Our History

In 1970, the Presbytery of Memphis of the now Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) recognized the need for another Presbyterian Church in the expanding community of Germantown. With this foresight, 4.4 acres of land were bought in 1971 in the proposed Farmington planned community for the purpose of beginning a new church.

In February of 1974, Dr. J. Millen Darnell was called to organize the new congregation. Worship services were held in a home and then in the old city hall, and later, for two years, at the Memphis University School.

The Church was officially organized on June 1, 1975, with 76 members. Ground breaking was held the same month for the first building, which was occupied in March of 1976. The congregation became self-supporting in 1980.

In 1981 the Christian Education Building was built, the sanctuary was expanded, and a parking lot was added. In 1988, the building program included installation of pews and renovation of the sanctuary. It also added the Fellowship Hall, classrooms, and enlarged the kitchen and parking areas.

On July 15, 2001, we dedicated the newest addition to our facility, the Youth Center, Associate Minister’s office, and adult meeting room (the East Room).

Since the beginning of the church there has been a Preschool and Kindergarten program at the church. This later expanded to include Before and After school care and a Summer Camp program. From the beginning, the church has also been a leader in Scouting, sponsoring Cub Pack 368, Boy Scouts Troop 368, and Girl Scout Troops. Ten different pastors, associate pastors and interim pastors have faithfully served this congregation since its organization.

Our More Recent History from our 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2025:

Farmington Presbyterian celebrated its 40^th Anniversary on Pentecost 2015 by dedicating new hymnals, unveiling a Wall of Pastors, and enjoying a fried chicken picnic on the grounds! Also in 2015, Farmington held it’s first Rise against Hunger packaging event and began hosting Room in the Inn. On Pentecost 2016, Rev. Luter was installed as Pastor by the Presbytery of the Mid-South. We made a 3-year commitment to financially support a missionary to North Korea, stationed in China. In 2017, Charles Billings retired after 20 years as Director of Music. In 2018, we began preparing clean up buckets for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and hosted our first Ten Thousand Villages Christmas Fair Trade Pop-Up Sale.

The summer of 2019 included a trip led by Rev. Luter to the Holy Land, a trip for the youth to Montreat, and a flood in Germantown. The community came together at Farmington for a spaghetti dinner that raised over $10,000 to assist families impacted by the flood. That fall, every child impacted by the flood received their school supplies from Farmington. Also in 2019, A Carillon was installed and dedicated in memory of former Director of Music Charles Billings, Jim Thrash was named Director of Music and Tom Bryant Accompanist, and Farmington was certified by the PC(USA) as a Hunger Action Congregation.

During this time, our connection with the Presbytery of the Mid-South deepened with several members serving in Presbytery roles. We hosted a Presbytery meeting for the first time in 20 years in 2017, again in 2020, and then we hosted Presbytery’s Presbyterian Women Spring Gathering this year.

Speaking of 2020, we shifted from in-person worship and meetings and fellowship to livestreamed within a week in March! Weekly worship themes with picture submissions, caring caravans, parking lot Communion services, and Zoom devotions kept the Farmington family connected with one another. We began to regather in 2021, relaunching many of the ministries that had been on hold and continuing our livestream worship ministry. New Programs in 2022 included:  Adult Ministries Luncheons, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and Friendsgiving.

In 2023, Kirsten King was ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament, the second member of the Farmington family to answer God’s call to ministry. The first was Rev. Neil Sherman, and the next will be ordained here later this month, Paul King.

In the last 10 years, most of the building has been repainted, the classroom cabinets and furniture has been replaced, much of the flooring and carpet has been replaced, the shingle roof has been torn off and replaced, the kitchen has been renovated, the front porch and all of the exterior doors have been replaced, water fountains have been replaced with water fountain and bottle fillers, and the Narthex has been redecorated.

The relationship between the Church and Day School is now as strong or stronger than it has ever been. Friendsgiving and the Spring Picnic and Silent Auction were terrific joint events this year. The church is currently seeking an Associate Pastor for Community Life to create opportunities for engagement with our community, neighbors, and one another. Farmington Presbyterian truly is a home for all of God’s family with a heart for all of God’s world.