 
Our
Denomination
First Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the
Presbytery of Charlotte and the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic of the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.).
Constitution
History
Name
Church Structure
Seal
Constitution
The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
consists of the
Book of Confessions and the
Book of Order. The Book
of Confessions contains eleven creeds―statements of faith that define Presbyterian
and Reformed belief--including the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Heidelberg
Catechism, and the Westminster Confession and Catechisms. The last confession is A Brief
Statement of Faith which was enacted following the reunion of the Northern and Southern
churches. The Book of Order includes the Form of Government, Rules of Discipline,
and the Directory for Worship.
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History
Like all Christian churches, the Presbyterian church
traces its roots to the early Christian church in Jerusalem, founded on the Day of
Pentecost, and ultimately to Jesus Christ Himself. The founding fathers of Presbyterianism
are considered to be John Calvin, the great Reformer in Geneva, and John Knox, who founded
Presbyterianism in Scotland.
Many of the early settlers in America were Presbyterians fleeing persecution in Europe.
The first presbytery was established in Philadelphia in 1706 and the first General
Assembly was held in Philadelphia in May 1789.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was formed in 1983 from
the merger of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the Presbyterian Church in
the United States. This reunion of the major Northern and Southern Presbyterian churches
created the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States.
Name
The Presbyterian Church derives its name from the New
Testament word presbuteros which is Greek for "elder." It refers to the
custom of choosing leaders and advisors from among the more mature members of the church. In
the Presbyterian church, elders are elected from and by the congregation to oversee the
government of the congregation.
Church Structure
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) consists of four governing bodies:
1) The local church governing body is the Session,
made up of the ordained ministers and elders, all elected by the congregation.
2) The Presbytery oversees the local
churches in several counties and consists of an equal number of elders and ministers from
those congregations.
3) Representatives elected from each Presbytery make up
the Synod, which serves several Presbyteries.
4) The highest governing body is the General
Assembly, made up of equal numbers of elders and clergy chosen by the
Presbyteries.
First Presbyterian is united with the churches in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Union, Stanley,
Anson, Montgomery, and Richmond counties in the Presbytery of Charlotte.
This Presbytery is in the Synod
of the Mid-Atlantic, which consists of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, a
portion of West Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.
Seal
The seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), adopted in
1985, is a symbolic statement of the church's heritage, identity and mission in the
contemporary world. The basic symbolic motifs in the seal are the cross, Scripture, the
dove, and flames. The Celtic cross was chosen to represent the
traditional heritage of the Presbyterian church. The open book symbolizes
the central role of Scripture. The descending dove is the traditional
symbol of the Holy Spirit. The flames refer both to the revelation of the
Old Testament (Moses and the burning bush) and to the revelation of the New Testament (the
baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost). The tongues of fire also form an implied triangle,
representing the Trinity.
This page was last updated on
July 26, 2005. |
