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Who we are and what we believe. We are part of a denomination by the name of Cumberland Presbyterian Church, originating in Tennessee in 1810. Our denomination is rooted firmly in Presbyterian teaching, with the exception of the doctrine of double predestination. Instead, we believe God invites persons to repentance and discipleship and every person must make a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Confession of Faith presents our full doctrinal statement and is available upon request. We claim nearly 100,000 members in eighteen states, as well as Columbia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Liberia. What is your style of worship? Our worship services follow traditional Presbyterian practices. We're not required to use a certain liturgy or prayer book, but attempt to blend liturgical and free worship. We believe true worship involves our participation in praise, prayer, music, scripture reading, and expressions of faith. We follow the Christian calendar: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Pentecost. On most Sundays, our worship leaders wear ecclesiastical garments. Do you offer Sunday School classes? We offer a full Sunday School program every Sunday at 9:30 am that includes age-graded classes for children and youth and several adult classes arranged according to age, interest, and need. For more information, please contact the church office. What is available for children during worship? For children up to age two, we have a nursery. For children ages two through four, we have an extended session of Sunday School. Both feature paid staff. Children's bulletins are printed for older boys and girls. An usher will gladly assist you upon your request. How do you observe baptism? We baptize adults, youth, and the young children of professing Christians during worship services as a sign of God's covenant of grace with us. As such, the sacrament of baptism compares to circumcision in the Old Testament. Baptism down not "save" anyone, so those baptized as infants must, at an appropriate time, accept Christ as Lord and affirm that baptism as their own. While we accept all modes of baptism, we believe sprinkling best represents the baptism of the Holy Spirit as taught in Scripture. How do you observe the Lord's Supper? We celebrate this sacrament on the first Sunday of the month and on special days of the Christian year. We practice open communion and invite everyone who professes Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to participate, regardless of church affliction. Our usual way of receiving the Lord's Supper is taking the bread and cup in your pew as they are passed to you. We hold to the traditional Presbyterian belief that the bread and cup do not become the body and blood of Christ. Rather, we affirm that the risen Christ is spiritually preset during our observance and that he nourishes, strengthens, and encourages us during the Supper. Do you pray the Lord's Prayer? On most Sundays, we pray "The Lord's Prayer" below in unison:
Do you give an invitation after the sermon? During most services, the preacher invites those who wish to pray about specific needs, to profess faith in Christ, or to express interest in church membership to meet with a pastor during the hymn after the sermon. Please respond as God leads you. What is a "Ritual of Friendship" Pad? The "ritual of Friendship" pad allows members and guests to learn one another's names and to register attendance. We ask everyone to include you name, address, and phone number as the pad is passed to you. How do I become a member of Cumberland? We gladly accept new members in any one of three ways:
Cumberland Presbyterians adopt the "Whosoever Will" belief that enables you to come to terms with your faith, in you own way. The only requirement is that set forth in Scripture - "That you confess with your lips the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead." Romans 10:9. We encourage your participation in an "Inquirer's Class", covering such topics as our beliefs, history, structure and government; the basics of spiritual growth and development; our ministries, programs, and finances; and how you can become involved at Cumberland. We offer this class on a regular basis. We want you to make an informed deicing about your faith and your relationship with our church. Please contact the church office for more affiliation. |
