Denomination
We are part of the Presbyterian Church (USA), a “mainline” Protestant denomination. Although relatively small in New England, the Presbyterian Church (USA) consists of 2.5 million members worldwide. The Presbyterian Church is part of the Reformed family of churches, tracing its origins to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. The theological perspectives of John Calvin (1506-1564) in Switzerland and John Knox (1514-1572) in Scotland have been instrumental in shaping the beliefs and practices Presbyterian Church. Many of the early Presbyterians in North America were of Scotch-Irish descent and their names (MacDougall, McQuesten, Parker, Campbell, etc.) are still common in our churches. Today, Presbyterians represent a great diversity of national and ethnic identities.
We are a Confessional Church, which means that we look to the historic documents of our tradition for guidance in matters of faith and practice. These “confessions” provide insight into how believers have wrestled with question of faith in the past; they include the Apostles’ Creed, the Westminster Confession, the Scot’s Confession, the 2nd Helvetic (Swiss) Confession and many others. These earlier creeds and confessions help us shape our beliefs and practices, but in all things, the Scriptures illuminated by God’s Spirit, are our ultimate rule and guide.
We are also a connectional church, meaning that, through a representational system of church government, we are connected to all Presbyterian Church (USA) congregations and governing bodies. Our local church is governed by a 7 member board of elders, known as the session. They are responsible for the spiritual life and every-day ministry of our congregation. The elders also represent the church at regular meetings of the Northern New England Presbytery, where business of this region takes place, including oversight of the training and calling of pastors, and the work of the churches in the New England area. Representatives from the Presbytery are also sent to the Synod of the Northeast meetings, and to General Assembly, the body that determines policy for the denomination.
As a congregation, we support the work of the denomination in a variety of ministries locally and around the world.
To learn more about the Presbyterian Church (USA) click here.
