How it all started...
Hanover County, Virginia has a rich history of Presbyterianism. As early as the 1740s, large numbers of Presbyterian “dissenters,” Presbyterians who wished to separate from the Church of England, the state church in the British colony of Virginia, were worshiping in meeting houses in our county.
Ashland Presbyterians began gathering for Sunday worship in a local hall prior to the mid-1860s and the Ashland Presbyterian Church was organized in December 1871.
Our sanctuary building was built in three stages: the sanctuary in 1875; the entrance vestibule and side rooms around 1881; and the rooms behind the sanctuary around 1925. Lancaster Hall, a separate building which houses our educational and fellowship activities, was added behind the sanctuary building in 1959.
Ashland Presbyterians began gathering for Sunday worship in a local hall prior to the mid-1860s and the Ashland Presbyterian Church was organized in December 1871.
Our sanctuary building was built in three stages: the sanctuary in 1875; the entrance vestibule and side rooms around 1881; and the rooms behind the sanctuary around 1925. Lancaster Hall, a separate building which houses our educational and fellowship activities, was added behind the sanctuary building in 1959.
Where we are now...
Formally, we remain a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in the Presbytery of the James. That may or may not tell you what you are hoping to know about our theology or our practices as a faith community. These days, one may have a long and wandering journey to the "right church," or begin to attend a church in adulthood after not spending much time there as a kid. What you may really want to know is what it's LIKE to be part of Ashland Presbyterian Church. You don't just want to know the denominational flavor, you want to know how that flavor is being served. Well, we like to laugh and we like to eat. We like to walk away from Sunday morning worship with deeper questions as well as with comforting answers. We are invested in getting to know one another, so though there is always some "small talk" in getting to know someone new, we take seriously Jesus' commandment in John 15 to love one another as he has loved us. We want this to be a place where you can cultivate friendships, and feel like you are known. We respect those who journey with us for a Sunday morning or two, and we are grateful for those who become companion travelers along the way.