Mission Statement
The Old Presbyterian Meeting House exists in response to God’s grace, comforted and challenged by the Gospel of Christ, enlivened and led by the fresh insights of the Holy Spirit to glorify God by recruiting new disciples, renewing the faith of existing disciples, and reaching out in love and service to the world God so loves. In so doing, we challenge people to think with the mind of Christ, love with the heart of Christ, and serve with the hands of Christ in every aspect of their lives. We gather in worship and mission celebrating our differences as we praise God with dignity, laughter, and joy. We also work with Christians and congregations of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and other Christian churches to respond to the good news of salvation and work toward God’s reign in all life and to be a telling presence of God’s goodness and grace.
What We Believe
The Meeting House is a theologically progressive Reformed Protestant congregation affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA, which has more than 1.2 million members, more than 8,000 congregations, and 14,000 active and ordained ministers. Worldwide, Reformed churches exist in 100 countries and have more than 75 million members.
Presbyterians trace their history to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Today, the Presbyterian Church remains true to its early roots while being relevant to today’s world.
Some basic Presbyterian tenets are summed up in the ideas below. As a Reformed congregation, we:
- Affirm the sovereignty of God
- Believe we are created in God’s image, yet in freedom are prone to sin and rebellion
- Trust in Jesus Christ as Lord
- Find identity and nourishment in the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
- Place a high priority on our scriptures as God’s word for us today
- Place a high priority on the life of the mind, stressing both order and ardor
- Are mission-minded, after the example of Jesus Christ, and feel called to be good stewards of God’s resources
- Celebrate and affirm community
- Are ecumenical, reaching out to other faith traditions as a way of better knowing and honoring God
- Are a connectional church that practices shared leadership
- Are a church reformed, always reforming
Vision Statement
We will create an environment where people are welcome to:
- Think with the mind of Christ, love with the heart of Christ, and serve with the hands of Christ
- Gather as an open community to worship God with dignity and joy, beauty and laughter
- Work locally and beyond with other Christians and congregations of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the larger Christian church
- Be a telling presence of God's goodness
To accomplish this Vision we will:
- Provide a vigorous program of regular worship services that are theologically based, friendly, welcoming, and varied
- Provide a thoughtful and challenging program of Christian Education for children, youth, and adults
- Provide care and comfort for our fellow members and others in their hour of need with caring and supporting notes, telephone calls, visitations and counseling
- Embrace active service to the community and the world through mission work camps, emergency support, and organizations and initiatives identified through the local and national / global committees
- Offer a welcoming, warm, and friendly place for all who come within our midst through sharing of the peace, coffee hours, intergenerational dinners, and new member sponsors
- Celebrate and give thanks for God's grace and many gifts through prayer, donations, tithing, and caring for others
- Teach and encourage all members to help others follow Christ's way and pursue social justice through word and deed using sermons, bulletins, flyers, newsletter, educational courses, web page, and by everyday example
- Recognize and honor the value of diversity in people and opinions by welcoming all
- Honor and respect our unique heritage by maintaining our buildings, protecting our historic records, teaching all who are interested, displaying artifacts, and holding special services and programs
Helpful Websites
Presbyterian 101—Who We Are
For over 200 years, Presbyterians have been responding to the call of Jesus Christ, taking the gospel into all the world and bearing witness to Christ’s saving love to the ends of the earth. Today the Holy Spirit is still on the move, calling us to share in what God is doing in the world.
Presbyterian 101—Theology
Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin are still at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. Among these are …
Presbyterian 101—Positions on Social Issues
The PC(USA) General Assembly "affirms its responsibility to speak on social and moral issues for the encouragement and instruction of the Church and its members, seeking earnestly both to know the mind of Christ and to speak always in humility and love." Find out more about our positions on social issues here.
Who Are We as Presbyterians?
Explore our understanding of the church as the body of Christ that has led the Reformed tradition and the PC(USA) in the development of some of its core values.
"What Presbyterians Believe" from Presbyterians Today
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