Fallston Presbyterian Church began through the efforts of Reverend Ebenezer D. Finney, a zealous young minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Bel Air. Reverend Finney wrote a brief history of the origin of Fallston Presbyterian Church, which speaks of his decision to start a service in the Fallston area in the fall of 1872.

 

Rev. Finney began in the barroom of an unoccupied hotel on November 17, 1872, and by June, 1873, plans began for a church building.  James K. Hamilton gave the land, and the church building of 26 by 45 feet was constructed at a cost of $1890.  A schoolhouse was also built on the property, which was used as part of Harford County Public Schools until the 1960s.

 

The Fallston Presbyterian Church of Harford County, Maryland was formally organized on January 4, 1874. The Reverend E. D. Finney faithfully served the church until May 13, 1891. From that time until 1961, ministers from Franklinville or Chestnut Grove churches served. In 1961, Fallston Presbyterian Church officially separated from the Franklinville church and had our first full-time pastor, the Reverend Mr. Lawrence H. Jongewaard. The new sanctuary, given impetus by a bequest from Mary Sewell, was built in 1985-86 and dedicated in February 1987.

 

When Harford County Public Schools no longer used the schoolhouse on our property, education was such a central part of our identity as a church community that we started Fallston Community Pre-K (FPK) in 1968.  Church members were the teachers and directors for quite a few years, as the program developed to encompass more ages of children.  Although the original schoolhouse is gone, the legacy of family-centered nurture and education lives on in many ways within our congregation.