Change has been in the works at First Presbyterian Church Bethlehem for about a decade, as the majority of the 2,600 parishioners voted in June 2016 to leave the Presbyterian Church-USA (PC-USA) and ally with the related Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO).

PC-USA won a lawsuit in 2017, retaining for the remnant of the congregation both the use of the First Presbyterian Church name, and ownership of the 124,000-square foot building and the 31.5-acre campus at 2344 Center St. in Bethlehem. The ECO-allied congregation subsequently launched its own presence as Grace Church Bethlehem at 4301 Hecktown Road in Bethlehem Township.

As congregations across the Lehigh Valley and across denominations shrink, a church property that was already “aspirational” in size—as Pastor Rev. J.C. Austin told Lehigh Valley News reporter Ryan Gaylor in 2023—before the split has become even less suitable for the exclusive use of a substantially smaller congregation.

This year, the church voted to sell a portion of the property, including the church building itself.

“Our mission and ministry are calling us in a new direction,” Associate Pastor Rev. Lindsey Altvater Clifton said in a statement. “Deferred maintenance and operational costs for a facility of this size have also made continued operations in our current space untenable.”

Rev. Clifton explained that the congregation will continue its work from a temporary location before returning to a smaller facility to be built on the retained portion of the campus, where affordable housing is also planned.

In March 2026, the church held a discussion for its members to share responses to questions about its past and its future. Part of the “Our Story in Pictures and Words” initiative, the questions included “Why is this space sacred to you?” and “What essence of this space do you hope we carry forward?”

Congregation members shared their thoughts and memories online. Ted Masthay’s reflection – on a photo of a conference room – was typical in its simultaneous respect for the past and confidence in the church’s future. He noted that the simple conference room “is where I have witnessed an incredible amount of leadership … It is us that make the church, not the physical space. That is why I feel it’s fitting that so many important meetings occur in a room that is so ordinary. Because the room doesn’t matter. The people do.”

Dotta Auction Co., Inc., is managing the online auction, which is now open. The auction will close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 15. The catalog includes art, instruments, audio equipment, office furniture, and living room furniture. Dotta hopes to host a second online auction for First Presbyterian in next spring. The catalog for the 2027 auction will likely include sanctuary furniture, an antique weather vane, kitchen appliances, streetlamps, sterling, and more.

Bidders for the online-only auction should visit HiBid.com and search for “First Presbyterian Church, Bethlehem, PA.” There are 173 lots available. The auction will close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 15. Checkout will take place on Friday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Winners unable to pick up in person will be charged a handling fee by the auctioneer as well as shipping costs by The Packaging Place.

Readers are invited to share their First Presbyterian Center Street site memories with us at gtaylor@tnonline.com or by calling 800-443-0377 ext. 3112 and leaving your message with your name and phone number for verification. Please spell your name so we get it right.