Mission, Vision, & Values
What is this church all about?
Here at First Presbyterian Church in Perrysburg, we gather to worship on Sundays. We come to focus our attention together on the creative, life-giving force of this world and life, which we call God. We can do that any time on our own, in prayer, meditation, or attention, but we believe there is something important and powerful about doing it together. The early Christians cared for one another and helped one another. Present-day Christians should do the same. We sing together because singing does something to our bodies. It brings us into resonance. It heals. It calms. It strengthens. We wonder, and ponder, and consider together how to be steady and whole in unsteady and broken times and places. Some of us are very practical, concrete thinkers who have much wisdom about acting for the good in the world. Some of us are dreamers and storytellers who have eyes to see connections and great depths of truth. We bring these gifts to one another and share them.
Our current members include former teachers and educators. We have a pretty solid representation of retired law enforcement and folks who have served in the military. Artists, crafters, and musicians abound in our congregation. Longtime members have deep connections in this community. We are a small congregation that prizes knowing one another well and being there for one another. We warmly welcome all visitors and embrace the individual stories and gifts they bring.
As Christians, we believe that we are called to take part in God’s mission in the world. There is a lovely Latin term for this, it is the Missio Dei. We believe that you can find out about God’s mission in the world by looking at what is written in the Bible. We believe that Jesus clarifies all of that for us, he is the key to understanding God’s mission in the world and how we are to support God’s mission in the world. We believe that Jesus left God’s power with us to be able to do this work. We call that power the Holy Spirit. Each Presbytery, each congregation, each disciple of Jesus strives to find the way they jointly work for the Missio Dei and individually work for the Missio Dei. Our congregation believes that God has called us to be a congregation that promote peace.
If you are interested in practicing walking in the way of Jesus Christ in the world today with others who are also practicing discipleship, we welcome you to practice with us. If words like “Christianity” and “religion” make you wary, but the way of Jesus makes you curious, it is worth checking us out.
What is Presbyterian?
First Presbyterian Church of Perrysburg, is a member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). A wide spectrum of thoughts and beliefs exist within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is because the word “presbyterian” does not describe beliefs, it describes the way we organize ourselves. In our congregations there are governing boards whose members are called “Ruling Elders.” They make decisions for the church rules together. The ministers in our congregations are called “Teaching Elders.” This reminds everyone that the Minister in a Presbyterian church is there to guide, advise, teach, and equip, to preach and administer the sacraments (communion and baptism).
Presbyterian congregations are not independent though. In the “PC(USA),” congregations belong to a regional group of congregations called a “Presbytery,” which is set up in the same way as the congregations. And presbyteries belong to larger regional bodies called, “Synods” (same set up). Every two years, representatives from all the presbyteries meet for a General Assembly at which decisions for the whole denomination are made. In recent decades, the PC(USA) has taken stands and made commitments for people in our communities and the world that place us on the more socially, politically, and theologically liberal end of the spectrum. As a result, other Presbyterian denominations have arisen or grown in number as some PC(USA) congregations left the denomination. One such denomination is the “PCA,” the Presbyterian Church of America. If you are looking for a Presbyterian congregation that is more socially, politically, and theologically conservative, that is a good place to inquire.
History of First Presbyterian Church in Perrysburg
Founded in 1834, First Presbyterian Church of Perrysburg is a congregation with a storied past and a lively present. We are a group of Christians whose mission is to proclaim and clarify the Gospel of Jesus Christ by sharing our love for Christ with each other, our community, and all humankind. We pledge to demonstrate God’s spirit through worship, witnessing, righteous acts, and service to those in need.
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
A denomination of over 2 million people. We affirm that God comes to us in free and undeserved favor in the person of Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose for us that we might belong to God and serve Christ in the world. Following Jesus, we are engaged in the world and seek thoughtful responses to the challenges of our time.
