Nassau Presbyterian Church

Nassau Presbyterian Church

Location	61 Nassau Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08542
Country	United States
Denomination	Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Churchmanship	Liberal Protestant
Membership	1,267 (2012)
Weekly attendance	434 (2012)^[1]
Website	nassauchurch.org
History
Former name(s)	First Presbyterian Church of Princeton
Founded	1766
Events	Burned down 1813 and 1835
Architecture
Architect(s)	Charles Steadman
Style	Greek Revival
Completed	1836
Administration
Presbytery	New Brunswick
Synod	Northeast
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)	David A. Davis

Nassau Presbyterian Church
U.S. Historic district Contributing property

Coordinates	40°20′56.4″N 74°39′38.5″W / 40.349000°N 74.660694°W / 40.349000; -74.660694Coordinates: 40°20′56.4″N 74°39′38.5″W / 40.349000°N 74.660694°W / 40.349000; -74.660694
Part of	Princeton Historic District (#75001143^[2])
Added to NRHP	27 June, 1975

The Nassau Presbyterian Church is a historic congregation located at 61 Nassau Street in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. It has been the home of many important figures in the history of Presbyterianism in the United States as a result of its proximity to Princeton University and the Princeton Theological Seminary. The church operates the Princeton Cemetery and is a contributing property to the Princeton Historic District. The current pastor is The Reverend Dr. David A. Davis.

History

First Presbyterian Church on a vintage postcard.

Second Presbyterian Church on a vintage postcard.

First Church

The Presbyterians of central New Jersey had two places of worship in either Lawrenceville or Kingston. In 1756 the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) opened in Princeton and services were held in Nassau Hall. A few years later funds were collected to build a church to serve the growing population of students and teachers. The newly constructed First Presbyterian Church of Princeton opened in 1766. John Witherspoon, the President of the College, began his 25 years tenure as pastor of First Church in 1768.

Witherspoon Church and Second Church

As time progressed, divisions within the church occurred and the church spun off two local Presbyterian Churches. After the building burned down in 1835 church notes indicate that African-American members were encouraged to leave the congregation leading to the founding of Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church.^[3] Later that same decade the Second Presbyterian Church was chartered by those who sought a less formal worship style and desired different pastoral leadership. Efforts to merge the three congregations back into one were attempted at various times over the years including an effort led by Woodrow Wilson.

Nassau Presbyterian Church

In the early 1970s, First Church and St. Andrews (the new name of Second Church) were without installed pastors. The churches decided to merge but were concerned about one church absorbing the other. The decision was made to create a new church out of the two (the Witherspoon Church was invited to the merger but declined) and Nassau Presbyterian Church was chartered in 1973. The initial congregation had 2,335 members with 1,759 and 576 coming from First and St. Andrew's, respectively.^[4] The former building of St. Andrews was sold in 1978 to the a new church plant of the Assemblies of God, the Nassau Christian Center.^[5]

The church is part of the national Presbyterian Church USA.

Notable ministers and members

References

↑ "Statistical Snapshot for Nassau". Presbyterian Mission Agency. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
↑ "Princeton Historic District" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
↑ "Presbyterian Churches To Hold Joint Services". The Town Topics. 24 January 1990. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
↑ "A Brief Account of the Heritage and Creation of Nassau Presbyterian Church". Retrieved 13 May 2014.
↑ "Nassau Christian Center History". Retrieved 13 May 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nassau Presbyterian Church.

Nassau Presbyterian Church

Princeton, New Jersey

Areas

Historic Districts	Princeton Historic District Stony Brook Village Jugtown King's Highway Kingston Mill Mountain Avenue

Former municipalities	Borough of Princeton Princeton Township

Education

Public schools	Princeton Public Schools Princeton High School Witherspoon Street School for Colored Children (defunct) Princeton Charter School

Independent schools	Hun School Lewis School Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart Princeton Day Princeton Friends Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science St. Paul's Stuart Country Day

Colleges and universities	Princeton University Princeton Theological Seminary Westminster Choir College Evelyn College for Women (defunct)

Other education	Institute for Advanced Study Princeton Community Japanese Language School Princeton Public Library Princeton University Art Museum Witherspoon Institute

Other

Places of Worship	Miller Chapel Nassau Christian Center Nassau Presbyterian Princeton United Methodist Princeton University Chapel Stone Hill Church Stony Brook Meeting House Trinity Episcopal

Parks and Recreation	Delaware and Raritan Canal Herrontown Woods Arboretum Jasna Polana Lake Carnegie Marquand Park Mountain Lakes Preserve Princeton Battlefield

Shopping, and Dining	Nassau Street Palmer Square Elements Hoagie Haven Nassau Club Nassau Inn Peacock Inn Princeton Record Exchange Triumph Brewing

Performing Arts	McCarter Theatre Alexander Hall Princeton Symphony Orchestra Williamson Voices

Media	I Grew Up in Princeton Comedy Minus One Princeton Community Television Princeton Packet Town Topics

Other landmarks	Albert Einstein House Drumthwacket Joseph Henry House Donald Grant Herring Estate Maclean House Maybury Hill Mercer Oak Morven Nassau Hall Princeton Battle Monument Princeton Cemetery Princeton Railroad Station Prospect House Tusculum Cottage Club Washington Oak Westland Mansion

Princeton addressed landmarks outside the municipality	American Boychoir School Chapin School Educational Testing Service Forrestal Village MarketFair Mall Princeton Airport Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Robert Wood Johnson Foundation St. Joseph's Seminary (in Plainsboro; defunct) Sarnoff Corporation Terhune Orchards Washington Road Elm Allée

See also: Princeton University and National Register of Historic Places listings in Mercer County, New Jersey

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