Our Church History       In 1870, what would become the oldest existing New Mexico Protestant Church building standing today, was erected on Socorro Street in Las Vegas, New Mexico. It was the original First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. John Annin and his associate Jose Ynes Perea, later to become Rev. Jose Perea, were the builders.       While Perea supervised the actual building of the church and the school building adjoining, Annin organized and ran the school. The school continued in Las Vegas until February 1896 when it was moved to Albuquerque to become Menaul School.        The bell in the Las Vegas church steeple still rings on great occasions such as the centennial celebration in 1970. It was cast in Troy, New York and weighs 831 pounds and was hauled the last 250 miles into Las Vegas by wagon train because the Santa Fe railroad had only reach Grenada, Colorado by then.       When the railroad finally arrived in East Las Vegas on July 4th,1879, the new town grew up around the railroad. A new church building was built in 1880 in the new town district to attract newcomers. It is the present First United Presbyterian Church of Las Vegas. The original church (which is now referred to as the Mission Church, was virtually abandoned until a Spanish Presbyterian church was organized in 1884.       In 1960 the two churches combined into the present Presbyterian church, at 1000 Douglas Avenue. The Mission Church still stands and is being lovingly and painstakingly restored by members and friends of our church and community.