Our History
Though our current slogan Reaching Out To… Welcome. Worship. Share. Serve. is relatively new, it speaks to the mission of communal belonging that has defined Mount Vernon since our genesis in 1954.
Founded by members of Peachtree Presbyterian Church as Atlanta spread northward, Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church worshipped first in the Burdette Mansion located on our campus. The church’s commitment to be a missional community developed through the early capital projects of building of a Fellowship Hall and an Education Building.
As the church grew quickly in the 1960s and 1970s, the current sanctuary building was built (1969) and we welcomed The Mount Vernon School (1972) onto the campus. The partnership between church and school continues to this day.
During the 1980s, the church was defined by revitalization of the congregation and a renewal of mission as the church helped to launch the Community Assistance Center on its campus . CAC is now one of the largest social services organizations in metro Atlanta and the church is proud to still walk alongside them in ministry.
In the early 1990s, the church and The Mount Vernon School embarked on the Mutual Vision Capital Campaign that culminated in the construction of a new Fellowship Hall and Activities Building This project provided both the Church and the School the space to thrive as a center of knowledge of God and intellect that continues to this day.
With the dawn the 21st Century, the church made strides to reach out to the Spanish speaking community in Sandy Springs. This outreach resulted in the formation of Los Niños Primero in 2001, an English as second language summer program for children that continues to this day on our campus but has also branched out to multiple locations across the city.
The church’s commitment to mission expanded as we celebrated 50 years in 2004 and forged a partnership with Garden Presbyterian Church in Lusaka, Zambia along with the non-profit Alliance for Children Everywhere. This partnership has inspired many in our congregation to visit, learn, and offer their benevolences, and it continues to flourish to this day. Most recently, the church sent a team of eight members to visit our sister church and partners in Lusaka in July 2024.
Today, Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church is a church of roughly 375 members continuing to embody and sustain the mission and ministry that has been cultivated while establishing new ones as well. On an average week, we welcome on campus around 4,000 people from all walks of life seeking knowledge, support, joy, and prayer. On Sunday, our worship at 10:30am is rooted in Presbyterian tradition but with the modern person in mind.
So consider this our subtle reach out to you- we would love to welcome you, to worship alongside you, to share more of who we are with you, and, in turn, we hope you want to serve God alongside us. Peace to you from the heart of Sandy Springs as we continue to live out our story.
