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Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church
DeFuniak Springs
FL
32435
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Who we are
In the Name of Jesus Christ, we welcome you to our family of faith. Euchee Valley Church is a Bible-based, Christ-centered, and family-friendly congregation located in the beautiful countryside.
Established in 1827, Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church is the oldest continuing Presbyterian Church in the State of Florida. We are grateful to God for his blessings over nearly 200 years of ministry, but as long as anyone in our community does not yet know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, our mission is not completed.
Anyone who visits will receive a warm welcome from our members.
We would love to have you join us.
By God's grace, we will keep on shining the light of Jesus Christ to our community for many years to come.
Glory to God!
Established in 1827, Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church is the oldest continuing Presbyterian Church in the State of Florida. We are grateful to God for his blessings over nearly 200 years of ministry, but as long as anyone in our community does not yet know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, our mission is not completed.
Anyone who visits will receive a warm welcome from our members.
We would love to have you join us.
By God's grace, we will keep on shining the light of Jesus Christ to our community for many years to come.
Glory to God!
Street Address
5551 C Hwy 183 S
DeFuniak Springs,
FL
32435
United States
Phone: 850-892-3180
Download Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church vCard with Service Times
Church Pastor
Rev..John B. Erthein
Pastor
5551 C Hwy 183 S
DeFuniak Springs,
FL
32435
United States
Phone: 850-892-9999
Download Pastor Rev..John B. Erthein vCard
Quote of the Day
Habakkuk 2:20
But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
Denomination
Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian Churches in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, United States
Presbyterian Churches in Florida, United States
Presbyterian Churches in United States
All churches in DeFuniak Springs, FL
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Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
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Leadership
Leader Name:
Rev..John B. Erthein
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Pastor
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Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church Leadership Photos
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Mailing Address
P.O. Box 609
Defuniak Springs FL
32435
Defuniak Springs FL
32435
Driving Directions to Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church
Travel/Directions Tips
We are located at the intersection of route 280 and county highway 183 south (physical address is 5551 County Highway 183 South) in the Eucheanna community.
Parking
Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church DeFuniak Springs Service Times
Sunday School 9:45am
Sunday Service 11:00am
Service Times last updated on the 7th of April, 2023
Sunday Service 11:00am
Service Times last updated on the 7th of April, 2023
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Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church Photo Gallery
Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church History
A Capsule History of the Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church
(condensed, quoted and paraphrased from three sources, with concluding thoughts from Session)
During the last half of the 18th century, political and economic events in Scotland led to a large Scottish migration to America. When the Stuart family was finally dethroned, the Scots' loyalty to them led them to their attempt to restore Charles Edward Stuart, fondly called Bonnie Prince Charlie, the "Young Pretender," to the throne. Even though the Prince escaped, it ended tragically for the Scots with the battle of Culloden in 1746, when Charles was soundly defeated. Charles escaped and fled to France, but as a result the British King George II (House of Hannover) executed many of the clan chiefs and disarmed the Highlanders. However, the King did show some mercy and spared some of the rebels by granting amnesty to them on condition that they would leave the realm. This change in leadership also led to severe political and economic changes in Scotland during the ensuing years, resulting in even more Scots fleeing their homeland for fairer lands in America.
These Scots, up to 25,000, settled in an area of North Carolina that they found to be satisfactory in the late 18th century. It helped that the then-governor of North Carolina was himself a Scotsman. But even in this new land the Scots became restless, looking for land that was more like their homeland and that offered more room. Thus they began to migrate elsewhere. Some went to Canada, but for one Scot in particular, the tales he had heard of fertile lands in Florida that were "there for the taking" fit well with his desire "for a home where he could have more elbow room and breathe purer air." This was Neil McLendon, and in the spring of 1820 he was stirred to go and see this land for himself.
Traveling with Neil McLendon were his brother Lochlin and John Folk and their families. Also on this trip was Neil's bachelor brother-in-law, Daniel D. Campbell. Through a series of events and encounters, they were introduced to Sam Story, chief of the Euchee Indian tribe, which was reported to consist of approximately 500 Indians. He invited them to come visit his land. When they had toured it they found it to be just the type of land for which they had been searching. They settled in this land, near Bruce Creek, in 1820.
Neil McLendon immediately wrote to his relative, John McKinnon in North Carolina, of the land he had found and invited other Scots to join them in Florida. The migration to Florida was on.
The Reformation in Scotland produced not only the Presbyterian Church, but also a group of people who followed a peculiarly Presbyterian way of life. They trained their members in strict morality, democracy, public welfare and independence. Thus it was natural for the Florida Scots to immediately establish their Presbyterian worship and exercise their Presbyterian lifestyle. They worshiped at their family altars but also met as a group in different homes under the leadership of missionary ministers from neighboring settlements. These meetings did not totally meet their religious needs and they wanted a building dedicated as a church, used for that purpose and no other. They located a site in the center of the Euchee Indians' land constructed a "round-log" building. When it was completed, the Reverend Murdoch Murphy of Alabama, according to one source, presided at the organizing of fifteen Scots and one elder, Donald McLean, Sr., into the Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church in 1827. Another source states that Archibald Anderson was also installed as an elder. No deacons were mentioned. The round-log church served the congregation and community for about 20 years before the congregation had grown to such an extent that a new and larger building was needed.
This new building, constructed in 1847, was made of "sawed timber" and was 50 feet long by 100 feet wide, with a total seating capacity of 400 people. Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church continued to increase in membership and to expand into surrounding communities, establishing a number of missions around the area. The Session would meet at these missions and receive new members into the mother church, Euchee Valley. Some of the preachers that have served Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church include Samuel E. Robinson, Peter Donan, W.H. Crane, Samuel Campbell, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Grady, J.R. Dutler, William Harrison, W.D. Humphries, R.Q. Baker (served 40 years), M.C. Taylor, G.T. Bourne, Mr. Powell, Mr. D.C. Young, John Ash, Raymond Wickersham, P.H. "Catechism" Biddle, Boyd Underwood, Frank Havlicek, Tom Douglas, James Yunker, Kenneth Kelley, Dr. Robert Jaye, Mr. Bill Bricker, and currently Mr. John Erthein. The late Henry Mooney, who served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of DeFuniak Springs, also served Euchee Valley faithfully as guest minister when needed and served as moderator of the session for many years.
The church enjoyed steady growth and continued to have an enormous spiritual and moral impact on the community and the surrounding territories with her Presbyterianism. But with the coming of the L&N railroad, which established a link between Pensacola and Chattahoochee, there also came the development of new enterprises and new towns, which sprung up all along the railroad line. Lumber, turpentine, and other new industries began to displace farming and stock-raising as the mainstays of the economy. A steady exodus from the country to the towns began, withdrawing members from Euchee Valley Church. Most of those departing Presbyterians either began new Presbyterian churches where they settled, or joined other already established Presbyterian churches. It would be difficult to find a Presbyterian church in West Florida, or South Alabama, whose membership was not enriched by members from Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church.
Because of this exodus if members from Euchee Valley, and, some stories related, because of fire damage to the existing structure, a smaller church building was constructed. The exact date of this third building is not established. However, just before the celebration of the church's centennial, the wings were added for Sunday school classes. With refurbishing over the years and changes caused by Hurricane Eloise in 1975, the present building remains to carry on the traditions of the original Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church. The Sunday School/Fellowship Hall, located behind the church, was erected in 2003.
Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church still proclaims, true to its Presbyterian roots, that Jesus Christ is the only pathway to salvation, and preaches and teaches the doctrine of the grace of God as the cornerstone of her belief.
Those Christians who have preached, taught and worshiped here, the souls who have found salvation here, the missionaries who have been sent forth from here, and her continued existence to this day, all bear testimony to the power of God's Spirit at work through Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church.
All who are here today glory in the history of this sacred place and rejoice that God still has a special place and purpose in his divine will for Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church.
(condensed, quoted and paraphrased from three sources, with concluding thoughts from Session)
During the last half of the 18th century, political and economic events in Scotland led to a large Scottish migration to America. When the Stuart family was finally dethroned, the Scots' loyalty to them led them to their attempt to restore Charles Edward Stuart, fondly called Bonnie Prince Charlie, the "Young Pretender," to the throne. Even though the Prince escaped, it ended tragically for the Scots with the battle of Culloden in 1746, when Charles was soundly defeated. Charles escaped and fled to France, but as a result the British King George II (House of Hannover) executed many of the clan chiefs and disarmed the Highlanders. However, the King did show some mercy and spared some of the rebels by granting amnesty to them on condition that they would leave the realm. This change in leadership also led to severe political and economic changes in Scotland during the ensuing years, resulting in even more Scots fleeing their homeland for fairer lands in America.
These Scots, up to 25,000, settled in an area of North Carolina that they found to be satisfactory in the late 18th century. It helped that the then-governor of North Carolina was himself a Scotsman. But even in this new land the Scots became restless, looking for land that was more like their homeland and that offered more room. Thus they began to migrate elsewhere. Some went to Canada, but for one Scot in particular, the tales he had heard of fertile lands in Florida that were "there for the taking" fit well with his desire "for a home where he could have more elbow room and breathe purer air." This was Neil McLendon, and in the spring of 1820 he was stirred to go and see this land for himself.
Traveling with Neil McLendon were his brother Lochlin and John Folk and their families. Also on this trip was Neil's bachelor brother-in-law, Daniel D. Campbell. Through a series of events and encounters, they were introduced to Sam Story, chief of the Euchee Indian tribe, which was reported to consist of approximately 500 Indians. He invited them to come visit his land. When they had toured it they found it to be just the type of land for which they had been searching. They settled in this land, near Bruce Creek, in 1820.
Neil McLendon immediately wrote to his relative, John McKinnon in North Carolina, of the land he had found and invited other Scots to join them in Florida. The migration to Florida was on.
The Reformation in Scotland produced not only the Presbyterian Church, but also a group of people who followed a peculiarly Presbyterian way of life. They trained their members in strict morality, democracy, public welfare and independence. Thus it was natural for the Florida Scots to immediately establish their Presbyterian worship and exercise their Presbyterian lifestyle. They worshiped at their family altars but also met as a group in different homes under the leadership of missionary ministers from neighboring settlements. These meetings did not totally meet their religious needs and they wanted a building dedicated as a church, used for that purpose and no other. They located a site in the center of the Euchee Indians' land constructed a "round-log" building. When it was completed, the Reverend Murdoch Murphy of Alabama, according to one source, presided at the organizing of fifteen Scots and one elder, Donald McLean, Sr., into the Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church in 1827. Another source states that Archibald Anderson was also installed as an elder. No deacons were mentioned. The round-log church served the congregation and community for about 20 years before the congregation had grown to such an extent that a new and larger building was needed.
This new building, constructed in 1847, was made of "sawed timber" and was 50 feet long by 100 feet wide, with a total seating capacity of 400 people. Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church continued to increase in membership and to expand into surrounding communities, establishing a number of missions around the area. The Session would meet at these missions and receive new members into the mother church, Euchee Valley. Some of the preachers that have served Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church include Samuel E. Robinson, Peter Donan, W.H. Crane, Samuel Campbell, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Grady, J.R. Dutler, William Harrison, W.D. Humphries, R.Q. Baker (served 40 years), M.C. Taylor, G.T. Bourne, Mr. Powell, Mr. D.C. Young, John Ash, Raymond Wickersham, P.H. "Catechism" Biddle, Boyd Underwood, Frank Havlicek, Tom Douglas, James Yunker, Kenneth Kelley, Dr. Robert Jaye, Mr. Bill Bricker, and currently Mr. John Erthein. The late Henry Mooney, who served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of DeFuniak Springs, also served Euchee Valley faithfully as guest minister when needed and served as moderator of the session for many years.
The church enjoyed steady growth and continued to have an enormous spiritual and moral impact on the community and the surrounding territories with her Presbyterianism. But with the coming of the L&N railroad, which established a link between Pensacola and Chattahoochee, there also came the development of new enterprises and new towns, which sprung up all along the railroad line. Lumber, turpentine, and other new industries began to displace farming and stock-raising as the mainstays of the economy. A steady exodus from the country to the towns began, withdrawing members from Euchee Valley Church. Most of those departing Presbyterians either began new Presbyterian churches where they settled, or joined other already established Presbyterian churches. It would be difficult to find a Presbyterian church in West Florida, or South Alabama, whose membership was not enriched by members from Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church.
Because of this exodus if members from Euchee Valley, and, some stories related, because of fire damage to the existing structure, a smaller church building was constructed. The exact date of this third building is not established. However, just before the celebration of the church's centennial, the wings were added for Sunday school classes. With refurbishing over the years and changes caused by Hurricane Eloise in 1975, the present building remains to carry on the traditions of the original Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church. The Sunday School/Fellowship Hall, located behind the church, was erected in 2003.
Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church still proclaims, true to its Presbyterian roots, that Jesus Christ is the only pathway to salvation, and preaches and teaches the doctrine of the grace of God as the cornerstone of her belief.
Those Christians who have preached, taught and worshiped here, the souls who have found salvation here, the missionaries who have been sent forth from here, and her continued existence to this day, all bear testimony to the power of God's Spirit at work through Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church.
All who are here today glory in the history of this sacred place and rejoice that God still has a special place and purpose in his divine will for Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church.