Our Beliefs

At St. Andrews we strongly believe in welcoming everyone by extending a hand, and connecting with all. As a body of faith, we are called to worship and study together. We are called to grow together by nurturing one another in our individual journeys of faith.

We believe all are created in the glorious image of God and as such, do not discriminate against anyone based on sexual orientation, race, gender, gender expression, marital status, age, national origin, or ability.

As we seek to reflect the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we stand against oppression of all forms and support the human dignity of all people.

We know that the Christian church as an institution has hurt and created mistrust among many people. We seek every day at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church to seek reconciliation with those who have been hurt.

Core Values of St. Andrews Presbyterian

It is the understanding of the church as the body of Christ that has led the Reformed tradition and the PC(USA) to develop some of its core values.

The Lordship of Christ

Everything that we do is centered on Jesus Christ, who is our Lord and Savior at the Head of the church.

Honoring Diversity

Just as the body celebrates its diversity, we celebrate, affirm, and welcome the rich diversity of all of God’s people in our common life.

Shared Leadership

There can be no authoritarian leadership in a Presbyterian Church because all parts of the body have gifts that must be honored. That is the basis of the Reformed conviction that the spiritual leaders (deacons, ruling elders, and teaching elders) are to be elected by the people of God.

Being one church

Just as there is only one body of Christ, there is only one church. Each of our congregations is an organic part of the broader PC(USA), and the PC(USA) is just one part of the church ecumenical. To be Presbyterian is to be ecumenical.

A holistic ministry

Our mission in the world, our ministry, is the ministry of Christ. Just as Christ was called “to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, and to let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18), so are we.

Discerning the mind of Christ

The purpose of our governance, which on the surface has many parallels to the US political institution, is not to balance political interests in the church, but to enable elected spiritual leaders, together in prayer, dialogue, and reflection of God’s Word, to best discern the mind of Christ.

PC(USA) and St. Andrews

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. What these tenets mean is that God is the supreme authority throughout the universe. Our knowledge of God and God’s purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, particularly what is revealed in the New Testament through the life of Jesus Christ. Our salvation (justification) through Jesus is God’s generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. It is everyone’s job — ministers and lay people alike — to share this Good News with the whole world. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.

LIVING IT OUT

See how we practice our faith and seek to live out our beliefs in the ministries provided by St. Andrews.

SEE MINISTRIES