What Presbyterians Believe

Ken Mawr is a Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation.

Presbyterian History:

Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformation movement that began with Martin Luther and continued with John Calvin. John Knox, a Scottish Protestant who studied with Calvin, brought Presbyterianism to Scotland. Presbyterians played a large part in the founding of the United States and the writing of the Constitution. The first presbytery in the U.S. was established in Philadelphia in 1706. During the Civil War era, the church split into a northern and southern branch. The two reunited in 1983 to form the Presbyterian Church USA.

Presbyterians Believe in the Trinity:

• God is the creator of the universe.

• Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God on earth.

• The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in the world and in the believer.

The Way of Salvation is through Jesus Christ:

• God sent his Son that the world might be saved through him.

• Christ’s death was offered as a sacrifice for our sins. His resurrection shows the power of God over sin and death.

• Whoever believes in Jesus as Savior and Lord receives the gift of eternal life that begins now.

• Sin is forgiven in Christ and life is renewed also in him.

• God grants the gift of grace which enables us to gain the faith necessary to believe and live a new life.

The Road Map to Life in Christ is Found in the Bible:

• The Bible is the authority for life and practice.

• The Bible is the inspired Word of God.

• The Bible is the Word of God written.

• The Bible is meant to be studied, read devotionally and used in worship of God by individuals and the church.

The Church is the “Body of Christ” on Earth:

• The church is for everyone. It offers a community of believers that helps each person grow in Christ.

• The sacraments are administered in the church body.

• Baptism and Communion are the two sacraments of the church.

• Presbyterians govern themselves by a representative democratic form of government. The Session is the elected governing body of fifteen elders that oversees the work of the church. Our Board of Deacons with twenty four officers serves those inside and outside of our church with Christ's compassion and care.

At Ken Mawr United Presbyterian Church we have people from a variety of faith backgrounds and some with no faith background that have joined us in our mission of “Declaring God’s Grace and Demonstrating God’s Love, as Directed by God’s Word.” The bottom line for us is that God has called us to come together to worship and serve our Lord and to reach out to others in Christian love.