The First Presbyterian Church in Germantown was built in 1872, with the west and east transepts added in 1888 and 1891, respectively. It was added to the Philadelphia Register of Historical Places on January 25, 1966.
Stained Glass Windows
The twenty-nine stained glass windows in the sanctuary of The First Presbyterian Church in Germantown were designed and crafted by some of the country’s finest artists: Henry Lee Willet, Nicola D’ascenzo, and Louis Tiffany. An additional Willet window can be found in Longstreth Auditorium. Additionally, a mosaic is located on the right of the chancel . Memorializing and honoring twenty-three members and pastors of the congregation of the last two centuries, these windows largely proclaim excerpts of the life of…
Violet Oakley Murals
Violet Oakley’s Great Women of the Bible If you would like to see the murals, please email us so we can arrange a time. A Brief History In the early 1940s, Mrs. W. Beatty Jennings, widow of the former pastor, approached Violet Oakley about painting a scene of the Annunciation in the reception room for the church’s Pastoral Aid Society (the women’s organization of the church). Ms. Oakley suggested a larger project, and Mrs. Jennings convinced church members to sponsor…
Banners
In 2024, the Worship, Music, and Arts Committee approached textile artist and longtime friend of the church Cathy Coho to create two hanging banners to decorate the church sanctuary. These works of art depict a stained-glass cross and a tree of life sewn together from fabrics contributed by members of the First Church family. The two banners hang on both sides of the chancel organ and were first displayed on Easter Sunday, 2025. Cathy Coho is a fabric artist, seamstress,…