A Day of Worship
Sunday
Sunday School
Morning Worship
Evening Worship
A Brief History of Cliffwood
From Dream to Reality
Cliffwood PCA is the offspring of Augusta's historic First Presbyterian Church, and as such lays claim to rich heritage of that great church, which in May 1861 was the host church for the first General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U.S.
Cliffwood began as a mission effort of First Presbyterian in 1952. A house was purchased on Young Drive to serve as a place to worship. Cliffwood quikly outgrew the space and purchased an Army Chapel due to be decomissioned. It was moved from Ft. Gordon to a vacant lot next door to the house, 156 people gathered for a dedication service of the Cliffwood Chapel on April 4, 1954. Three years later the name was changed to Cliffwood Presbyterian Church. Since January 6, 1957, the members of Cliffwood have faithfully sought to carry on the great heritage handed down to them as a witnessing church and a serving church in Augusta. Cliffwood's second pastor, Malcom Bullock, went to the mission field in Taiwan as a testimony of the mission zeal of the church. Three members of Cliffood entered full time Christian ministry and two young women went to Brazil as missionaries in 1968.
With the establishment of the Westminster mission as a church in 1951, and with the continued influx of people into the newly expanded Fleming heights area, the mission-minded folk of First Presbyterian Church felt led to begin another chapel. After an extensive canvassing of the Fleming Heights community, and the results of this canvass indicated that a Presbyterian chapel should be located there. A house as initially purchased to serve as a place of worship whihle additional property adjacent to the house was pursued for the erection of a church building. The house located at 2409 Young Drive was valued at $12,000 but was able to be purchased for $8600.00. Two additional lots were also included in the price on the corner of Young Drive and Cliffwood Street. On October 19, 1952, ninety-seven people crowded into the chapel-house for the first service. Held at 9:30 AM to allow Dr. Strong time to return to First Presbyterian Church to hold the 11:15AM morning woship. This was the beginning of what was known as the Presbyterian Chapel of Fleming Heights.
A Growing Church Several years of steady growth began to strain the chapel building and the leadership began planning for a future home. A nine acre tract was purchased at 2525 Lumpkin Road and the present sanctuary was erected on February 11, 1956 and dedicated on May 2, 1956. The fellowship hall was enlarged on September 6, 1981 to accomodate the continued growth of Cliffwood PCA.
A connection between Cliffwood’s heritage as a church plant of First Presbyterian Church, First Church gave the old pulpit that had been used at First Presbyterian. The exact age of the pulpit was unknown but it is most probably the original pulpit installed when Fist Church was completed in 1812. This was the same sacred desk used by Dr. Benjamin M. Palmer when he moderated the first General Assembly of the Southern Presbyterian Church in 1861. The pastoral ministries of Dr. Joseph R. Wilson, Dr. Robert Irvine, and Dr. J.T. Plunket were the legacy of this pulpit. The pulpit was moved in 1892 when First Presbyterian was remodeled. It remained in a Sunday school room until 1955 when it was given to Cliffwood Chapel. At some point shortly after the pulpit was put into use, First Presbyterian asked for the pulpit to be returned as an important piece of the historical narrative of that church.
Standing Firm on the Word of God... Laboring under the motto, "We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord." Cliffwood's ministers have created a long and strong heritage of concern and respect for God's Word. Cliffwood has always honored the pulpit as the place where the Word of God is opened and taught. Each minister brought unique and timely ministry to Cliffwood when, in God's providence, she needed them most. Perhaps these names will be familiar to you:
- Bob Floyd
- Malcolm Bullock
- Herbert Bailey
- Paul Rowland
- Robert Griffith
- Ted Hagen
- Arthur Wood III
- Tim Stewart
- Charles Rector
- Michael Cannon
Faithfulness Requires Conviction and Courage Because of concerns regarding theological drifting in the old Southern Presbyterian Church and, more particularly, the theological liberalism in the PCUSA (Presbyterian Church USA), Cliffwood prayerfully considered her future with the denomination. On January 15, 1989, the membership of Cliffwood voted to request dismissal from the PCUS. Cliffwood then asked and was received into Central Georgia Presbytery and the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) on March 5, 1989. The PCA (often called the "Continuing Presbyterian Church") began in the Southern Presbyterian Church among the remnants of the Old Southern Presbyerians who had been battling for the soul of the Southern Presbyterian Church since 1934 when a steady growth in liberal power overwhelmed conservatives who were too late to organize in opposition. The concern centered on whether the Scriptures should be interpreted literally or not. The issues came to a head during the turbulent politics and social upheavals on the 1960's and 70's. The issues that became inflammatory were the question of women's ordination, abortion, promiscuity, divorce, and even the Gospel itself. The PCA represents the conservative thought of historic Presbyterianism. Cliffwood strives to maintain the purity and peace of the Gospel in the continuing Church of Christ.
