COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN
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WelcomeWelcome to Covenant Presbyterian Church! We are excited to meet newcomers and share all the ways God is working through our church and in our lives. Whether you're someone just starting your first steps on the walk of faith or have been on the journey all your life, you will find fellowship and a home at Covenant Presbyterian. We are an active congregation and in addition to our many ministries, we also enjoy having lively discussions over current events in the world and the ways we can work to bring all of God's people together in peace. We invite you to explore our website, come visit us at 321 Taraval Street for service on Sundays at 9:30am, and if you have any questions – give us a call or send us an email. We're delighted you stopped by and look forward to seeing you on Sunday. — Covenant Presbyterian
Our Mission StatementWith God’s grace, we seek to share Christ through a welcoming and nurturing community of faith, doing God’s work in the world. Who We Are
What We Believe:
We are a part of the Presbyterian Church USA. While views can be varied among our congregation on individual topics of faith and religious practice, and
our denomination is one that enjoys allowing the diverse voices of its members to be heard,
we would like to outline our church’s background and some basic tenets of our faith that are shared by all in the hopes of greater clarity for those new to our denomination:
►When did the
denomination come into
existence in its current
structure/form?
1983. The Presbyterian Church(U.S.A.)
claims continuity back
to the founding of the
Synod of Philadelphia
in 1706. In 1983 the
United Presbyterian
Church in the United
States and the
Presbyterian Church in
the United States
reunited to form the
Presbyterian Church(U.S.A.).
►
What are deacons, ruling
elders, and teaching elders (pastors and other ordained ministers)
asked in their ordination
vows about Scripture?
"Do you accept the
Scriptures of the Old
and New Testaments to
be, by the Holy Spirit,
the unique and
authoritative witness to
Jesus Christ universal,
and God’s Word to
you?"
►
What are deacons, ruling elders, and teaching elders (pastors and other ordained ministers) asked
concerning Jesus Christ as
Savior?
"Do you trust in Jesus
Christ as your Savior,
acknowledge him Lord
of all and Head of the
Church, and through
him believe in one
God, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit?"
►
Is the belief in the incarnation (that
Jesus is fully God and fully
man) upheld?
Yes. The official
statements of the
Presbyterian Church(U.S.A.) uphold this.
►
How do Presbyterians understand the doctrine of atonement?
The official
statements of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) uphold substitutional atonement. To further understand the doctrine of atonement, we suggest the following links:
From the official Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Mission Website:
For a broader understanding of the varying perspectives on atonement:
Rev. Gregory Anderson Love, who is a Presbyterian Pastor and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at San Francisco Theological Seminary, wrote a wonderful article discussing the doctrine of atonement which has been helpful to many:
►
Who can take part in communion?
Covenant Presbyterian practices an open table, meaning all who wish to partake in communion are welcomed to do so.
►
What makes up the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s religious views?
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s religious views are based upon 3 books: The Bible, the Book of Confessions, and the Book of Order.
The Book of Confessions is Part I of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and contains historical statements of what we believe as a church. The Book of Order is Part II of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and contains the Foundations of Presbyterian Polity, the Form of Government, the Directory for Worship, and the Rules of Discipline. Additional information is provided to the reader through the inclusion of Received Ecumenical Statements of Guidance, Articles of Agreement, and material on the seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). You can download the Book of Confessions for free by clicking on this link. You can download the Book of Order for free by clicking on this link. ►
Are there any Confessions/Creeds?
Yes, there are 8 confessions plus 3
catechisms.
"F-2.01 THE PURPOSE OF CONFESSIONAL STATEMENTS The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s website provides downloads for our Book of Confessions if you would like to read more about our beliefs, the confessions, and the catechisms that make up our faith views. Click here to go to Presbyterian Church USA’s download page to download the Book of Confessions in either English or Spanish or to view the Book of Confessions online. Recently our Moderator of the 220th General Assembly also discussed the nature of the Confessions and the relationship of the Book of Order and Book of Confessions in the Presbyterian Church(USA). If you would like to read a transcript or watch; click the link here. ►
Are women ordained into
leadership positions?
Yes. The belief that
women can be ordained
into leadership is
required to be affirmed
by all ordained leaders
and congregations.
►
What is the
denomination’s position on
marriage?
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) allows both opposite–sex and same–sex marriage.
From our Book of Order: "Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the wellbeing of the entire human family. Marriage involves a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman, to love and support each other for the rest of their lives. The sacrificial love that unites the couple sustains them as faithful and responsible members of the church and the wider community. In civil law, marriage is a contract that recognizes the rights and obligations of the married couple in society. In the Reformed tradition, marriage is also a covenant in which God has an active part, and which the community of faith publicly witnesses and acknowledges. If they meet the requirements of the civil jurisdiction in which they intend to marry, a couple may request that a service of Christian marriage be conducted by a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), who is authorized, though not required, to act as an agent of the civil jurisdiction in recording the marriage contract. A couple requesting a service of Christian marriage shall receive instruction from the teaching elder, who may agree to the couple’s request only if, in the judgment of the teaching elder, the couple demonstrate sufficient understanding of the nature of the marriage covenant and commitment to living their lives together according to its values. In making this decision, the teaching elder may seek the counsel of the session, which has authority to permit or deny the use of church property for a marriage service." ►
Are ordained leaders
expected to live in
fidelity within the
covenant of marriage
between a man and a
woman or chastity in
singleness?
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has
decided to practice
mutual forbearance
toward each other and
other councils of the
church regarding
ordination.
By practicing mutual forbearance on this matter, this allows congregations that wish to ordain members of the LGBTQ community the ability to do so. ►
What is Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s view on abortion?
"Abortion ought to be
a last resort, because
life is sacred to God."
In its resource for
women facing problem
pregnancies, the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) writes that
the church "would like
to support you as you
make decisions about
your pregnancy" and
explores three options:
1) keeping the baby; 2) making an adoption plan; and 3) having an abortion. ►
Does the church have a per capita (request for
funds to help pay for
administrative costs of
denomination)
Yes. It is currently
$35.15 per member and
is voluntary.
$5.22 goes to The Synod of the Pacific To find out more information about the Per Capita and how the funds are used, visit the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)'s Per Capita Resoures page. ►
Who owns each congregation’s property
Congregations hold
property in trust for the use and benefit of
the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
(Many of the questions and answers were excerpted from This Official PDF from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s website )
Our HistoryA Brief History of Covenant
Next StepsNow that you've gotten to know us,
come visit and let us get to know you!
What should I wear?
What style of preaching can I expect?
What style of music is used for service?
How do I get to your church? Directions, as well as a Google Map, are provided on our Visit Us page. |
Weekly Services held Sundays at 9:30AM at 321 Taraval Street at Funston Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94116 |