other buildings, and washed through my home,” Green said. “It was an impossible situation. I woke up to the reality that almost every member of the church had lost their home. Many people, maybe most, lost their jobs. I was in it with them.”

His home was unlivable, and his family was homeless.

“In their 17-year history, I’m the only pastor to go through a storm like that and then to stay until the sanctuary was repaired,” Green said. “I will always be proud of the work that we did together. We rebuilt the community, salvaged our homes, and watched as the church rose up from the mud. The morning after the storm was an impossible situation. But, I believe, now more than ever, that with God all things really are possible.”

When Green was asked if he would be willing to interview with the Pastor Nominating Committee in Conroe, at first, he said ‘no.’

“We all laugh about it now ... of course, here I am,” Green said. “I love the people in this church and I’m really enjoying the people in the community. For 20 years I’ve prayed for the opportunity to be part of a congregation that holds a high respect for the Bible, is involved in the surrounding community and in global missions, and is willing to reach out and welcome new members, including people who are new to their Christian faith. I really believe that this is the congregation that I’ve been praying to be a part of.”

The original building of The First Presbyterian Church
in Conroe which is The Vineyard Church today.

The visionaries of First Presbyterian made a decision 20 years ago to move their location from near downtown Conroe to the current location at Loop 336 West.

“The church was healthy and thriving. Even though everything was fine and they were perfectly comfortable doing the work that they were doing, that wasn’t good enough for them,” Green said. “Had it not been for their hard work, for their personal and financial sacrifice, and for their vision of God’s work around them, we would not be here today.

“Now it’s our turn. We have inherited a 75-year long legacy of good people making extraordinary decisions. It’s exciting to me because this congregation is filled with people who are willing to make hard decisions, decisions that will require significant and personal sacrifice on their part. I like to think that in 25, 50, or even 100 years from now, the members of the First Presbyterian Church will look back and say of us, that we worked hard, made sacrifices, and shared the vision of God’s work around us,” Green said.

First Presbyterian Church of Conroe Milestones over the last 75 years
 

May 1939 - Organized by 17 members, first elders were K. G. Schaefer and Ned Wallace, first deacons were George Spiller, Frank Davis and Joe Stinson

July 1939 - First pastor was James E. Moore

Oct. 1939 - First baptism was Rev. Moore’s daughter, Anne Lois.

Oct. 1940 - First church service in church building

Feb. 1945 - Dedicatory Service -
                      no more need for financial help from Home Mission Board

1948 - Plans to construct Camp Cho-Yeh near Livingston

1949 - Board of elders and deacons put on rotation schedule

1954 - First long-range planning committee established

1957 - Permanent officer nominating committee established

1969 - Ordination of John D. Weisinger, Jr.

1971 - First woman elected elder, Nell Clyburn

1978 - Memorial gift of Schulmerich Carillon Bells

1984 - Burned the mortgage

1989 - First taping of worship services for shut-ins begins

1989 - First ‘Pastor Emeritus” Kenneth Snipes

2001 - First worship service in new location, Loop 336 West.

2009 - Broke ground for new Youth Building addition

Conroe Courier

October 19, 2014

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