About First Presbyterian
Church of Kirkwood
Welcome!
We are glad you want to learn more about First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood.
As a large church with over 700 members and amazing facilities in the heart of Kirkwood, there is a lot going on. We are proud of the talented and committed staff we have helping us all minister in the name of Jesus Christ.
Here you can learn about our philosophy of ministry as well as some information about the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy and the Presbyterian Church (USA).
If you’d like to know what we believe about a certain issue or topic, click here to view a helpful website.
To find out more about what we believe, check out the links below...
The First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood is part of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy, a larger, regional affiliation of about 80 churches. Geographically, the Presbytery extends east into Illinois, south to Cape Girardeau, and west out to Crystal City. The Presbytery oversees and resources the ministry of the local churches. The mission of the Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery is to equip a community of vibrant congregations and dynamic leaders. For more information, click the button below.
The First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) – the PCUSA. As a denomination, the PCUSA is part of the Reformed tradition that traces its roots back to the Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and Ulrich Zwingli. One of the central aspects of being Presbyterian is how we govern our common life. We elect elders who are entrusted to discern the will of God for the good of the church on our behalf. We do not expect our elders to mirror our views or model our way of faith. Instead, we elect them, trust them, pray for them, and respond to (and sometimes gently challenge) their decisions about what is most faithful for the church to do.
Philosophy of Ministry
Our philosophy of ministry guides all we do: to be faithful to Jesus Christ and to love God and our neighbors. Our overarching goal is to be faithful to the ministry and mission of Jesus Christ in all we do.
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Worship is at the center of our common life as Reformed Christians. We worship God in response to the grace, blessing, and love shown to all through Jesus Christ.
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We welcome all people into the life of our community of faith, encouraging everyone to fully participate in furthering God’s ministry and mission.
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We worship, we learn, we connect, we care, we serve, and we give of our time, our talents, and our treasures!​