By 1882, a Ladies Aid Society was organized and its first activity was to carpet the church aisles and build closets in which to store the wood-burning stoves in summertime.  They also bought the handsome pulpit chairs which are still in use.  These women were good housekeepers and earnest workers.

Such furnishings required funds and through the years the women sought new ways of earning money.  They made sunbonnets, popular at that time, tacked comforts (tied layers of comforters together), gave ice cream and strawberry suppers, and served bountiful dinners on circus days and “First Mondays” when there was a large crowd in town  These were big undertakings and the women did all the work themselves to assure a larger profit.  However, the Session frowned on some of these public activities and the pastor, Dr. Davies, requested that the ladies give no more such entertainments and dinners.

Though the women changed their methods, they found other ways to make money for the future needs of the church.  One of these was the publishing of a special Easter Edition of the McKinney Gazette, in which the women gathered the news of the county and solicited advertising by the slow, and only, means of transportation, the horse and buggy.  They wrote all the articles, sold the papers, and brought out a superior paper.  This project, under the leadership of Mrs. Dudley Heard and Mrs. J. C. Erwin, enabled them later to pay $1,500.00 for the first stained glass window in the Church.

Revival services were a vital part of the religious life of an earlier day and a wonderful revival held in First Presbyterian Church in 1897 is still [1974] remembered  by those who participated.  It was conducted by Dr. Frank Hall Wright of Oklahoma, whose father was a Cherokee Indian Chief and his mother a teacher who had come from New York.  He was highly educated, a fascinating, dynamic man who not only moved his audience by his preaching, but touched their hearts by his singing of such gospel gyms as “The Ninety and Nine.”  He held more than one revival here, the last one taking place during the Rev. E. B. Fincher’s pastorate.  About fifty people joined the church during his services and many of these young people were to become the future leaders of the church.

In 1899, under the leadership of Mrs. T. W. Erwin and Mrs. S. D. Heard, the Missionary Society was organized and for the first time the study and contributions of the women were directed for needs outside the congregation.  For nearly 20 years they contributed at least $100.00 a year to Foreign Missions.

With the growing church, the congregation decided to build a new brick edifice on N. Kentucky Street.  Those on the building committee for this important project were J. S. Heard, J. L. Lovejoy, S. D. Heard, J. P. Nenney, and Dr. J. C. Erwin.

The little church was sold for $1,400.00 and during the building of the new one services were held in the Courthouse.  The old church, referred to as the “Old School” Presbyterian was said to have the finest music in town.  Its large organ, supplied with a hand pump, was played by Mrs. J. L. Lovejoy and her sister, Mrs. Abbott, who were known as “the best musicians in the city.”  At the last service, Miss Ona Cameron - later Mrs. Henry Warden - sang a solo which, in its last verse, expressed their hope “but there’s a new home for me.”

When the fine new church was completed in 1899, there was rejoicing but also the realization that much work lay ahead.  The women again became active in its furnishings and bought the carpet for the church  They also were thankful that they had the $1,500.00 to install the large West window - The Dove of the Holy Spirit - which was the first of the beautiful stained glass windows, which were an outstanding feature of the church.

In the nineties [1890s],Mrs. J. L. Lovejoy had organized the “Little Gleaners”, a group of children whom she trained to make their contribution to the church by making small gifts for sale, singing at services and for shut-ins.  Their work is perpetuated in a window for which they raised $65.00 and which bears their name.  In later years, these “Gleaners” became the Young Ladies Aid Society which gave the first $500.00 when the pipe organ was bought in 1911.   When Mrs. Lovejoy heard of a new way of making money in 1909, these young women, under her direction, held the first Pure Food Show, a project which became an outstanding yearly event in the community  It was held in the Coliseum and lasted a week.  National companies welcomed it as a way to advertise their products and gave out samples of food and other gifts.  Cooking lessons were especially popular and the free books that came with them.  These Pure Food Shows were held for 30 years and earned thousands of dollars for church purposes.  Their success was due to the loyal co-operation of all the women but especially to the untiring efforts of the manager, Mrs. Henry Warden, and to her successor, Mrs. J. J. Thompson.

There was a federation of the First Presbyterian and Central Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. on November 1, 1918, with the united congregations worshiping in First Church under the ministry of its pastor, Dr. E. B Fincher.  This federation lasted until May, 1922, and it was during this period that Dr. Fincher called the women of the churches together to organize the Auxiliary, a plan explained by Mrs. J. C. Erwin, who was President of the Dallas Presbyterial.  The first president of this new women’s organization was Mrs. Clint Thompson of the Central Church.

Through the years the en ad women of this congregation have given of their means, their talents, and their energy to the work of the church.  The Sunday School has been an important and active part of the church program and some of the faithful teachers continued in this service through many years.  Both the men and the women have had strong Bible classes and especially during the ministry of Dr. Hall, the Men’s Class grew and many were brought into the church.

Though the local church required much of their effort, the needs of those in other lands were not forgotten and the church, at different periods, gave $500.00 yearly toward the salaries of missionaries in Japan and Brazil.

The women had their foreign fields to which they gave regularly and for a project closer to home, the Auxiliary, after years of work, raised $4,000.00 for a Scholarship Fund which was used to send a girl to Austin College.

This church has had many able and dedicated ministers.  Two, who had the longest pastorates and were beloved not only by their congregations but the community, were Dr. E. B. Fincher, who served 12 years, and Dr. Robert Cowan, the son of a former minister, who served 17 years.  Dr. Fincher endeared himself to the children by visiting the public schools regularly to tell them stories of the Apache Indians with whom he had worked.  Both men were active in the life of the city and had a far-reaching influence.

It was during the pastorate of the Rev. Sam P. Riccobene that the congregation, looking to the future and aware of changing conditions, decided to build a new church in the residential area of west McKinney.  The ground-breaking ceremonies took place May 6, 1966, with the Elders officiating.  Also present were Mrs. J. A. McKay, a member since 1895, whose wedding had been the first in the second church, and Mr. Dowden Davis, a member since 1905.

The new church was completed in 1967 and its beauty of building and landscaped grounds reflected the careful planning and work of the men and women of the committees.  The new was linked with the old in the beautiful windows, the old bell, the first communion service, and the furniture which had been a part of the former churches.

Several memorial gifts have added greatly to this church.  Our share in the estate of the late Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Craig has enabled the church to contribute generously to the benevolent causes of the Assembly and to local projects.  With money from memorial gifts, beautiful furnishings and a church parlor have been added.  The chimes, whose music floats over the area, were given by Mrs. West in memory of her husband, William R. West, who had served the church as a deacon, elder, treasurer, and trustee.  The services have been enriched by another type of music, the Handbell Choir, which is directed by Mrs. Boand.  These Handbells were given as a memorial to Mrs. Clifford Knott.

The Church reached its Centennial under the able leadership of the Rev. William I. Boand, its 29th pastor, with a growing congregation and bright hopes for the future.

The Charter Members of his Church had an unfaltering trust in God’s guidance and a faith in the future.  That future is now the past but it is with this heritage of faith and works that the church enters a 2nd century of work and worship in the service of our Lord.