Who We Are

What We Believe

White Memorial Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is a member of the New Hope Presbytery. We affirm that we are a part of the universal fellowship of Christian churches, which includes all those who acknowledge the one God, profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and trust the redeeming power of the Holy Spirit.

At White Memorial we worship, embrace and serve in order that we might lend our voices to the proclamation of Jesus Christ and his love. Our most ardent hope is to be a community dedicated to the proclamation of God’s good news and serving our neighbors.

History

White Memorial was founded in 1946 by a group of members from First Presbyterian Church in Raleigh. It is named for Dr. William McClanahan White who served as minister of First Presbyterian from 1908 to 1934.

From 1946 until 1952 church services were held in the Colony (now Rialto) Theatre. Sunday School classes met at the Hayes Barton (now Underwood) School from 1946 until 1949. The first building constructed on the present site was the Luther Building, completed in 1949. It was used for Sunday School classes and the Weekday Pre-School and is still operating in that capacity today.

The first pastor, Dr. Charles Lynnwood Brown, served from 1946 until 1966. He was succeeded in 1966 by Dr. H. Edwin Pickard, who served until his retirement in 1993. In June 1994, the congregation called Dr. Arthur Ross III as pastor. Art served until his retirement on August 31, 2009. Christopher Edmonston was called as the newest pastor of White Memorial and began serving the church in September 2011.

Leadership

Leadership at White Memorial includes
pastors, church staff, and lay leaders.