About Us
The Covenant of Heartland Presbytery
As the body of Christ, we covenant with God and with each other to affirm our unity in Jesus Christ and share Christ's ministry with others are the Holy Spirit leads us.
Adopted September 18, 2007
Our Covenantal Values
Proclaim and celebrate the good news of Jesus Christ to one another and the world in our worship, ministry & mission.
Affirm and give thanks for the variety of our gifts so that our common ministry may be enriched by the Holy Spirit.
Respect one another as sisters and brothers in Christ.
Care for one another through mutual prayer and the sharing of our needs and concerns.
Empower one another to "do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God" through shared ministry & mission.
Engage in faithful stewardship by sharing our gifts in common ministry and mission.
The History of First Presbyterian Church
Thirty-five years after Presbyterian Missionaries from Pennsylvania established the Wea Mission site east of Paola, another group of determined and dedicated Presbyterians established a church in Paola. The year was 1867 and the community was coping with the aftermath of the Civil War. The present sanctuary was dedicated in 1905. The most recent addition was added in 2001.
We strive to be an inclusive and caring congregation through worship, fellowship, preaching the word and music as we continue on the path of our faith journey.
Today we continue to be inspired by our history. The gospel of Christ challenges us to serve others by remaining the strong leader and community pillar the First Presbyterian Church has been as we approach our 150th anniversary in 2017. We look to the future with hope and confidence.
We welcome all to worship with us in the reformed tradition of the PC(USA) denomination.
First United Presbyterian Church has a very rich history. Below you will find tidbits of information on the history of the church. A new minute will be added each month. Enjoy!
History Minute #1
Twelve years after Paola was incorporated as a village, a few citizens who wanted a Presbyterian Church banded together and asked a nearby Presbyterian preacher to conduct services. Presbyterian ministers in the district aided the Paolans, and in 1867 the Paola Presbyterian Church (PPC) with a resident pastor was organized.
History Minute #2
The first PPC Messenger History Minute told of the founding of the church in 1867. The book containing the earliest session minutes was lost; so there is no church history for the first eighteen years except for articles in local newspapers. From the newspapers, we learn that the congregation had quite a struggle trying to establish itself, build a house of worship, and find enough money to pay a minister. Those newspaper articles tell of the congregation meeting in rented halls for worship. In 1870 the court room was the meeting place when the congregation was planning to build a frame building for $3,000. At that time there were 40 members with 100 attending Sunday school and church every Sunday.
In order to raise money for the small new frame church, various fund raisers were held—the “Presbyterian Strawberry Festival and Promenade”, a Saturday night concert, the “Festival and Oyster Supper”, “Grand Supper”, etc. Church leaders, desperately needing funds, finally organized a pew rental system. (Paola Presbyterian Church History Minute #3 will report on the pew rental system and how it worked.)