Our history

Our history began back in the 1800’s with the Belk family. During his lifetime, William Henry Belk spread the Gospel according to the Presbyterian Church just as he did his own style of merchandising, by personal example.

“Daddy was shy, humble, and lived his religion,” John said. “He wasn’t trying to impress anybody.” The elder Belk found guidance for important decisions in the Bible, which he read daily and throughout his life, and nothing occupied more of his time than the Presbyterian institutions that he helped found and support.

His early efforts included underwriting the work of evangelists, whose salaries he and his brother, Dr. John M. Belk, paid out of their own pockets. A particular favorite was William Black, a Greensboro lawyer who took up the faith with the fervor and zeal of a convert.

He was “evangelical to the core,” one church history said. Through his ministry, Black laid the foundation for Charlotte to become one of the top ten cities in Presbyterian membership by mid-century.

Black organized more than a dozen churches even before he took over the church’s home Missions program in 1910 one of those churches was our very own Black’s Memorial.

The growth rate of converts to the Presbyterian faith was two to four times that for Methodists and Baptists. At his side throughout this period were the Belk brothers, on whom he could count for aid in raising houses of worship across the Charlotte region.

According to the Union County Library historian that our 1st sanctuary could have been the old First Baptist Church of Monroe. 1st Baptist Church was located at the cemetery across from their parsonage located at 511 Parker Street.

The historian stated she was informed that the church was moved the across the street. A register of deed records confirmed that we once own land on Wolfe Pond Rd that was sold back to the General Presbyterian Assembly on 10/25/1897 for $1.00 and land was purchase on Parker Street for the sum of $320.00 on 11/13/1897.