History
Conceived in 1893 as a mission church meeting in member’s homes, the Pitcairn First United Presbyterian Church by 1895 had received its charter and was meeting in an old white frame school house on Eighth Street in Pitcairn. Our first ministers were seminary supplies, one of which headed for a mission charge in Egypt, which roused a life-long interest and support from our congregation for global missions. By the time our first full-time minister, The Reverend T. L. Jamieson, came in 1898, we were established in our newly erected white frame church building on the corner of Third and Highland Avenue in Pitcairn.
By 1916 the congregation had outgrown the original church structure and began preparation for a larger more suitable sanctuary. The plan involved moving the manse of the church to its current location on Highland Avenue and moving the chapel up the hill on Third Street to become the current church office and Sunday school rooms. On the corner of Third Street was erected the present familiar domed sanctuary that stands today.
During the tenure of Reverend David Williams, on February 22, 1981 the congregation overwhelmingly voted to leave the United Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) and joined the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) as The Presbyterian Church of Pitcairn. The Presbyterian Church of Pitcairn has a rich history of outreach and service to the community of Pitcairn and continues, even from its humble beginnings, to have a desire to see disciples of Christ made of all nations through the financial and prayerful support of global missions. The Presbyterian Church of Pitcairn continues to long to see the Kingdom spread from our local community to the ends of the earth.
Beliefs
We proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ: that we human beings are more sinful and wicked than we ever dared to believe or admit, yet can be more loved and accepted than we ever dared to hope. This is because of Jesus Christ, who lived in our place a life acceptable to God and who died in our place the death we deserved.
We have living hope because we believe that we are rescued and saved by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and God alone get’s all the Glory. We believe this based on the authority of God’s Word alone.
The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of the Presbyterian Church of Pitcairn’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, we follow the understanding of Scripture found in the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America.
“The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America, which is subject to and subordinate to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, the inerrant Word Of God, consists of its doctrinal standards set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith, together with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, and the Book of Church Order, comprising the Form of Government, the Rules of Discipline and the Directory for Worship; all as adopted by the Church.”
To learn more of what we believe concerning God, Jesus, Salvation and more check out the Westminster Confession of Faith along with it’s Larger and Shorter Catechisms. It is a great exposition of the Christian Faith. You can find it here.
To learn what we hold to regarding social issues click here.