Mission Statement
Grounded in God’s love and a long Christian presence in the community, we seek to discern God’s will for First Presbyterian Church in this time and place. We will:
- Acknowledge that every person is a unique gift from God.
- Provide a compassionate Christian community that welcomes and celebrates God's diverse people.
- Create many possibilities for worship, fellowship and the study of God's word.
- Nurture spirituality and foster a personal and corporate understanding of Christ's example for the world.
- Reflect Christ's light in the community through a dynamic ministry of compassion, social justice, and service.
- Commit our time, talent, and treasure to our ministry.
- Kindle the vision of First Presbyterian Church as a light to our community and the world.
Our Organization
As Presbyterians, we believe in a representative style of church government, and our clergy and church officers are elected by our congregation to govern the church. All the officers at the First Presbyterian Church level come from within our church family.
Elders
The word presbyterian comes from the Greek word for elder. Elders are elected by our congregation. Collectively they comprise the Session, our church's highest governing body. In one sense the are representatives of the congregation, yet their primary charge is to seek and represent the will of God for the church.Congregational Deacons
Our congregational deacons are responsible for providing care to our congregation. Each deacon has a 'parish' of about thirty family units and provides support to these families in any situation needing help.Session Committees
These committees report to Session and include elders, staff members, and volunteers from our congregation. They work together to determine church policies, and to plan, organize, and implement the activities and programs essential to achieving our mission and supporting the life of our church.Our Connection to the Presbyterian Church (USA)
First Presbyterian is a member of the Lake Michigan Presbytery along with seventy other Presbyterian churches in the lower West Michigan area. Each church is allowed the number of ministers on staff plus an equal number of elders to act as commissioners at six scheduled Presbytery meetings.The Synod of the Covenant includes the Lake Michigan Presbytery and ten other Presbyteries in Michigan and Ohio. Ministers, elders, and one youth delegate represent each Presbytery at the twice-yearly meetings of the Synod.
The sixteen Synods of the Presbyterian Church (USA) comprise the General Assembly. Two ministers, two elders, and one youth delegate represent the Presbytery of Lake Michigan at the annual meetings of the General Assembly.
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