On May 12, 1886, brethren in Providence, R.I., interested in promoting the Wesleyan doctrine and experience of entire sanctification, held weekly religious services in private homes. Later, the group moved to a rented store on Oxford Street. On January 16, 1887, they started a Sunday School with 95 members. On July 21, 1887, the People’s Evangelical Church was organized with 51 members. Rev. Fred A. Hillery was the pastor.

In 1915 the Wesleyan Church of the Nazarene was officially established holding services on Academy Avenue. This congregation built the present church building located at 170 Reservoir Avenue in 1949. The merger of the two congregations occurred in 1954 and was renamed as the First Church of the Nazarene. With a growing number of faithful members, the annex was added to the building in 1962.

Both streams of our church made significant contributions to the work of the Lord. As People’s Church it sent Rev. John (João José) Dias to Brava, Cape Verde, in 1901; as Wesleyan Church and First Church it also sent to the mission field Rev. and Mrs. Paul Hetrick, a former pastor, Miss Esther Thomas and Miss Gail Jacobs.

Several children of former pastors served the Lord as missionaries, pastors, and pastors’ wives. It is especially fitting that the very church that nurtured John Dias and sent him out to Cape Verde with financial and prayer support was pastored by two fruits of that mission: Rev. José Delgado (1999-2005) and Rev. Silas Tavares Almeida (2007-2017).

After Rev. Almeida, the Providence First Church continued onward with interim pastors. In June 30, 2019 the Providence First Church of the Nazarene united with “Filadelfia” Church of the Nazarene from Pawtucket, Rhode Island, pastored by Rev. Manuel Sança Gomes. Sança Gomes faithfully and enthusiastically led the newly merged Providence “Filadélfia” First Church of the Nazarene for three years until he was called to be with the Lord. Since then, the Church Board, assisted by the New England District, faithfully provided guidance to the church. In April, 2025, another Capeverdian, Eugénio Duarte, was installed as pastor.

For all those years many warrior-saints kept the fire of prayer and the “Good Shepherd” has kept the flock.