DATE: Sunday, May 11, 1997                  TAG: 9705090301

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 06   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: COVER STORY 

SOURCE: BY SCOTT MCCASKEY, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  109 lines

MARKING 175 YEARS OF WARMTH AND LIGHT

SINCE THE 1950s, parishoners and Portsmouth residents have called it ``the church with the lighted spire.'' But long before the spire glowed, First Presbyterian Church at 515 Court St. was a familiar downtown landmark.

On Sunday, the church will celebrate its 175th anniversary to the day. The church was originally established on May 18, 1822, and most of its 350-person congregation is expected, along with some past members from out of town.

Retired Rev. William Boyce, who headed the church in the 1960s, is coming from Richmond for the event.

``We're having activities throughout the weekend,'' said the Rev. Henry D. Scoggins, First Presbyterian's pastor. ``There's a lot of pride in this church, and the turnout should be high.''

A prayer breakfast at the church on Saturday morning will be followed by an afternoon trolley tour of historic Olde Towne, and then an evening dinner and gospel sing. After the Sunday morning service, a special reception, featuring numerous displays of church history and memorabilia, will be held.

Paul C. Butler, a church member for 10 years, is a tourism coordinator for the Portsmouth Convention and Visitors Bureau.

``Both First Presbyterian and Trinity Episcopal Church across the street are two of the oldest churches in the city,'' said Butler, 56, a Portsmouth resident. ``First Presbyterian has members whose families have been at the church for three or four generations. There's a lot of love and warmth in the congregation.''

Portsmouth native and resident Minnie L. Riley has been a parishoner for more than 60 years. She has four generations of family that have called First Presbyterian home.

``The people, and the ministers, have always made this church special,'' said Riley, who doesn't look or act her 80 years. ``The sanctuary is so charming. It's old and beautiful.''

The present structure was built in 1877, and houses the original pews and stained glass windows brought over from England more than 120 years ago. The high vaulted ceilings, balcony, and organ pipes behind the altar lend a quaintness and Old World feeling to the sanctuary. In 1972, a wing for Sunday school classes and administration rooms were added.

The original church was organized by a small group of local Presbyterians on May 18, 1822, under the authority of the Rev. Benjamin H. Rice, who was sent by the East Hanover Presbytery in Petersburg for the formation. The first church was located on the northwest corner of Middle and London streets and headed by the Rev. J.J. Pierce.

From 1832 to 1834, the church was led by the Rev. Richard F. Cleveland, who in 1837 had a son, Grover, who became the 22nd and 24th president of the United States.

During the Civil War, the church was burned and then rebuilt in 1872. But in January of 1877, fire struck again. By September of that year, the present site was opened and named the Court Street Presbyterian Church, before being changed to First Presbyterian Church, Portsmouth.

``The pews and stained glass windows somehow survived the fires,'' said church member and historian Iris B. Gunn, 70, of Portsmouth. ``We've got quite an impressive history, I think.''

In the years of suburbanization, First Presbyterian led to the formation of four other Presbyterian churches in Portsmouth: Cradock Presbyterian, Prentis Park, Simonsdale and Green Acres. Prentis Park merged with First Presbyterian in 1967.

Age and history aren't the primary attributes that give First Presbyterian its character, according to its members. They say the people are equally as important.

Edna T. Broadhurst has been the musical director at the church for 17 years.

``The best thing about the church is its people - they're like a family,'' said Broadhurst, a 47-year-old Portsmouth native. ``They've welcomed my family and a lot of my musician friends with open arms.''

Church elders point to the people and the ministers.

``It's a very friendly church, always there to help,'' said Edgar S. Barry, an 86-year-old Portsmouth resident and church member for 40 years. ``Rev. Scoggins is very good. He's outward and teaches good Christian messages.''

Scoggins, a native of Wilmington, N.C., came to First Presbyterian in August from a ministry in Roanoke.

``I want this to be a welcoming church that is active in reaching out to its congregation and community,'' said Scoggins, 49.

In the winter, the church houses a homeless shelter and food pantry. It is active with the PARC organization, which provides short-term housing for the underprivileged. Overseas, First Presbyterian supports the Zaire Partnership in building schools and ministries. Several younger members of the congregation recently went to Haiti on a humanitarian campaign organized by the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia.

There's also rebuilding work being done on the homefront. First Presbyterian is showing its age. In coming weeks, the roof will be re-slated, the interior and exterior walls patched and painted, and new sound and heating systems added.

``We also hope to have the spire lit again soon,'' Scoggins said. ``We renovated the bell tower six months ago, but now we're starting on some major work. We saw the opportunity of tying in the 175th anniversary with the renovation.''

Still, it seems that the warmth of the people at the church rings loudest.

Melissa A. Smith, 28, officially joined the congregation on Easter Sunday.

``I moved to Olde Towne from Chesapeake in August,'' Smith said. ``One day I just walked in the door and found it to be a home. The people are very friendly and welcoming, and the pastor is very sincere.'' MEMO: For more information about the church or its programs, call

397-3622. ILLUSTRATION: File photo

This photo shows workers on the exterior of First Presbyterian

Church. The lights that illuminated the church's spire, visible in

this photo, were later removed. As part of renovations that are

under way, the lights may be replaced. The bell tower, said the Rev.

Henry D. Scoggins, the church's pastor, was renovated six months

ago.

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