Pastor’s Column

June 18, 2026

My dear church family,

Before you called me as your pastor, you developed the following Mission Statement:

 

We seek to be a friendly congregation
where Jesus Christ is honored and
people are served in His name

I believe that this statement describes our local congregation well.

 

Did you know that our whole denomination has a mission statement? In “denominational talk” we refer to our mission statement as the “Great Ends of the Church.” Have no fear… the “ends” referred to here, are the “purposes” or the mission of the Church. These are what we, and the entire family of congregations within the PC(USA), believe God is calling us to do. Simply stated, our goals are to:

  • Share the good news of Jesus Christ.

  • Provide a safe space and community for God’s children.

  • Keep worship alive and meaningful.

  • Protect the core truths of faith.

  • Fight for justice and do good in society.

  • Show the world what heaven looks like.

 

The Great Ends of the Church were written in 1910 by the people of the United Presbyterian Church of North America (UPCNA). They were updating their denominational constitution and wanted a quick, clear checklist to remind everyone what the church is actually supposed to be doing. They developed this six-point mission statement to guide the denomination through the 20th century.

 

When different Presbyterian groups merged over the years—first in 1958, and then again in 1983 to form the modern PC(USA)—everyone loved this list so much they kept it. Today, it’s still the official guiding light for the whole denomination.

 

Starting this Sunday, we will explore the six Great Ends of the Church during our worship services. Our PC(USA) Book of Order refers to them this way:

 

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.

 

As we explore these together over the next two months, I’ll ask us to examine ourselves as a congregation to evaluate how we are doing in achieving our denominational mission statement. I trust that being reminded of the mission that God has given the church universal will help steer FPCA during the transition period after I retire.

 

Sincerely,
Pastor Cindy

Previous Pastor Columns