Church History
For over a century, the Wythe congregation has been serving communities in Hampton, VA!
In January 1921, the Wythe Chapel began as an outpost Sunday School. The members arrived via the electric trolleys that served the city from Buckroe Beach to the shipyard.
On Nov. 10, 1940, the Wythe Chapel was organized into Wythe Presbyterian Church. Dr. W. E. Davis was ordained as the Pastor-Evangelist in charge.
As the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) became NASA and set its sights for the stars, the area grew with all of the personnel that would soon put astronauts into space and onto the moon. The church began a building fund and completed construction in 1949, and expanded its ministry.
Education has always been a priority for Presbyterians, and in 1970 a wing was added to original structure that would not only add space for Sunday School classes, but serve the community through a Mother’s Day Out program. The popularity of the program and the needs of the burgeoning community grew quickly, leading the founding of the Wythe Presbyterian Preschool.
More than 50 years later the Wythe Presbyterian Preschool continues to provide an affordable, faith based five-day program with an age-appropriate, hands-on learning curriculum.
In 1986, member Dois Rosser found International Cooperating Ministries, an agency that builds church buildings for indigenous congregations around the world. The Wythe congregation participated in these efforts, helping in the construction of churches in ____.
The lowest level of the church building is home to the longest running AA meetings on the Peninsula. This dedicated space allows the program to offer numerous in-person meetings throughout the week. Recently, a Wednesday Al-Anon meeting was added.
In 2009, Wythe Presbyterian Church was blessed with a new opportunity for ministry when two refugees from Myanmar came to worship. They believed the Holy Spirit had led them to this congregation who could help them develop a church community for other refugees from Myanmar. The congregation quickly helped the families find places to live, offered ESL classes, and guided the adults through the process to become US Citizens.
The Myanmar Christian Fellowship Church was founded in and continues to offer Burmese language worship on Sunday afternoons. Many families continue to participate in the life of the Wythe Church and attend the English language services on Sunday Mornings. This diversity of cultures enriches the life of the congregation and provides a unique perspective as disciples together in following Jesus Christ.
With its unique gifts, Wythe Presbyterian Church continues to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus in the community and around the world. Many churches say they are welcoming.