Brown Lectures

Each year we are blessed to have a lecture series featuring some of the country's finest theologians, musicians, teachers, and writers. The series, named for Dr. Frank C. Brown, a former pastor of our church, was begun by our Pastor Emeritus, John Anderson, and his wife, Nancy. Volunteers are needed to help coordinate the event, greet visitors, host post-lecture receptions, write and mail brochures, etc.

Brown Lecture History

The Brown Lectures of First Presbyterian Church were inaugurated on July 22, 1984, by Dr. and Mrs. John F. Anderson, Jr., on the occasion of Dr. Anderson's retirement. Their purpose is to glorify God and honor the memory of Frank C. Brown, pastor of First Presbyterian Church from 1936 - 1952.

Dr. Brown, born in Lewisburg, West Virginia, July 4, 1890, was graduated from Hampden-Sydney College and Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. He began his pastoral ministry in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1914 and served churches in West Virginia before coming to Dallas in 1936. Dr. Brown was Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1940, adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary from 1952-1954 and the author of Lost: A Human Soul (1932). Frank Brown died July 2, 1955, having served the Lord faithfully throughout his life.

In honor of Dr. Brown, these lectures were established as an annual event to which the Session invites distinguished teachers, preachers and scholars known throughout the church to give a series of lectures, services and seminars. Frank Brown's competence in preaching and teaching the Reformed Faith, his zeal for evangelism and world missions, his keen concern for ministering to minority groups in word and deed, and his emphasis on music and worship make possible a wide variety of subjects and speakers.

In establishing this lectureship, John and Nancy Anderson wanted "this congregation and friends in the community to be nurtured, edified and inspired by God's Word as it is applied for their time, just as Frank Brown so ably applied it for his time."

Past and Future Brown Lecturers

1985 James Sydnor
1986 Arnold B. Rhodes
1987 Elizabeth Achtemeier
1988 Gardner Taylor
1989 Samuel Moffett
1990 Fred Craddock
1991 Paul Manz
1992 Walter Brueggemann
1993 John M. Mulder
1994 Walter J. Burghardt, S.J.
1995 Cynthia Campbell
1996 Thomas G. Long
1997 Dr. Samuel D. Proctor
1998 Raymond E. Brown, S.S.
1999 Daniel W. Foster, M.D.
2000 Marion L. Soards
2001 Thomas H. Troeger
2002 Laura Mendenhall
2003 Shirley Guthrie
2004 Thomas Gillespie
2005 Jane Shaw
2006 Cynthia Rigby
2007 Cleophus LaRue
2008 Eugene March

Child Care

Child care is available by reservation 48 hours in advance. For reservations contact Kathy Price at kathyp@presbyterians.org.

Reception
A reception in the church parlor will follow each evening lecture.