Murray Presbyterian Church

The present day Murray Presbyterian Church was founded in the community of Rock Bluff. In July of 1860 a missionary to the Nebraska Territory from the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church entered the first minutes in the session books of the Rock Bluffs United Presbyterian Church.

The nine members soon embarked on a building project. An acre of timber on the eastern side of the Missouri river was purchased, and they worked up the lumber to construct the church, which was opened for public worship in February, 1862.

In the spring of 1878, it was deemed necessary to revive and reorganize the congregation by moving the church to a more central location on the prairie. The church building was torn down and the lumber was sued to reconstruct it on a lot donated by James A. Walker in Fairview. With the move, the name of the church was changed to Fairview United Presbyterian Church. The name was changed again in 1890 when the name of the town of Fairview was changed to Murray in honor of the widely respected pastor of the church, Rev. George R. Murray.

The church prospered and in 1897 the congregation decided that a new building was needed. The original building was sold and moved across the street, and a new sanctuary was built and dedicated in May 1898. The church with its subsequent additions and alterations has served our congregation well over the years.

Murray Presbyterian Church has been served by fifty-eight ministers during its existence. Our present minister, Rev. Jeff McDonald, was installed in September of 2007. The ministers have changed, the church buildings have changed, the nature of the community has changed, and the congregations have changed, but through it all the mission of the church has remained the worship of Almighty God. May everything we do be to His glory.