The National Presbyterian Church (NPC) is a church located in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...

.

Location

NPC is located in the Tenleytown

Tenleytown

Tenleytown is a historic neighborhood in Northwest, Washington, DC.-History:In 1790, Washington locals began calling the neighborhood "Tennally's Town" after area tavern owner John Tennally...

 neighborhood in Washington on Nebraska Avenue next to NBC (WRC-TV) and across from the Japanese Embassy. American University is within walking distance of the campus, along with the Tenleytown-AU stop

Tenleytown-AU (Washington Metro)

Tenleytown-AU is a rapid transit station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro in Washington, D.C. Located in the Upper Northwest neighborhood, it is the last station on the Red Line heading outbound wholly within the District of Columbia; the next stop, Friendship Heights, lies within the...

 on the Red Line of Metro. The address is 4101 Nebraska Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-2735.

Services

NPC offers services throughout the week, however the majority of services are on Sunday. Sunday morning services are 8:00 (Chapel of the Presidents), 9:15 (Sanctuary), and 11:00 (Sanctuary).

History

The National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, has a history that spans four congregations since 1795, and is a traditional mainline church of the Reformed faith. The following historical timeline begins with the designation of the congregation as the national church of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Worship services are held at 9:15 and 11 a.m. each Sunday, and classes for adults, children, and youth are held at 9:15 a.m. To learn more, visit: National Presbyterian Church's web site; http://www.NationalPres.org

1940s

1946

• General Assembly votes to designate First Covenant Church as the National Presbyterian Church. The church at that time was located at Connecticut Avenue at L Streets, N.W. on the present site of the ABC News building.

1947

• Dr. Edward Elson called as Senior Pastor.
• National Church dedicated in Washington with President Harry S. Truman
  Harry S. Truman
  Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
  
   and Dr. Elson
• Sunday Evening Club founded.

1949

• Proposals from several architectural firms for possible design and location of the new church.

1950s

1953

• Chancel Choir perform at opening concert of the National Symphony Orchestra. President Dwight D. Eisenhower
  Dwight D. Eisenhower
  Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
  
   is baptised at the church by Dr. Elson.

1955

• Dr. Billy Graham
  Billy Graham
  William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
  
   preaches at NPC.

1956

• Chancel Choir gives first Washington performance of Aaron Copland’s “Canticle of Freedom” with National Symphony.

1957

• Queen Elizabeth
  Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
  Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
  
   and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
  Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
  Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
  
   attend worship.

1960s

1960

• Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
  Norman Vincent Peale
  Dr. Norman Vincent Peale was a minister and author and a progenitor of the theory of "positive thinking".-Early life and education:...
  
   opens Lenten Service Series.
• Chancel Choir performs at White House at state dinner for Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker
  John Diefenbaker
  John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
  
  .

1963

• Chancel Choir gives first Washington performance of the Duruflé “Requiem” while President John F. Kennedy
  John F. Kennedy
  John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
  
  ’s body lies in state at Capitol.

1964

• Henry M. Luce III, J. Howard Pew
  J. Howard Pew
  J. Howard Pew was an American philanthropist and co-founder of Sunoco .Joseph Howard Pew was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania in 1882 and raised as a devout Presbyterian. In 1886 Pew’s father, Joseph Newton Pew, Sr. started an oil business in Pennsylvania, expanding to Texas when oil was discovered...
  
  , and Hollywood actor Jimmy Stewart join in the Building Fundraising Program.

1965

• Building fund program surpasses the $5 million mark.

1966

• May 22 ground-breaking ceremonies held at Nebraska Avenue campus during “Worship under Canvas.”
• June 5, last service at N Street church.

1967

• October 14, Cornerstone laid at Nebraska Avenue location with President Eisenhower and Dr. Elson.

1969

• September 6, First worship service held in Nebraska Avenue sanctuary.

1970s

1970

• Duke Ellington and Orchestra play as part of yearlong celebration in new sanctuary.

1972

• Dr. Lowell Russell Ditzen, Director of the National Presbyterian Center broadcasts weekly TV program Current Religion on NBC.

1973

• Dr. Louis H. Evans, Jr. called as Senior Pastor.

1978

• Mother Theresa speaks at church to Women’s Association event.

1980s

1980

• Associate Justice of the Supreme Court William O. Douglas state funeral held at National.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Vesper Service is initiated at church. President Ronald Reagan
  Ronald Reagan
  Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
  
   was a church member.

1981

• Dr. Thomas A. Stone retires as Assoc. Pastor; fellowship hall named in his honor.

1982

• NPC’s handbell choir is established.

1983

• C. S. Lewis Summer Institutes begin in the Christian Education Program.

1986

• Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly Moderator Rev. Benjamin Weir freed as hostage in Lebanon; NBC broadcasts his remarks live from sanctuary.

1987

• August 9, Dr. Peggy Cantwell called as first woman Assoc. Pastor at NPC.

1988

• Parish system established for church families according to geographic regions.

1989

• President of South Africa, Fredrik W. de Klerk attends worship service with Dutch Ambassador.

1990s

1991

• Dr. Bryant M. Kirkland called by Session as Interim Pastor.

1993

• Dr. M. Craig Barnes called as Senior Pastor.

1995

• Church Member and Chief Justice, U.S. Supreme Court, Warren Burger funeral – President Clinton and Cabinet attend with Congress.
• Church celebrates its bicentennial with a grand celebration in October.

1997

• Women’s Association Bazaar nets $43,000 for mission programs.

2000s

2002

• Dr. Thomas A. Erickson is called by Session as Interim Pastor.

2003

• February 16 snowstorm paralyzes Washington with more than 17 inches of snow. Church services cancelled for first time in more than 40 years.

2004

• In July, the Congregation calls Dr. Gareth W. Icenogle as the new Senior Pastor at National.

2008

• The Congregation calls Rev. Earl Palmer as NPC's Preaching Pastor in Residence.