|
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, as a Reformed Church within the wider body of Christ is grounded in the Scriptures, and exists to love and honour God through faith in His Son and by the power of His Spirit, and to enable her members to play their part in fulfilling God's mission to our world.
God calls us to a shared life in which we love, honour and are reconciled to one another whilst respecting our diversity within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. We are called to encourage the exercise of the gifts of every member of the Body for the work of ministry and, seeking the renewal of the whole Church, to co-operate with other parts of Christ's Church without betrayal of our convictions.
God calls us to worship Him with our whole lives, meeting together in groups large and small and gathering especially on the Lord's Day for the preaching and study of His word, the celebration of the sacraments and the offering of prayer and praise with reverence and joy, using language, form and music appropriate both to Scripture and to our time and culture.
God calls us to mission as witnesses to Christ through both evangelism and social witness challenging the values of the world in which we live with the values of God's kingdom and winning men and women to faith and discipleship. This mission is to be pursued amongst all the people of Ireland and the peoples of the European Community and the whole world: those with whom we feel comfortable, those from whom we feel alienated and those who are in any way distant from us in culture and faith.
We ourselves are challenged with a biblical discipleship which is radical in its self denial, simplicity of lifestyle, stewardship of money, faithful relationships, prayerfulness, concern for the world which God has created and love for its people whom he loves and for whose salvation He gave his Son.
First Presbyterian Church Saintfield Vision Statement:
First Presbyterian Church, Saintfield is a church where people can belong to a loving fellowship, believe in the Good News of Jesus and become all that God intends them to be.
In the early church described in Acts chapter 2 verses 42 – 47, the disciples devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. In doing so they were ‘being transformed’. This transformation was evident in acts of service motivated by love and they discovered that in ‘being transformed’, they were ‘being transforming’; the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
In such a Transforming Community members live in loving and accountable relationships, and through the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, grow in Christ-likeness. We strive to be a community of obedience, love and faith.
|
