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About Us

For over 200 years, there has been Presbyterian mission in Cincinnati, Ohio's neighborhood of Westwood. Westwood First is a testament of the Presbyterian legacy in Westwood, having celebrated our 140th anniversary in 2021. We seek to serve our Westwood neighbors and spread God's beautiful message.

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Traditional Sunday Worship Service

10:30 - 11:30 AM

Enjoy scripture readings, sermons, Communion (served on the first Sunday of month), hymn singing, and more in our awe-inspiring, historic sanctuary.  Every Sunday, enjoy worship music performed by our award-winning organist, Heather MacPhail, on our 75+ year old pipe organ, and choral arrangements performed by our Chancel Choir and soloists.

Sunday School

Every other week

We invite your littles (ages 4-10) to join us on our 4th floor "Kids' Zone" during our 10:30AM Worship Service for Bible readings, crafts, and activities. Also offered during all special holiday services (Palm Sunday, Easter, Christmas, etc.)

Get Involved

Chancel Bells

Rehearses Thursdays at 1:30PM

This adult group includes those interested in learning to read music and ring bells, as well as those with basic reading skills. The group meets on Thursdays from 1:30 – 3:30pm. Activities include participation in special Sunday worship services, other Westwood First events, and community mission events. Directed by Heather MacPhail, heather@wfpc.org, the group is always welcoming new members.

Volunteer

Year-round!

From meal prepping/service, mentoring, participating in neighborhood clean-up days, or food bank delivery, to tutoring a child, all are things you can do to help touch lives! Reach out to learn how to become a part of our many Mission programs.

Presbyterian Women

Circles 1 & 6 | Monthly Meetings

Circle meetings are held once a month and offer a chance for female fellowship. Meetings consist of prayer, Bible study, fundraising for Missions, and more. There are also often PW Luncheons where all circles gather together to hear programs given by a variety of speakers relating to PW's Mission efforts.

Chancel Choir

Rehearses Thursdays at 7PM

Adults rehearse every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. and sing for Sunday morning and special worship services, in community outreach projects, and on the Westwood First Concert Series. The choir is always welcoming new singers and would love to have you! For more information, contact Heather MacPhail, 

heather@wfpc.org

Become a Member

Quarterly Classes

Member classes are held quarterly at Westwood First. Membership is open to all. Please reach out to Pastor Rich Jones, rich@wfpc.org for more information and to sign up for a class. 

Our In-House Partners

Check out the various community groups that meet on our church campus and utilize various spaces in our building. We often partner with these groups and love to support them in many ways!

Cub & Scouts USA

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Cub Scout Pack 107, Scouts BSA Troop 107, and Scouts BSA Troop 1107 welcome boys and girls in grades K-5 and ages 11-17, respectively. Troop 107, established in 1923 by Westwood First Presbyterian Church, boasts a long history of producing numerous Eagle Scouts.

Princesses Ballet

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Princesses Ballet offers free dance lessons to low-income girls from ages 3-18. Through its mentoring approach, the program fosters character, self-esteem, discipline, and a passion for dance, enabling each girl to thrive.

Little Village

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Little Village offers a free, flexible play space designed for families with children aged birth to 5, fostering early learning, community connection, and family thriving through various interactive areas like art, science, construction, and reading rooms.

Westwood Woman's Club

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Westwood Woman's Club celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2021. The club allows ladies to come together and celebrate the Westwood community through philanthropy and insightful programs. For more information, email wwc1896@gmail.com

Westwood Historical Society

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The Westwood Historical Society strives to collect and tell the personal human stories of ingenuity, determination, struggles, courage, strength and insight of those who molded our collective past.  Their hope is that in these stories you discover, or rediscover, the threads that make up our community’s rich tapestry.

Peanut Butter & Jam

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Peanut Butter & Jam Sessions offer interactive concerts for children aged 2 - 6, providing an engaging introduction to classical music through close proximity to performers, facilitated by music educators, with opportunities for interactive participation and instrument exploration.

History of WFPC

As early as 1823, there was evidence of a Presbyterian mission in the now Cheviot-Westwood area.  They struggled and nearly dissolved around 1840, however, they persevered, and the "Old Presbyterian Church of Cheviot" built a church on the corner of what are now Mozart and Cheviot Avenues.  In 1844, they purchased land to build a church on the northeast corner of what is now Mozart and Higbee Avenues.  Tradition says there were 13 families in the congregation.  That building still exists today.  It was used by the Westwood Salem Presbyterian Church until 2009, later bought by City on a Hill, and is now owned by Cincinnati Public Schools to use preschool education. 

 

Stability of the small Presbyterian congregation continued to be a problem and in 1865, a German Protestant congregation was allowed to use the building.  In 1870, that group debated about whether to formally align with the wider Presbyterian organization, partly because of the potential for some financial assistance.  There were, however, two factions.  The conservative group favored formal affiliation.  The liberal group, however, was not interested in being subjected to all that comes with being part of a larger organization.  Plus, they supported the ability to have beer parties in the church that the conservative group was not in favor of.  The liberals eventually split off and built a church in Bridgetown. 

 

The conservative group applied to the Cincinnati Presbytery in April 1871.  They became the Westwood German Presbyterian Church with 46 charter members.  They were financially dependent on the Presbytery until around 1890.   In that same time frame, another group in Westwood was interested in forming a Presbyterian congregation.  According to an entry in John M. Miller's diary, a meeting with the German congregation was to take place on September 12, 1881 to decide whether to join with them or to petition the Cincinnati Presbytery to start their own congregation. Apparently, the decision was to proceed with a new congregation.  According to Miller's October 4, 1881 diary entry, a group of 16 "met in Council and agreed to ask the Com. of Presbytery to organize them into a church one week from the next Sabbath."  The group included Miller and his wife.

 

On Sunday, October 16, 1881, the Committee of Presbytery came to Westwood to officially organize the "Presbyterian Church of Westwood."  They met with about 26 people who had letters of dismissal from other churches or who were felt to be suitable congregants. The new church negotiated with the German congregation to use their building, agreeing to do maintenance and upkeep as part of the bargain.  In official minutes, the name of the congregation at the time was the First Presbyterian Church of Westwood.

 

The 1920's saw a large population growth in Westwood.  Many of the Arts and Crafts style bungalows and Tudor homes, now scattered throughout Westwood, were built during that time.  The local organizations and institutions like schools and churches also saw growth, including the Westwood Presbyterian congregation.    

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Westwood First Presbyterian Church as first built in 1926

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Educational wing addition; 1937

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 Courtyard in 2020

On March 12, 1925, the congregation officially incorporated as the Westwood First Presbyterian Church.  Other changes took place as well. The next year, 45 years after their official founding, they dedicated their current church in grand style on November 7, 1926. The entire congregation and Sunday School marched from the Montana and Cheviot Avenue location that had served them well for over 35 years to their new home at 3011 Harrison Avenue.  The building's architect is attributed to Hannaford, although the firm by then was known as Hannaford & Sons.  Samuel Hannaford essentially retired around 1895 and passed away in 1911.  One of his sons was likely the lead architect. The stone building features gothic arched openings, buttresses, a square bell tower, and two wings, to the north and west, which were built later to expand the size of the building and provide classrooms and other non-worship space.

At the time of the dedication, only the sanctuary section of the church was built and amber glass filled the spaces where art glass was planned for future installation. The stained glass windows were installed and dedicated in April 1928. They were designed and crafted by the Tyrolese Art Glass company (Tyroler Glasmalerei Anstalt) founded in 1861 in Innsbruck, Austria. The company is still in existence.

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Ground was broken for construction of the north wing closest to Westwood School on June 7, 1935. Joseph Steinkamp was the architect. The last wing was added in 1957 to the south and west of the original structure. It includes the lower level dining room and current administrative offices.

 

The Westwood First Presbyterian Church congregation has been an active member of the community all these many years through various ministries and committees and clubs such as Boy Scout Troup 107, which was authorized in November 1922 and is still sponsored by the church. The church's music ministry has been an important part of their culture and since 1981, they have offered the popular Westwood First Concert Series, featuring a wide range of local, national, and international performers of all genres. 

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Originally published in the September 2021 Westwood Historical Society newsletter.

History of WFPC
In-House Partners
Get Involved
Be Inspired

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Westwood First Presbyterian Church

513-661-6846

WestwoodFirstPresbyterian@gmail.com

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Mailing Address:

3011 Harrison Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45211

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GPS Address:

3326 Koenig Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45211

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Office Hours:

10:00AM - 2:00PM Mon-Fri

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©2025 by Westwood First Presbyterian Church

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