Affiliations

We share a spiritual kinship with all those who affirm the most ancient Christian confession "Jesus is Lord" and lovingly embrace them as a brother or sister as we pray with Jesus that we all be one so the world may believe (John 17:21).

Our roots are planted deep, going back to the time of the Apostles, the Council of Jerusalem, the Seven Great Ecumenical Councils, and ancient familial connections to the Celtic expression of the Church, and with the patriarchs of Jerusalem and Rome.

 

 Within the larger Christian family tree, we are part of the Reformed branch, whose expression of faith has been shaped by the Reformation and the teachings of John Calvin.

Of the Reformed branch, we are part of the Presbyterian Church (USA), which descends from the Reformed churches in Europe, particularly Scotland and Ireland. However the early Church in the colonies also incorporated other Reformed congregations, such as the French Huguenots, Welsh Methodists, English Presbyterians (now called the United Reform Church), Hungarian Reformed, Czech Brethern, and Waldensians from Italy. The Presbyterian Church (USA) was established in 1706 in Philadelphia and aided in the shaping of the Declaration of Independence and our country’s form of government. Today, the Presbyterian Church includes members from every corner of the world, especially Korea, Africa, and Central and South America.

Our regional Presbyterian community (akin to a 'state') is the Synod of Mid-America, which includes churches and members in the states of Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois.

Our local community of Presbyterians (akin to a 'county') is called Giddings-Lovejoy, named after two nineteenth-century pastors whose ministries still inspire the presbytery’s commitments to evangelism and compassionate justice.