First Presbyterian Church

At First Presbyterian Church of Gardner:
– We believe God loves us and loves the world in abundance.
– We believe God wants to draw all people together in that love.
– We believe the church is an instrument for that work of God in the world. We are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ active here and now.
– We believe we are called to build a vibrant and welcoming community of faith for the community of Gardner.
– We believe we are united with other communities of faith in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church serving Jesus Christ worldwide.
– We believe our community of faith has as its cornerstone, Jesus Christ, Son of God and our Savior.
– We believe building blocks for our church to serve in the world are worship, discipleship and mission.
—-Worship is the heart of the church; our love bathed in God’s love.
—-Discipleship is the mind of the church; our will conformed to God’s will.
—-Mission is the spirit of the church; our service dedicated to God’s Word and deeds.

What is a Presbyterian?
First Presbyterian Church is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) which is the largest Presbyterian denomination. Presbyterians are a group of Protestants whose church is founded on a democratic rule under the Word of God. The Presbyterian denomination is a form of Christianity organized through representation and connectional relationships that we may embrace the faith common to all Christians. All that is required to be a Presbyterian is to:
– Confess Jesus Christ as Lord
– Trust in Jesus Christ as our forgiving Savior
– Promise to follow Jesus and follow Christ’s example for living
– Commit oneself to attend church and to become involved in God’s work

Anyone who can be a Christian can be a Presbyterian

What do Presbyterians Believe?
There is no strict set of beliefs which unites Presbyterians or separates them from other followers of Christ. Like many other Christians, Presbyterians believe in:
– God…Creator of the universe
– Christ…the incarnation of God on earth
– 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

A statement from the PCUSA website:

Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.

God comes to us in free and undeserved favor in the person of Jesus Christ who lived, died, and rose for us that we might belong to God and serve Christ in the world. Following Jesus, Presbyterians are engaged in the world and in seeking thoughtful solutions to the challenges of our time.

Presbyterians affirm that God comes to us with grace and love in the person of Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose for us so that we might have eternal and abundant life in him. As Christ’s disciples, called to ministry in his name, we seek to continue his mission of teaching the truth, feeding the hungry, healing the broken, and welcoming strangers. God sends the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, giving us the energy, intelligence, imagination, and love to be Christ’s faithful disciples in the world.

Presbyterian Church (USA) – http://www.pcusa.org/

Regional Connection – Heartland Presbytery – http://www.heartlandpby.org/

Synod Regional Connection – Synod of Mid America – http://synodma.org/