Mission & Beliefs

Our Mission

Serving Christ from the Heart of the City to the Ends of the Earth with Love, Faith and Action

Since 1816, we have served God from the center of Raleigh. Our ongoing mission is to be “A Christ-centered Downtown Church Committed to Knowing and Sharing God’s Love.”

We hope that you find First Pres to be a warm and welcoming atmosphere! We’d love for you to be a part of our family!

One of our pastors, officers, or members will be happy to visit with you to answer your questions and to help you with arrangements should you desire to join First Presbyterian Church. One of the best ways to learn more about First Presbyterian Church is to participate in one of our Inquirer’s Classes that is held several times a year. For information about our next Inquirer’s class, please contact our Associate Pastor Laurie Taylor-Weicher.

We receive new members in the following ways:

  • A Profession of Faith (for those who have never previously joined a church)
  • Transfer of Letter (for persons transferring from any sister congregation)
  • Reaffirmation of Faith (for those who have become inactive and want to renew their church commitment)
  • Affiliate Membership (for anyone living in our community temporarily who want to establish a relationship with our church family)

Our Beliefs

We are a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA), a church with roots in the Protestant Reformation. We affirm the sovereignty of God, the Lordship of Jesus Christ and central importance of the Scriptures in shaping our lives and our life together.

In our governance and in our theology, we are guided by a two-part constitution: the Book of Confessions and the Book of Order. The Book of Confessions is a collection of creeds, catechisms and theological statements, rooted in Scripture, which help us understand who God is, and how we are to live as God’s people.

The Book of Confession comprises the following creeds, catechisms, and statements of faith:

  • The Nicene Creed
  • The Apostles Creed
  • The Scots Confession
  • The Heidelberg Catechism
  • The Second Helvetic Confession
  • The Westminster Confession of Faith
  • The Larger Catechism
  • The Shorter Catechism
  • The Theological Declaration of Barmen
  • The Confession of 1967
  • A Brief Statement of Faith Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

While the Book of Order is largely concerned with organization and order, it also reminds us why the church exists. The first chapter affirms that the great ends of the church are the proclamation of the Gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

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