Who We Are

Highland Presbyterian is an urban church in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville, KY. We hope to be a community where people can find a home to live their faith. We know it is difficult to learn a new place, new people, and we want to welcome you. Here are some of the many ways Highland Presbyterian Church lives its faith together.

We gather on Sunday mornings for inspiring worship. We nurture our children and guide our youth. We play together in fellowship as friends and families. We explore faith where questions are as important as answers. We sing and make music. We welcome unfamiliar faces, hoping for new friends. We comfort the troubled and support our neighbor. We strive to use our time and talent to serve God, one another, and the world, sharing hope from the heart of the Highlands.

What We Believe

The heart of Christian faith is the grace of God made known to the world through the life and ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In our confessions of faith, we say that “in life and in death, we belong to God” and nothing, in life or in death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

We believe that the goodness of God shines forth in creation but that it is most fully revealed in the Bible. There, we learn of God’s love for humanity as told through the story of Israel and the story of Jesus and the early church. The appropriate human response to the grace and goodness of God is a life of gratitude.

We show this in many ways: by worshipping God, by caring for creation, by sharing ourselves and our resources with others, especially those in greatest need, and by working for justice and peace in society.

Inclusivity Statement

The congregation of Highland Presbyterian Church affirms the worth and dignity of all people. We are all created in God’s image, and in Christ we are the children of God. Just as Jesus welcomed everyone into his fellowship, including those who traditionally had been marginalized, we welcome all people to our congregation regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental ability, income, or political beliefs. All are invited to worship, serve, and participate fully in the life and ministry of Highland. We strive to fully embrace everyone and acknowledge our humanity even as we fall short of this desire. Living out our Christian calling, we celebrate the presence, gifts, and companionship of all as we experience this journey of faith together.

Our Mission and Vision

In 2014, Highland Presbyterian Church adopted a mission statement to guide the congregation, its people, and its leadership as they seek to live faithfully.

Vision Statement

Sharing Hope from the Heart of the Highlands

Mission Statement

Highland Presbyterian Church is a community of believers inspired by the love of Jesus Christ and biblical teachings. We believe we are called to guide our children, support our neighbors, comfort the troubled, soothe the suffering and bless the dying.

We give, we receive, we serve,
we teach, we question, we learn,
we sing, we laugh, we pray.

We strive to use our time and talents to serve God, one another, and the world, sharing hope from the heart of the Highlands.

Our History

The community that became Highland Presbyterian Church first met in 1873 in a local physician’s home. They created a Sabbath School for children and an adult prayer meeting. A larger meetinghouse was built in 1876 where Highland Presbyterian Church now stands at the corner of Cherokee Road and Highland Avenue.

Established in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville, Highland Presbyterian Church was the first church officially organized in 1882. The current sanctuary was built in 1888 in the shape of a Greek cross. The Courier-Journal remarked at the dedication that it was as “pretty a little church edifice as could be found in the city.”

From that point to the present, this has been a place of worship where a Presbyterian community has committed to learn and grow in faith. As it has done so, the church expanded, building the Sunday School Building in 1916 (expanded in 1930) and the Walker-Nevin Education Building in 1960. In 2007, the church renovated the old Parr’s Rest building into the Pleune-Mobley Center. Currently, the Center houses the Youth Ministry and Mission Center and is home to Kentucky Refugee Ministries.

From the early days to the present, people have left the doors of the church to be a part of God’s life in the world. From the Great Flood of 1937, to starting mission churches through the 20th century, to Civil Rights, to refugee ministries, Highland Presbyterian Church is committed to follow wherever God is calling us to today and tomorrow. Come be a part of a Christian community that is Sharing Hope from the Heart of the Highlands.

The finest resource for a full history of Highland Presbyterian Church is the book “Like Jacob’s Well: The Very Human History of Highland Presbyterian Church” by Linda Raymond and Bill Ellison.