HERITAGE AND BELIEFS

HERITAGE

The Presbyterian Church has its roots in the Protestant reformation of the 16th century. Presbyterians began arriving in this country in the 1640s and in Texas in 1838. Our congregation was founded in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sansom in Old Round Rock on June 12, 1854. The next year the name was changed from Round Rock Presbyterian Church to Georgetown Presbyterian Church when it moved to Georgetown and was officially changed by Presbytery in 1881 to First Presbyterian Church. Part of our heritage includes experiencing the Civil War with a division among Presbyterians in Georgetown for some 30 years.

The sanctuary was erected under the leadership of Rev. John McMurray. The church was used as a public school from 1867 till 1873, when the present church was built. School was five days a week, and it is believed that this was the first public school in Georgetown. In 1870, Women's classes from Southwestern University were held in this wooden structure. The bell was bought in 1877 and has been in continuous use every Sunday since.

Some thirty-seven ministers have served the church. Four candidates for the ministry have been produced. The present pastor is Dr. Michael A. Roberts who began his pastorate on September 27, 1988.

In recent years, the church began a mid-week Christian education program called "Logos" (1989), initiated a vital youth ministry on Sunday evenings (2000), and began the Noah's Ark Kids' Day Out program (2000). The church has been active in new directions in mission including resettling a refugee family from Moldavia, four mission trips to the Yucatan in Mexico, and significant involvement in the Georgetown CROP Walk. In 1998, we began sponsoring a new church development, the San Gabriel Presbyterian Church of Georgetown. The church has been involved in Stephen Ministry, a lay care-giving ministry since 1999. We are also a Teaching Church of Austin Seminary, actively involved in the training of seminarians.

The membership has always made special effort to welcome newcomers into the ministry and membership of the congregation. In 2005, the church has over 700 members.

BELIEFS

The foundation of our belief and practice is the Bible. We are guided in the intepretation of the Bible by our Book of Confessions and the Book of Order. The Book of Confessions consists of eleven confessional statements including 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, and A Brief Statement of Faith.

We believe the Christian essentials of the mystery of the Triune God and the incarnation of the eternal Word of God in Jesus Christ. We make the following Protestant affirmations: justification by grace through faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the authority of scripture. We also affirm the following Reformed essentials: the sovereignty of God, election for service and salvation, orderly and disciplined government, faithful stewardship, the use of the mind in the service of God, and the transformation of society.

These beliefs and our rich heritage are discussed in the New Members Class that our pastor teaches three times each year.