Westminster Presbyterian Church

"Serving God with open mind, hands and heart."

 

 

 

What is a Presbyterian?

In the biblical book of Acts, the Apostle Paul founded congregations in the Greek-speaking areas of what is today Turkey and Greece. He selected elders to govern the churches. The Greek word for elder is presbuteros, from which we get presbyterian.

Today the word presbyter refers to ministers as well as the lay persons ordained as elders to serve on the church council (the session). Members of the congregation elect the elders as well as the pastor (with approval of the district-wide governing body called the presbytery).

Presbyterians make up one of the ten largest denominations in the United States: the Presbyterian Church (USA).

 What do Presbyterians believe?

Along with traditional beliefs as expressed in the Apostles Creed, Presbyterians believe in:

  • the Bible as the uniquely authoritative book explaining the divinity of Jesus and His role as our Savior.

  • democratic decision-making. (The pastor does not run the church; a church council — whose members are elected by the congregation makes most of the decisions.)

  • equality of men & women before God. (Thus, the ordination of  women as pastors, elders, and deacons.)

  • higher education for ministers. (A pastor typically has a master’s degree, as indicated by the academic gown worn during the worship service.)

  • public service. (Nine Presidents of the United States, two Vice Presidents, and twelve of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence have been Presbyterians.)

  • fullest use of God’s gifts. Since colonial times, we have been known for being industrious and inventive. Some of the world’s largest enterprises have been founded by Presbyterians (IBM, Time, Wal-Mart, International Harvester, Westinghouse…)

You may have heard of some Presbyterians:

  • Presidents Andrew Jackson, James Polk, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison and Woodrow Wilson. (Abraham Lincoln belonged to no church but attended a Presbyterian church in Washington, D.C.)

  • Actors Jimmy Stewart, Dale Evans, Steve Allen.

  • Actresses Helen Hayes, Greer Garson, Ginger Rogers.

  • Authors Robert Louis Stevenson, Pearl Buck, and Harriet Beecher Stowe (Uncle Tom’s Cabin).

  • Astronauts John Glenn, Jim Irwin, and Sally Ride.

  • And one of the world’s favorite teachers, Mister Rogers (the Rev. Fred Rogers).

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