His challenge was to commemorate 150 years of a church’s ministry as well inspire the congregation’s future endeavors.
Local composer Ethan McGrath has accomplished that in a choral piece he was commissioned to write for the 150th anniversary of Second Presbyterian Church. The downtown church will celebrate its sesquicentennial in a weekend of events Friday through Sunday, Sept. 3-5, at the church, 700 Pine St. McGrath’s work will highlight the 11 a.m. Sunday service.
“Music has been and continues to be very much a part of our worship at Second Presbyterian,” says Suzanne Rushworth, a member of the anniversary committee. “Commissioning a musical piece is a special and permanent way to commemorate this important event in the life of our church.”
Second Presbyterian Church was founded Sept. 3, 1871, with 14 members who met in homes. Church history states at the time the church was founded, members were not able to meet regularly because the city was besieged with a cholera outbreak and yellow fever; ironically, 150 years later, the church is again adjusting its meetings to combat spread of another health threat, COVID-19.
The first church building was built in 1878 at the corner of Eighth and Chestnut streets and its current location in 1891. In 1980, the church was named to the National Register of Historic Places.