Woodland Presbyterian Church, Pineville, LA, was organized as a new Church Development of the Presbytery of South Louisiana on Pentecost Sunday, May 14, 1989. Woodland has a long history in Central Louisiana and in connections with other Presbyterians. We are more than a new church development. Our history began early in the 20th Century with the denomination's work in Alexandria, resulting in the establishment of First Presbyterian in the early 1900s. First Church has always been a congregation with strong mission commitment, establishing congregations in surrounding towns and sending several members as missionaries to foreign mission fields. By the 1960s, members living on the north side of the Red River discussed the possibility of a Presbyterian church in Pineville. Fortunately, in 1970, when Dr. William Smith was pastor, the Langston family offered to sell what is now our beautiful wooded seven-acre site to First Church. (The Langstons had long been active members of First Church. After their parents died, the adult children, who no longer lived here, wanted it used for a church.) First Church bouth the site and held it until Woodland needed it. New Church Development experts of the Presbyterian Church, USA visted the site and confirmed the new church development location in 1983 and again in 1988. For various reasons, First Church in the mid-80s decided to move from downtown Alexandria and built a new facility. About the same time, Dr. James Monroe, general presbyter, discussed with interested members of First Church the viability of Pineville's location. One of the first acts of the mother church (which now calls itself a sister church) was to deed its Pineville property to the Presbytery of South Louisiana for use as a mission site, an act that provided a firm foundation for the soon-to-be church. The steering committee was formed in 1988 to guide the organization of the new church, and the name "Woodland Presbyterian Church" was chosen primarily because of the beautiful site. The committee chose the Reverend Don Harnden as first pastor in the spring of 1989. Our first service was held in the Guinn Religious Education Building at Louisiana College, Pineville, on Pentecost Sunday, May 14, 1989. The present beautiful church home was dedicated May 22, 1994, again on Pentecost Sunday. Our Friends Ministry for developmentally challenged adults (begun at First Church) moved with us to Pineville and remains an important part of Woodland; so important it can hardly be called "ission." The Friends, with their own worship and Sunday School, are an essential part of the church family and our most important outreach. Four pastors have served Woodland over the past 18 years. The Reverend Harnden kept the mission goal before us for the first nine years. Interim pastor, the Reverend John Harris, led us for the next year, and the Reverend Nancy Hendrix, who came in the fall of 1999, gave us strong leadership until she resigned to take another position in November, 2006. Our present interim pastor is our own member, Jane Conerly, who is a Commissioned Lay Pastor. Thanks be to God! (History of Woodland was updated by Elder Helen Derr, Fall, 2007)