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Church History
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   Many of the early settlers of this area were Presbyterians who migrated from Pennsylvania in the 1740’s.  Two of the churches established by these early Presbyterians were Hat Creek and Reedy Spring, now called Old Concord.  New Concord was organized by West Hanover Presbytery in 1835 with thirty charter members, most coming from the membership of Old Concord Presbyterian Church.  The first church was built jointly by the Presbyterians and Methodists of this community and was used for fifty years.  Sometime prior to 1859, the church was placed in Roanoke Presbytery.

    The present sanctuary was built in 1885.  It stood unchanged until 1953 when Sunday School rooms were added.  A home and six acres of land located at Plum Branch was purchased for a manse in 1881.  A new manse was built in 1905 near Sherwill, used for a number of years, and then sold in 1935.  A manse was then shared with the Rustburg Church until it was sold in 1963.  At that time, a new manse was built on church property at New Concord, a joint effort of both churches and Mr. Owen Cheatham, a former member and benefactor.

    About 1932, the Daily Vacation Church School began as part of the church work, and is still a highlight of the church year.  The Christian Endeavor Society was organized in 1923 and became a flourishing youth organization.  The New Concord Ladies Foreign Missionary and Aid Society initially started on June 26, 1888.  The name was changed in 1949 to The Women of the Church, and is now called the Presbyterian Women.  The women have worked to keep the church alive and vital to God’s work.  Several have served as officers of the Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery.

    In the last one hundred years the name of the Presbytery has changed several times.  West Hanover was its first name, later it became Roanoke, West Hanover (again), Appomattox, Blue Ridge, and was renamed The Presbytery of the Peaks in 1990.

    In 1957 the original sanctuary was beautified and a vestibule, steeple, kitchen and fellowship hall were added.  In 1973, the Owen Robertson Cheatham Memorial Library and Gardens were added.  A second manse was built on the church property to house retired ministers.

    This historic church has furnished the gospel ministry with four ministers, and contributed to the support of evangelistic missionaries in Japan.

    We have had an illustrious past, and look with faith to a promising future.