First Presbyterian Church, also known as Old South, is a Presbyterian congregation in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Newburyport, Massachusetts

Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...

 that is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA)

Presbyterian Church (USA)

The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...

. The self-declared mission of the church (as of 2007) is to be “a biblically grounded Presbyterian Church seeking to be true to our rich historical heritage by providing a community of worship for all who wish to embrace a faith-centered life in the Christian tradition.” The current pastor is the Revd Rob John.

The congregation began meeting in the 1750s, following the ministry of the Methodist evangelist and preacher George Whitefield

George Whitefield

George Whitefield , also known as George Whitfield, was an English Anglican priest who helped spread the Great Awakening in Britain, and especially in the British North American colonies. He was one of the founders of Methodism and of the evangelical movement generally...

 in the region. He died in Newburyport in 1770 and his remains were buried under the pulpit of the meeting house at his request.

The bell in the clock tower was cast by Paul Revere

Paul Revere

Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...

.

Among the notable people to attend church were "Lord" Timothy Dexter

Timothy Dexter (businessman)

"Lord" Timothy Dexter , as he was sometimes termed by admiring contemporaries, was an eccentric American businessman noted for a series of lucky transactions and his writing.-Biography:...

, Capt. Abraham Wheelwright, Isaac Wheelwright, Caleb Cushing

Caleb Cushing

Caleb Cushing was an American diplomat who served as a U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts and Attorney General under President Franklin Pierce.-Early life:...

, Adolphus Greely

Adolphus Greely

Adolphus Washington Greely , was an American Polar explorer, a United States Army officer and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.-Early military career:...

, and Samuel Tufts.