Seventy-Sixth Street Presbyterian Church

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This article is about the Southern Presbyterian congregation founded in 1891 for other congregations named East Lake Presbyterian Church see East Lake Presbyterian Church (disambiguation)

Seventy-Sixth Street Presbyterian Church was located at 7600 Division Avenue in East Lake. It was organized on May 31, 1891 as East Lake Presbyterian Church, a congregation of the Presbytery of North Alabama. Members were received by transfer letter from Woodlawn Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church and two congregations outside of Birmingham. Rev. A. W. Crawford served as the congregations first stated supply minister.

The congregation erected its first building on the corner of 2nd Avenue South (then known as Underwood Avenue) and 81st Street and held its first services there on July 10, 1892.

On October 23, 1898, C. A. Hyland was elected as the church’s first pastor. He served until October 1902. J. G. Beverly was ordained and installed as the congregation’s second pastor on May 13, 1906. He served until March of the following year.

On December 19, 1907, the session of East Lake Presbyterian met at Cumberland Presbyterian Church of East Lake located at Division Avenue and 75th Street South and the two congregations agreed to unite into one under the name First Presbyterian Church of East Lake with the former pastor of the Cumberland church as stated supply. The former building of East Lake Presbyterian was later sold to St Barnabas Catholic Church. One year later, the two congregations voted to separate. The East Lake Presbyterian Church congregation opened a new building in February 1909 at 76th Street South and Division Avenue. The church bell purchased for the 1909 building was later installed at Cahaba Springs Presbyterian Church. In December 1919 the church officially changed its name to Seventy-Sixth Street Presbyterian Church.

Three years later, discussions were held considering the union of 76th Street with 83rd Street Presbyterian, but the congregations decided not to unit.

As the congregation expanded, an education building was constructed and plans made for a new modern sanctuary designed by Van Keuren and Davis. The last service was held in the 1909 building on August 11, 1957. The building was razed and replaced with a new modern structure. The congregation met in College Theatre and later Saters Theatre during construction. The new sanctuary was built quickly and dedicated on October 29, 1958.

In 1971 a new pipe organ, Aeolian-Skinner opus 1523, was installed in the church. Portions of the organ were later reused in 2023 for an organ built rebuilt by Quimby Pipe Organs for Immaculata Church in St Mary's, Kansas.

The building became the home of 45th Street Baptist Church after the Presbyterian church merged with others in the 1990s.

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