The First Presbyterian Church of Howard County is one of the 74 congregations in Baltimore Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA). 

For a summary statistical report about the congregation, you might be interested in the official denominational “Statistical Report.”

The modern appearance of the buildings and grounds of the church makes it easy to forget that the congregation was formed over 168 years ago!  But the goals of the original covenant group of twenty three persons remains basically the same for our present church family which has grown considerably larger — to worship and serve the God we know in our Lord Jesus Christ.

In 1837, the Thistle Mill (present day Ilchester area) was being managed by George Kerr, a Presbyterian elder who had a deep concern for mill workers.  He established a Sunday School for them, and in just two years, the growth of the Sunday School showed that local people needed and wanted a home for worship.

The Presbytery of Baltimore chartered the First Presbyterian Church of Ellicott City in 1839 with 23 members.  A small but sturdy stone building was used from the 1840s until a grander and larger building was built in 1894. You can still see that building today, next to the Court House in Ellicott City, where it is the home of the Howard County Historical Society. (There is a nice drawing of the old church building on the Historical Society website.)

Because of a commitment to reach people in a growing county, the church relocated into what was then rural Howard County near the two lane road (Route 29) leading to Washington, D.C. The new building on Route 108 was dedicated on Christmas 1959 with a goodly number of new members from Howard County.

At the move, the church took a new name to reflect a wider area of ministry: The First Presbyterian Church of Howard County.  With the coming of Columbia in 1967, the ministry and service of the church has grown.  Building programs in 1969, 1980 and 2000 resulted in the present facility.

Several histories of the church have been written over time. The most recent is by Mary Dorsey Clark and can be found in the church library, or the church office can send you one by email.