What We Believe

The Presbyterian Church affirms the distinctive beliefs of the Reformed Tradition, which date back to the 16th century. Central to the Reformed tradition is affirmation of the sovereignty of God. That assurance provides a basis for other traits of the Reformed way: that God calls us to service in the world, that our life together is to be ordered in ways that enable all members to flourish, and that God calls us to generous stewardship of what we have. 

• The Trinity - God exists as three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

• God - We trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.  God is the supreme authority throughout the universe.

• Jesus Christ - We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, was resurrected and ascended into heaven.  He will return in glory someday to judge the living and the dead 

• The Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit is also a part of the Trinity, and Presbyterians believe that the Spirit “calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Church.” 

• The Authority of Scripture - The Bible is divinely inspired and was written by human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the Bible is the authoritative source of Christian doctrine and that it is the final authority in matters of faith and practice.

• Justification by Grace through Faith - Our salvation (justification) through Jesus is God's generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments.

• Sin - The reconciling act of God in Jesus Christ exposes the evil in men as sin in the sight of God. All people are helpless and subject to God's judgment without forgiveness. In love, God took on himself judgment and death through Jesus Christ, to bring men to repentance and new life.

• Baptism - For both adults and infants, Christian baptism marks the receiving of the same Spirit by all his people. Baptism with water represents not only cleansing from sin but also a dying with Christ and a joyful rising with him to new life.

• Communion - Presbyterians gather in worship to praise God, to pray, to enjoy each other's fellowship, and to receive instruction through the teachings of God's Word.  Church members consider communion a solemn but joyful act, symbolic of celebrating at the table of their Savior, and a reconciliation with God and with one another.

• The Mission of the Church - To be reconciled to God is to be sent into the world as his reconciling community. This community, the church universal, is entrusted with God’s message of reconciliation and shares his labor of healing that which separates men from God and from each other.

• The Priesthood of All Believers - It is everyone's job—ministers and lay people alike—to share this Good News with the whole world. The Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.