We want the gospel to feel real, relevant, and impactful—here in Berkeley and beyond.
Who we are is shaped by where we are: a church just a few blocks from Cal, in a city that’s vibrant, questioning, and always changing. We are a community of people committed to asking hard questions, claiming holy answers, and extending radical welcome to everyone we meet. We aren’t perfect or exceptional. Our stories are varied, our perspectives diverse. We do not always agree! But what we have in common is what matters—we are embraced by a God who knows us and loves us, just as we are.
Together, we’ve discerned a shared mission to:
- Build, nurture, and deepen community for all who want to be in relationship with God and each other.
- Love, serve, and care for our neighbors in need.
- Embrace the world one person, one student, one conversation at a time.
Our History
The story of First Pres began on March 31, 1878, one day before the city of Berkeley was incorporated. Twenty-seven individuals founded this church to serve the nearby university and community. We are a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and have been on the corner of Dana and Channing since 1902.
First Pres has long been committed to sharing God’s love in the world, both locally and globally. Ministry to youth and college students were focal points in our earliest days. In the 1950s, more than half of the church’s budget was devoted to reaching others with the good news of the Gospel.
The cultural upheavals of the 1960s had an impact on First Pres, as attendance declined and street demonstrations left behind broken windows and anxious citizens. It was during this time that the fire department declared our 65-year-old sanctuary unsafe. With much of the neighborhood boarded up, church leaders made the decision to continue to live out our mission on this corner, building a sanctuary with glass windows that gave renewed visibility to our ministry and welcomed the community inside.
The new sanctuary was dedicated on June 8, 1975. The church began to grow, expanding music ministries, programs for children and families, community outreach, and more. Berkeley Christian Counselors began as a ministry of First Pres in 1978, and our licensed childcare facility, Cornerstone Children’s Center, was founded in 1991.
In 2017, 1951 Coffee Company opened its first coffee shop on our campus, providing job training and employment to refugees and asylees. In 2022, First Pres became home to Sacred Rest, a weekday drop-in center providing restrooms, food, computer access, and resources to our unsheltered neighbors. These organizations connect us more deeply with our community and are just a few of the local and international partners that First Pres supports today.
For nearly a century and a half, we have been seeking to follow Jesus on this corner. Join us as we discover where God is leading us next.
Learn more:
1973 Sanctuary brochure
2003 Living from the Center brochure
2005 On this Corner video
2009 On this Corner brochure
2020 Mission Study (history)