Who we are
Founded during the Gold Rush, Old First is the oldest, still-active Protestant congregation in California. We are thrilled that in 2024 we are celebrating our 175 anniversary ! Our current building was rebuilt at this location after the 1906 great earthquake and fire. We are a living and active historical church. We're progressive and traditional, young and aging, families and singles, lifelong church-goers, and new Christians, gay and straight, natives and transplants, locals and Bay Area neighbors. Together, we strive to bring good news to the world, to share God's love by working for justice and addressing the needs of those marginalized in our neighborhood, our city, and our world. Each week, we host a food bank and distribute food to over 350 local households, and we host monthly, a free home-cooked meal every 4th Saturday for all our friends living in our neighborhood. We work to end homelessness and systemic racism in our society. We are active in fighting for LGBTQ+ rights in the church and in society.
What we believe.
Like all Presbyterian churches, we are governed by elected officers, the people are the true leadership core of the church. The Session is made up of "elders" elected annually to serve as the governing board of the church. And we have an elected Board of Deacons who serve as caregivers for the congregation. Old First belongs to the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination. Learn more about us at PCUSA.org. While we have "Old" in our name, we are constantly renewing ourselves and not stuck in old ways. We believe that Christ brings love, healing, peace, joy and justice to us and to the world. We want to share that good news with all people, inclusive of everyone. We seek to follow in the ways of Jesus. We welcome all and reach out to include those whom the historical church has often excluded and hurt. We use the full range of scriptural and traditional language, reflecting God's diversity as feminine & masculine, powerful & loving. We honor the integrity of the cultural language of oppressed people groups. We seek to imitate Christ's language of peace and equality amidst the oppressive, patriarchal culture often reflected in the Bible. We are a Matthew 25 church, part of a growing movement of Presbyterian churches pledging to be actively engaged in the world working for racial justice and against systemic racism. We are active in the San Francisco Interfaith Council working together with all types of religious folks to better our city.
Our Building
Our building at the corner of Van Ness and Sacramento was rebuilt over 100 years ago after the great earthquake. It has a beautiful sanctuary with a marvelous stained glass, rose window and quiet ambiance. The sanctuary is a majestic space for worship, music events, and quiet reflection and prayer. It is ideal for weddings, and you are invited to inquire about using the space for your wedding. The building also has many different sized and comfortable meeting spaces as well as full institutional kitchen. We serve large meals and events as well as small meetings and gatherings. Community groups are invited to use our spaces. Send us an email to inquire about using the building for weddings, meetings, or events:
Click here to inquire about building use
