Presbyterian?

What does it mean to be Presbyterian?

To be Presbyterian, perhaps to your surprise, does not mean that we see ourselves as a denomination but part of the universal Church of Christ! We identify with the very earliest church established in the first-century by Jesus himself, which came to be known as the “holy catholic church” – catholic in the universal sense – as stated in the Apostles’ Creed.

The institutional Catholic church, we believe, erred when they elevated the traditions of men over the Bible, and this was corrected by the Reformation 500 years ago.

The Presbyterian Church of Australia – as a network of churches in Australia – traces its roots back to the Presbyterian Church in Scotland which itself had its roots when the Reformation came to Britain.

So in current “Christian lingo” we are Protestant, Evangelical and Reformed. We believe the Bible is the highest authority in all matters concerning faith and life, and we consider the Westminster Confession of Faith to be a pretty good guide to how we understand the Bible.

If you would like to know what it means to be Reformed, here is a great article by our friends at the World Reformed Fellowship.

Our local Church history as a Presbyterian Church

Kempsey Presbyterian Church was established in 1884. Its first building was located on Smith Street, Kempsey, and remained there until 1984. In 1984 the church building relocated to Rudder St.

Church at the Rocks finds some of its roots with a small group of worshippers who met together at South West Rocks every Sunday. With the help of Kempsey Presbyterian, this small group grew to form a congregation in South West Rocks.

Pulse Magazine

The NSW Presbyterian Church denominational offices periodically publishes a magazine called the Pulse. You can access it online from here.