We strive to provide the worship, educational and service opportunities of a large church, while at the same time offering you the warmth and closeness of a small church. Our members are committed to grow spiritually as disciples of Jesus Christ through rich worship services, fellowship, mission, learning, and prayer. We commit ourselves, in all we say and do, to demonstrate God’s grace and love.
Session (Governing Body)
The Presbyterian Church takes its name from the New Testament Greek word for “Elder”: presbuteros. It describes the way the church is governed, with oversight resting on elected bodies at the congregational, regional and national levels.
The governing group in each congregation is called the Session, a body made up of men and women known as “Elders” who have been “set apart” by election and ordination into a supervisory role. The Session meets monthly to conduct the business of the church.
Elders generally serve for staggered three-year terms, with a third of the Session elected each year. Ordination is a for-life designation. Past Elders are part of a group called – collequially – the College of Elders.
Clerk of Session – Aileen Howard
| Class of 2025 | Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Rick Bosworth | Norm Beck | Patrick Galliher |
| Chuck Horvath | Erick Bretz | Karen Haden |
| Bill Rogers | Sue Desmond | Chris Hostetler |
| Jan Stratton | Tim Koontz | Ed Humphrey |
| Joy Vander Hill | Jan McCune | Nancy Swickard |
| Sue Whitaker | Julia Wadsworth | |
| Jerry Wire |
Board of Deacons
Deacons are the “servants” or “caregivers” of the congregation. In this large congregation, people have all kinds of needs – they are recovering from surgery, grieving, lonely, ill, or otherwise in a time where they welcome the ministry of care from our congregation. In a very real way, Deacons are the hands and heart of the Church in our ministry of caring. Serving as a Deacon of the First Presbyterian Church is a privilege and a blessing. It is also an opportunity for spiritual growth and fellowship. As a deacon, you are given the opportunity to know other church members in a deeper way, serving alongside them and growing in your understanding of the burdens people carry and how the church can help.
The ministry of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of compassion, witness, and service, sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, those burdened by unjust policies or structures, or anyone in distress. Persons of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly and sisterly love, sincere compassion, and sound judgment should be chosen for this ministry. (The PC(USA) Book of Order)
| Class of 2025 | Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Mary House – Moderator | Grace Adegoye | Debbie Foster |
| Amy Gregg | Missy Arnold | Annie King |
| Connie Humphrey | Cathy Jones | Susan Leffler |
| Marty Kendrick | Nancee Kinghorn | Carol Nauman |
| Janie Miller | Rachel Williams | Kathy Wilson |
| Marissa Zacharias | Ted Williams | James Hofmann |
Who is a Presbyterian?
Presbyterians are a group of Protestants whose church is founded on the concept of democratic rule under the Word of God. The Presbyterian denomination is a form of Christianity democratically organized to embrace the faith common to all Christians. In the New Testament, “presbuteros” means elder, and refers to the democratic custom of choosing leaders and advisors from among the wisest members of the church.
All that is required to be a Presbyterian is to:
- confess the Christian faith
- trust in Christ as our forgiving Savior
- promise to follow Christ and Christ’s example for living
- commit oneself to attend church and to become involved in its work.
What is the Presbyterian Church?
It is a representative democracy governed by elders elected from and by the congregation. Its authority resides with the duly elected representatives of the congregation in the appointed church governing bodies. The local church governing body is the session.
Local sessions oversee the day-to-day work of the church and supervise:
- Deacons – elected to conduct the temporal and charitable ministry of the church.
- Trustees – (in some churches) elected to manage financial, legal, and property affairs of the church.
The overall church structure is made up of four governing bodies. These are the:
- Session or local governing body – ordained ministers (ministers of the Word) and elders, all elected by the congregation
- Presbytery – elders and ministers from congregations who oversee several churches
- Synod – representatives elected from each presbytery to oversee several presbyteries
- General Assembly – the national governing body made up of equal numbers of laypeople and clergy chosen by the presbyteries.
What do Presbyterians believe?
There is no strict set of beliefs that unites Presbyterians or separates them from other followers of Christ. Like other Christians, Presbyterians believe in:
- God – the Creator of the universe
- Christ – the incarnation of God on earth
- The Holy Spirit – the presence of God in the world and in the believer
- The Church – a universal company of Christ’s followers
- Forgiveness of sin – made possible by the crucifixion of Jesus
- Life everlasting shown by the resurrection of Jesus
- The Bible – the inspired Word of God
Presbyterians have two main sources for inspiration and guidance in their faith.
The Bible
The Bible is an inspired record of the revelation of God to all.
Presbyterians have always believed that the Bible is the most authoritative source for faith and practice for all people.
Presbyterians do not believe that the authors of the Bible were “pens of God” as the pre-Christian writers believed. Instead, they believe the authors were inspired by God to reveal God to all people.
Creeds and Confessions
These are statements of doctrine that express the beliefs of a church or congregation. They include:
- the Apostles’ Creed
- the Nicene Creed
- the Scots Confession, 1560
- the Heidelberg Catechism
- the Second Helvetic Confession
- the Westminster Confession of Faith
- the Larger Catechism
- the Shorter Catechism
- the Theological Declaration of Barmen
- the Confession of 1967
