The history of Kirkpatrick Memorial Presbyterian Church begins about fifteen years before our sanctuary was built, in about 1850. It was close to that year, no one knows exactly when, a lecture room was built in Ringoes. This building is now the Church Office, Library, Choir Room, and Kindergarten Sunday School Classroom. Originally, the lecture room was used for public lectures, prayer meetings, and Sunday School. The Sunday School began about ten years before the cornerstone of the sanctuary was laid. Later, the Lecture Room's name was changed to the Chapel. 

The Kirkpatrick Memorial Presbyterian Church officially started as the result of a difference of opinion among the members of the Larison's Corner Presbyterian Church. In 1867 a majority of members voted to leave the church for the purpose of building a new sanctuary in the village of Ringoes. The first minutes of Kirkpatrick state, "The inhabitants of the village of Ringoes and vicinity, having long been impressed with the need of the means of grace for themselves and their children, nearer to them than the old place of worship, used all honorable and Christian efforts with their brethren of the United First Church of Amwell to unite with them in the erection of a more commodious and enduring church edifice in the village and that the whole congregation might be transferred. Having failed in this attempt they resolved to build; cherishing no unkind feelings towards those who did not come with them." The church was started with forty-seven members and three elders. 

The cornerstone was laid on October 3, 1868, and the building was completed and dedicated "in the name of the Triune God" on October 27, 1869. The church was named for the Rev. Dr. Jacob Kirkpatrick, who was a pastor in the Amwell Valley for 56 years, but was never the pastor of Kirkpatrick. He died in 1866 and was buried in the Larison's Corner cemetery.

The early minutes of the Kirkpatrick Memorial Presbyterian Church show that the Session met regularly and dealt with mundane issues like membership, but also with church discipline. There are various records of elders investigating charges against other members and encouraging people to publicly confess their sins. The Session has been interested in the spiritual health of Ringoes from the very beginning. 

Kirkpatrick was the site of a revival in 1889, from February 3-10. During this revival, sixty-two people were "welcomed into full communion", fifty-nine by profession of faith and three by letter of transfer. Forty-two people were baptized. This remarkable turn of events led the pastor, Rev. Charles Pitcher, to write a personal historical note in the church's minutes on February 10: "This has been a joyful day, as fine a day as is found in winter. Heaven seemed to smile upon us — a very large congregation have been present this morning filling the church compactly...after this came the communion which was participated in by many strangers and members of other churches. Verily, 'The Lord hath done great things for us' whereof we are glad."

Kirkpatrick has emphasized youth ministry for more than 100 of its 140 year history. The first record of Christian Endeavor at Kirkpatrick, a Presbyterian youth ministry, is found in the Session Minutes in 1890. In 1927, Junior Christian Endeavor was begun by Miss Helen Stryker. In 1925, the Rev. Jarvis Morris started our first Vacation Bible School — it lasted for six weeks!

In 1938 the Trustees granted the boys of Christian Endeavor permission to dig a space in the church cellar for a ping pong table and other games. They guaranteed that no damage would be done to the church property and the dirt would be carted away. The project was put on hold during the Second World War; the space was finally dedicated on October 26, 1958 along with the connector and the first restrooms. 

On November 25, 1950 a hurricane blew down the 65 foot steeple, damaging a large portion of the roof, stone from the steeple tower, and the ceiling inside the sanctuary. Repairs were begun almost immediately, and a 40 foot steeple replaced the fallen one. 

In 1968 the church built a two-story addition providing additional Sunday School rooms, a gym, and kitchen. In 1979 it was named "The Smith Wing" in honor of Horace and Edna Smith, long-time members of this congregation. 

In 1988, construction crews cut into the wall of the sanctuary to install a lift into the sanctuary to provide handicapped accessibility.

In the 1990s Kirkpatrick started a contemporary worship service in addition to the traditional worship service. Over the past 15 years, we have emphasized youth ministry, sought ways to be faithful witnesses in our community, reached out to our world with our money, but also with our hands and feet. 

Today we celebrate our history, rejoicing in God's grace at work in this congregation for 150 years. Now, we prayerfully look to the future, trusting that God will guide us by the Holy Spirit for many, many years as we serve our Lord and this community.