Synod & Presbytery changes in 1973 and 1983 - PCUSA
Narrative Summary and Chart
Go to the Beginning, Contents, End or back to the Bethany PC page.
The history of the Presbytery of Sacramento starts with the formation of the
first Presbyterian church in the area which was Marysville First (NS) in 1850
in the Gold Rush days. This was followed by Placerville First (NS) in 1853.
These PCUSA-New School churches probably were first associated with the
Presbytery of San Francisco (NS)(formed in 1849) and then in 1857 with the
newly formed Synod of Alta California (NS) and the newly formed Presbytery
of Sierra Nevada. Then came Sacramento First (now Westminster) (OS) in 1856.
PCUSA-Old School churches would have been first accociated with the
Presbytery of California (OS) (formed in 1849) and then in 1852 with the
newly formed Synod of the Pacific (OS) and the newly formed Presbytery of
Stockton. In 1870 with the merger of the PCUSA-OS and PCUSA-NS into the
PCUSA these Synods and Presbyteries were merged and our churches then become
associated with the new Synod of the Pacific and the newly formed Presbytery
of Sacramento. In 1892 the Synod of the Pacific was renamed the Synod of
California. After the merger of the PCUSA and the UPCNA in 1958 into the
UPCUSA the Synod of California was restructured in 1967 into the Synod of
Southern California, Synod of the Sierra, and the Synod of the Golden Gate.
The Presbytery of Sacramento continued on only slightly changed within the
Synod of the Sierra. In 1973 there was a reorganization and merger of Synods
on the west coast and a new Synod of the Pacific was created and it included
what had been the Synods of the Sierra, Golden Gate, Oregon, and Idaho. The
Presbytery of Sacramento continued on unchanged. In 1983 the UPCUSA and the
PCUS merged but no changes occurred on the west coast since the PCUS had no
churches out here. This history may possibly be more easily seen in the
following chart:
1810 split PCUSA ----------------> Cumberland
| |
1837 split PCUSA-OS <----> PCUSA-NS |
Then in California | | |
1949 P.California P.San Francisco |
| | |
1852/6 S.Pacific S.Alta California |
P.Stockton P.Sierra Nevada |
| | | \ /
1858 merger | | | UPCNA
| | | |
1870 merger ---> PCUSA <----- | |
S.Pacific | |
P.Sacramento | |
| | |
1892 S.California | |
P.Sacramento | |
| | |
1906 merger |<------------------ Cumberland |
| |
1958 merger -----------> UPCUSA <---------------------------
|
1967 restructuring S.Sierras
P.Sacramento
|
1973 restructuring S.Pacific
P.Sacramento
|
1983 merger PCUSA<--------------------------PCUS
S.Pacific
P.Sacramento
|
Go to the Beginning, Contents, End or back to the Bethany PC page.
Earliest Protestant Churches in California 1849-1850
Go to the Beginning, Contents, End or back to the Bethany PC page.
From: California Pioneer Decade of 1849, The Presbyterian Church,
1922, James L. Woods.
p. 21, Chapter IV, Pioneer Churches of All Denominations, 1849
1849 04/15 Benicia First Presbyterian Church - closed ca.1869
1849 05/20 San Francisco First Presbyterian Church
1849 06/06 San Francisco First Baptist Church
1849 07/22 San Francisco Trinity Episcopal Church
1849 07/27 San Francisco First Methodist Episcopal Church
1849 07/29 San Francisco First Congregational Church
1849 09/20 Presbytery of San Francisco (NS)
1849 09/20 Sacramento First Church of Christ (Congregational)
1849 10/07 San Jose Independent Presbyterian Church
joined P.of S.F. (S.of Alta Ca-NS) 1858 chg'd name to First PC
1849 10/28 Sacramento Sixth Street Methodist Episcopal Church
1850 01/20 San Jose First Methodist Episcopal Church
1850 03/16 Stockton Central Methodist Episcopal Church
1850 03/17 Stockton First Presbyterian Church
1850 04/28 San Francisco Grace Episcopal Church
1850 05/19 San Jose First Baptist Church
1850 05/__ San Francisco First Methodist Epicopal Church, South
1850 05/__ Sacramento Ashbury Chapel, Methodist Episcopal Ch,South
1850 ca. Napa Cumberland Presbyterian Church
1850 09/15 San Francisco Howard Street Presbyterian Church
1850 11/24 Marysville First Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian Churches in California - 1849-1870
Go to the Beginning, Contents, End or back to the Bethany PC page.
From:
1. California Pioneer Decade of 1849, The Presbyterian Church,
1922, James L. Woods. p.25, Chapter V, Pioneer Prebyterian Churches,
1849-1859.
2. Minutes of the 116th and Final Annual Session of the Synod of
California of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.
February 21 and November 20, 1967. p.94 Appendix C, Chronological
List of Churches. He only listed the churches in existance in 1967.
Source
| Organized Town Church Name (Presbyterian Church)
1 1849 04/15 Benicia First
12 1849 05/20 San Francisco First
1 1849 09/20 Presbytery of San Francisco (NS)
12 1849 10/07 San Jose Independent Presbyterian Church
joined P.of S.F. (S.of Alta Ca-NS) 1858 chg'd name to First PC
12 1850 03/17 Stockton First
1 1850 about Napa Cumberland
12 1850 09/15 San Francisco Howard Street
12 1850 11/24 Marysville First (NS)
1 1851 none
2 1851 07/19 Mtn. View (Cumb) orig.called Oak Grove,
then Union in 1857
1861 merged with Cumb Ch.of Santa Clara
1 1852 01/16 Santa Clara First (orig. called Camden)
1 1852 02/08 Grass Valley First (orig. called Centreville)
1 1853 01/16 San Francisco Welsh
12 1853 03/26 Oakland First (NS)
12 1853 05/01 Placerville First (NS)
1 1853 05/14 Sonora First
1 1853 06/05 Centerville PC, orig. called Alameda
2 1853 06/05 Fremont Centerville (NS), orig.called Alameda
merged with Alvarado (org.1854)
12 1853 11/06 San Francisco Chinese
1 1854 06/__ San Francisco Geary Street
12 1854 07/23 San Francisco Calvary
1 1854 10/__ Eden reog.1860 as Alvarado Church
12 1854 12/19 Columbia First (NS)
1 1855 01/19 Napa First, orig. Independent PC
2 1853 01/19 Napa First, orig. Independent PC, to OS
12 1855 03/18 Los Angeles First East
1 1855 __/__ Crescent City First
1 1855 10/__ Georgetown
12 1856 03/17 Santa Rosa First
12 1856 04/27 Sacramento Westminster, orig. First
1 1857 __/__ Suisun First
1 1857 __/__ Vacaville
1 1857 __/__ JamesTown
1 1857 __/__ Martinez First (Contra Costa Co.)
12 1858 10/10 Healdsburg First (OS)
1 1858 __/__ Mount Zion (near Petaluma)
1 1858 __/__ Chinese Camp
1 1858 __/__ San Ramon
1 1858 __/__ Pacheco
1 1859 __/__ Healdsburg First (NS)
12 1859 11/05 Mendicino First (NS)
1 1860 01/__ Alameda First
12 1860 09/16 Gilroy First
12 1860 10/21 Two Rock First
2 1860 11/04 Red Bluff (NS)
12 1861 01/01 Arcata First
12 1861 01/13 San Francisco St. Paul's
2 1861 02/17 Oakland Brooklyn (NS)
2 1861 05/19 Carson City, Nevada (NS)
12 1862 11/22 Vallejo First
2 1863 late Winters (Cumb) org. as Pine Grove
1864
2 1865 11/05 Alameda First (NS)
2 1866 01/07 San Francisco First (NA)
2 1866 02/11 San Leandro First (NS)
2 1866 04/18 Woodlake (Cumb) called Kaweah, renamed 1913
2 1866 12/08 Glenville Mt. Carmel (Cumb)
1867
2 1868 04/12 San Francisco Olivet (NS)
2 1868 07/26 Chico Bidwell Memorial
2 1868 12/__ San Francisco Trinity, merged with Mizpah(1893)in 1942
(? Orig. called Howard St.,renamed to T.in 1892)
2 1869 01/31 Ventura (NS) orig. San Buenaventura
2 1869 06/07 San Diego First
2 1869 06/21 Santa Barbara First
2 1869 09/26 San Rafel
2 1869 11/14 Davis (formerly Davisville)
2 1869 12/07 Salinas First (NA)
2 1870 03/06 Anaheim First (NS)
2 1870 03/06 San Francisco St. John's
2 1870 05/26 Elko, Nevada
2 1870 20/01 Wilmington Calvary
Synods & Presbyteries 1849-1860 - Old School, New School, and Cumberland
Go to the Beginning, Contents, End or back to the Bethany PC page.
From: California Pioneer Decade of 1849, The Presbyterian Church,
1922, James L. Woods.
p.92, Chapter 10, Erection of Presbyteries and Synods
(P.=Presbytery, S.=Synod)
1851 Cumberland Presbyterian Presbytery
PCUSA-Old School (OS) General Assembly (GA) created:
1849 Presbytery of California, annexed to S. of New York
1851 Presbytery of Oregon
1852 Presbytery of Stockton
1852 Synod of the Pacific (w/3 P. above)
Later divisions of Synod of the Pacific
1856 P. Benicia (must have been from P.Calif.)
1858 P. Puget Sound, from P.Oregon
PCUSA-New School (NS) General Assembly (GA) created:
1849 P. San Francisco, annexed to S. New York & New Jersey
1857 P. San Jose
1857 P. Sierra Nevada
1857 S. of Alta California (w/3 P. above)
Synod & Presbytery changes in 1870
Go to the Beginning, Contents, End or back to the Bethany PC page.
From: California Pioneer Decade of 1849, The Presbyterian Church,
1922, James L. Woods.
p.92, Chapter 10, Erection of Presbyteries and Synods
(P.=Presbytery, S.=Synod)
In 1870 with the merger of PCUSA-OS and PCUSA-NS:
1870 S. Pacific formed from S. Pacific (OS) & S. Alta Calif.(NS)
1. P. Oregon
formerly P. Puget Sound, P. Oregon (of S. Pacific (OS))
2. P. San Francisco
formerly P. San Francisco (S. Alta Calif.(NS))
and P. California (S. Pacific (OS))
3. P. San Jose
formerly P. San Jose (S. Alta Calif.(NS))
4. P. Benicia
formerly P. Benicia (S. Pacific (OS))
5. P. Sacramento
formerly P. Sierra Nevada (S. Alta Calif.(NS))
and P. Stockton (S. Pacific (OS))
Later
1876 P. of Oregon became S. of Columbia (later Oregon)
1886 P. Stockton, from P. Sacramento, renamed 1906 P. San Joaquin
1892 S. Pacific renamed to S. California
Synod & Presbytery changes in 1967
Go to the Beginning, Contents, End or back to the Bethany PC page.
From: Minutes of the 116th and Final Annual Session of the Synod of
California of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.
February 21 and November 20, 1967.
p.3
Synod of California
Presbytery: Organized
Los Angeles 1873 Synod of Pacific
includes Hawaii
Nevada 1907 Synod of Calif.
Redwoods 1870 Synod of Pacific, as P. of Benicia
1830 renamed P. of Redwoods
Riverside 1902 Synod of Calif.
Sacramento 1870 Synod of Pacific
San Francisco 1870 Synod of Pacific
San Joaquin 1886 Synod of Pacific, as P. of Stockton
1906 renamed P. of San Joaquin
San Jose 1870 Synod of Pacific
Santa Barbara 1896 Synod of Calif.
Utah 1951 Synod of Calif.
p.16
The Synod of California on February 21, 1967 overtures the 179th
General Assembly (May 18-24, 1967) to divide into three new synods:
Synod of Southern Califonia
Presbytery:
Riverside
Santa Barbara
Los Angeles but maybe
San Diego (new)
Santa Ana (new)
San Gabriel (new)
San Fernando (new)
Los Angeles-Southwest (new)
Synod of the Sierra
Nevada
Sacramento
Utah
San Joaquin
Stockton (new)
Synod of the Golden Gate
Redwoods
San Jose
San Francisco
p.94 Appendix C, Chronological List of Churches
Four Branches of Presbyterian Faith now merged into UPCUSA:
PCUSA - Old School - merged 1869
PCUSA - New School - merged 1869
Cumberland - joined PCUSA 1906
United Presbyterian Church of North America - joined 1958
Synod of the Pacific (PCUSA-OS) 1852-1869, merged 1869
Synod of Alta California (PCUSA-NS) 1857-1869, merged 1869
Synod of the Pacific (PCUSA) 1870-1891
changed name to Synod of California (PCUSA) 1892
Synod of California (PCUSA) 1892-1958
Synod of the Pacific (Cumberland) 1860-1906
united with Synod of California (PCUSA) 1906
Synod of the Pacific (UPCNA) 1877-1891
Changed name to Synod of California (UPCNA) 1892
Synod of California (UPCNA) 1892-1958
Synod of California (UPCUSA) 1959-1967
Synod of the Sierra, Presbytery of Sacramento - List of Churches in 1967
Go to the Beginning, Contents, End or back to the Bethany PC page.
From: Minutes of the 116th and Final Annual Session of the Synod of
California of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.
February 21 and November 20, 1967.
p.123 Synod of the Sierra (1967- )
Presbytery of Sacramento
1948 Burney
1925 Carmichael
1868 Chico, Bidwell Memorial (?S)
1962 Citrus Heights, Celtic Cross
1874 Colusa, First
1900 Corning, First
1869 Davis, Community (orig. Davisville) (OS)
1923 Esparto, Countryside
1902 Fair Oaks
1935 Folsom
1881 Gridley, First
1931 Live Oak, Community - closed ???????
1850 Marysville, First (NS)
1943 McCloud, Community
1953 North Highlands, St. Stephen (orig. Community)
1909 Orland, Federated
1959 Oroville, Trinity
1853 Placerville, Federated (orig. First) (NS)
(GA 1870 & 1871 Minutes/Statistics
In 1870 Pacerville, Westminster (OS) (smaller), shown 1871)
1963 Rancho Cordova, Cordova
1860 Red Bluff (?S)
1878 Redding, First
1873 Roseville, First
1914 Sacramento, Bethany
1882 Sacramento, Fremont
1948 Sacramento, Fruitridge - closed ???????
1962 Sacramento, Grace
1955 Sacramento, Northminster
1920 Sacramento, Parkview
1856 Sacramento, Westminster (orig. First)(OS)
South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe (? 1948 Tahoe Valley, Community)
1873 Vacaville, Community
1951 Walnut Grove, Community
1906 Weed, Grace
1943 West Sacramento, Trinity
1863 Winters, Pioneer (orig. Pine Grove) (Cumb)
1961 Yuba City, St. Andrew
Synod & Presbytery changes in 1973 and 1983
Go to the Beginning, Contents, End or back to the Bethany PC page.
From: Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly Minutes and Statistics
for 1972, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1983..
In Janary 1973 on the west coast there was a re-alignment for more
effective mission thrust. The following were merged together into the
Synod of the Pacific.
Synod of the Sierra
Presbyteries of:
Nevada
Sacramento
San Joaquin
Stockton
Synod of the Golden Gate
The Redwoods
San Francisco
San Jose
Synod of Oregon
Eastern Oregon
Portland /
Southwest Oregon / These 3 merged as P.of the Cascades in 1973
Willamette /
Synod of Idaho
Boise
Kendall
Presbytery of Northern Idaho (previously in the S. of Idaho) went to
the S. of Alaska and the Northwest.
In 1980-1982 the UPCUSA and the PCUS published common General
Assembly minutes and statistics books. Their statistics were still
separate but both reported in the same volumes.
In 1983 the UPCUSA and the PCUS had merged their Synods and
Presbyteries and they were reported together under the title the
Presbyterian Church (USA) (PCUSA). Since there were no PCUS churches
in California there was no effect on the Synod and Presbytery
structure in northern California due to this merger.
Bethany Presbyterian Church, . (916)-428-5281
5625 24th Street, Sacramento, California 95822 . . .
Go to the Top , Index / Links , End , or back to the Main page.
Created by J.R.Davis on 6/21/99, last updated on 2/15/04.
Comments, suggestions, and/or corrections: please contact the Webmaster
To ask about the church or comment on religious doctrine contact the pastor: