What is Resurrection Orthodox Presbyterian Church?
Resurrection is a congregation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. We have a long name, and there’s quite a bit of history to it. But the essence of who we are as a congregation is simple: Resurrection is a church that practices serious Christianity for real life. What does this mean?
Serious Christians
The first thing it means is that we are serious Christians. We believe that there is a God who made and rules everything. This God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is both honest and good: he will never lie about our sins, but he did die for them. We believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son who lived, died, and literally rose from the dead to rescue us from the wrath of God and the ruinous power of our own self-worship. We believe that connecting to Jesus by faith changes all of life – both now and forever. And we believe that God the Holy Spirit speaks to us today in the Bible.
In sum, we believe that the purpose of human life is to glorify and enjoy God – to be changed forever not by what we do, but by whom we trust. We exist as a church to pursue these things together – and we invite you to join us. For more specifics, check out our Reformed distinctives.
Committed to the Bible
The second thing it means to practice serious Christianity for real life is that we are committed to the Bible – all of it – even the parts that are unpopular or make us uncomfortable. We aren’t afraid of the hard questions this creates, because we don’t believe that the Bible is just another book. Though it’s written in human language, we believe that the Bible is actually the Word of God. And if God is who the Bible says he is, then nothing in the Bible is too hard for him. He can intervene in history. He can enter history. He can even raise the dead. These things are supernatural, certainly – but they are not irrational. At Resurrection, everything we do is centered on the Bible.
If you are interested in learning how to read the Bible, check out our 9-part video series.
Connected to the Wider Church
The third thing it means to practice serious Christianity for real life is to recognize that we are not the first generation of Christians in history – nor are we the only Christians in the world. At Resurrection, we confess and enjoy the fact that we are connected to the church of history and the church globally. We rejoice in the fact that we are but one small branch on a much larger tree – the kingdom of our Lord Jesus that spans across every age, place, language, and race.
Our Worship
Our worship services are simple and centered on the Word of God. We read and preach from the Bible. We pray, confess our faith, and celebrate the sacraments. We sing hymns and psalms of the Christian faith. We recite the creeds of the ancient church, along with the confessions and catechisms of the Reformation.
There is a beautiful simplicity to these forms, and we believe they help us follow Jesus better – locally, globally, and historically.
Locally, the use of an ordered liturgy enables every person in the congregation, regardless of age or experience, to worship together. Globally, the use of creeds enables us every week to join our brothers and sisters around the world in confessing our common faith using the same words. And historically, the use of historic musical forms enables us to step out of the carnival of contemporary life – and into the theatre of the eternal.
To read more about our understanding of worship, check out our Reformed distinctives.
Our Logistics: What to Expect When You Visit
The main entrance of the church building faces away from College Ave. (around the “back” of the building). As you enter, the room where we meet for worship will be through a door to your right, and the fellowship hall, restroom, and nursery area will be down a hallway to your left. Just outside the sanctuary there is a table with bulletins (copies of what we will do in worship that day) and other information. Make sure you also get a visitor packet, which will include a coupon for a free book from Resurrection’s Book Table.
We love having children in our services and we don’t mind the noise. If you feel you need to take your children out during the service – or vice versa! – a staffed nursery is available with an audio broadcast of the service.
We share the building with another congregation, so please note:
– We use the Trinity Psalter Hymnal (burgundy color) for all our singing. Psalms are the first 150 numbers; the remaining numbers are hymns.
– We will move promptly to the fellowship hall by 10:30 a.m. to make way for the other church’s service. Please join us for snacks and fellowship time before Sunday School at 10:45!
– If you are able, please reserve the parking spaces immediately behind the building for those who need them, and for the convenience of the other congregation. There is parking in the upper lot, as well as along the side of the building, and at the front off the road. There are additional spaces next door at Porter’s Paint, if required.
If you are visiting from the university and know of those who need a lift, please tell us. We are always ready to provide transportation for students who want to worship.
We invite you to join us for worship this Sunday!
