More about Us
Our Staff
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Our History
The First Presbyterian Church of Chester, Illinois
What We Believe
About Theology
Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin are still at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. Among these are the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, justification by grace through faith and the priesthood of all believers. Continue Reading
About Social Issues
The General Assembly “affirms its conviction that neither the Church as the body of Christ, nor Christians as individuals, can be neutral or indifferent toward evil in the world; ...” -From "1958 Statement – PC(USA), p. 537" Continue Reading
About Church History
The Christian church’s birth was at Pentecost, as described in the Book of Acts. At Pentecost the Jewish disciples of Jesus proclaimed the Gospel to people of many cultures and languages. Continue Reading
About What Makes Us Unique
“In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth praying, ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’” —From “A Brief Statement of Faith” Continue Reading
How We're Organized
Our Session
Our session is a group of women and men who have been elected from within our congregation and then ordained to become our church's elders. The pastor serves as a moderator during our session's meetings to ensure that everyone is heard and that the meetings are run in a way that is fair to everyone. The session leads in all the decisions about our congregation from choosing a paint color for the church hallway to choosing a new pastor.
The Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois
A presbytery is comprised of every minister and at least one elder from each congregation within its borders. Our congregation is part of the Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois.
The Synod of Lincoln Trails
A synod is made up of representative elder and minister members of several presbyteries. Our presbytery is part of the Synod of Lincoln Trails. Our synod includes eight presbyteries and over 700 congregations in Indiana and Illinois.
The General Assembly
The General Assembly is the most inclusive ruling body of our denomination. It holds a national meeting every two years. There are currently more than 10,000 congregations and more than 1.7 million members in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Our constitution consists of two parts: The Book of Confessions and the Book of Order.
