The year 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of First Presbyterian Church in Covington. Although Presbyterian services took place in Covington as early as 1775, the Presbyterian Church, Covington, Virginia, was organized in 1819 as a congregation in Lexington Presbytery under the leadership of Dr. John McElhenny of then Lewisburg, Virginia, in July of 1819. This was the same year that Covington was officially designated as a town.