Who We Are
First Presbyterian Church of York is one of approximately
11,200 congregations that are part of the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) (PC(USA)). The PC(USA) has approximately 2.5 million
members and 21,000 ordained ministers. Presbyterians trace
their history to the 16th century and the Protestant
Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began
with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings
crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before
him.
Our church is home to approximately 1,250 members from
about 750 households. Our members are mostly from York County, PA , and most live within a radius of 15-20 miles of York
City, though some members and others who worship with us come
from places far removed from the city. As a center-city
church, First Presbyterian Church of York has a diverse
membership, including couples, singles, and families of all
ages. We have a rich African American heritage as a result of
the merger of Faith Presbyterian Church with our church in
1965. The congregation has a very real sense of history,
beginning in 1762 with a small informal group that obtained a
deed of land from the grandsons of William Penn in 1785 to
establish a permanent site for “a house of religious worship
and burial ground.” The property deeded at that time is the
site of our present church. Colonel Joseph Smith, one of the
signers of the Declaration of Independence, is buried in our
historic churchyard.
Home is a place where we can go to be loved, nurtured, and
accepted, just as we are. The same should be true of a church
home. A church home should be a place where all—regardless
of age, membership, race, ethnicity and family status—can
come together as family to worship God through Word, music,
sacrament, prayer, and fellowship. It is a place where all can
come to be loved, nurtured, and accepted, to minister to each
other and within the community, and to pray with and for each
other. In this sense, we consider First Presbyterian Church of
York to be like home. Our church ministers to people at all
stages of their lives—visiting those who are ill, injured,
or no longer able to attend Sunday worship; providing
stimulating educational opportunities for persons of all ages;
engaging children and youth in spiritually enriching
activities; reaching out in love into our community and into
the world; and introducing all to the love of Jesus Christ
within our community of faith.
In 1993, First Presbyterian Church of York adopted a Vision
for the 21st Century as a way of establishing guidelines
for what this home is to be.
It said: In the year 2003, through God’s grace and empowered by
His Spirit, the body of Christ at First Presbyterian Church of
York will:
· Share the Gospel
with others making new disciples for Christ
This part of the vision challenges members to welcome all
persons to First Presbyterian Church of York, to encourage
members to mature in their faith, and to draw non-believers
into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
· Seek to
understand the Christian faith and encourage the education of
others
This part of the vision sets an expectation that members
will devote time to Bible study and devotion in church and in
their personal lives, and that they will encourage others to
do so as well.
· Participate fully
in the joyful worship of God
This part of the vision challenges members to devote
themselves to daily personal worship and to weekly attendance
at Sunday worship.
· Demonstrate care
for one another
This part of the vision promotes ministry to one another in
prayer and action, setting a goal for greater participation in
small groups and encouraging identification and use of
spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ.
· Reach out in love
to serve others
This part of the vision sets an expectation of service to
the community and other mission opportunities, challenging
members to give of time, talent, and treasure. It affirms the
downtown location of our church as a center of mission to our
neighbors.
Our church home is a community of believers who learn from
one another and support one another – building the blocks on
which faith is established and supported. We hope that you
will become part of our church home as well.
