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Brief Church Mission Statement:
Our church was founded in 1831. Alton at the time was a frontier settlement on the banks of the Mississippi and was to achieve infamy as the place where the abolitionist, Elijah Lovejoy, was assassinated, in 1837. The church moved several times in those early years but stayed within a three-block area in downtown Alton The present building—the fourth home for the church— was designed by Theodore Link and completed in 1897. In the booming 1960’s, we decided to remodel and enlarge the historic church rather than join the flight to the suburbs. In 1988, following a disastrous fire that gutted the sanctuary, we again chose to stay in the same location. The beauty of the stained-glass windows and the unmatched tonal resources of the 45-rank pipe organ in the completely restored sanctuary are testaments to the high value we place on our traditions of communal worship. We find great joy and spiritual renewal in the worship life of our church. Over the years we have come to expect excellence in music and liturgy and high quality in preaching. We are proud of our Reform traditions and our Presbyterian heritage. We feel a warm and loving relationship with our church “family.” In June of 2006 we begin a year-long observance of our 175th anniversary. In celebration of this milestone, the boards of the church, each committee and every group of every kind will be invited to make a special, creative offering to serving God and God’s people in the world. As we begin think together about what gifts to offer, we believe that we will discern God’s will for us in the new century.
Please write a brief description of your church programs or accomplishments.
This is a downtown, mainline church in a post-industrial town with a shifting population. We have been without a called pastor since 2004. During this time, we have had to become self-reliant in order to sustain the life of the church. The session, with the help of dedicated volunteers and a loyal staff, has made great strides in restoring the church to a sound financial footing. The reduced staff has assumed additional responsibilities in order to control expenses while maintaining the same high quality of worship and Christian education. In a changing community, we have been working with the other three Presbyterian churches in Alton to create a “larger Presbyterian parish.” It is not clear what form this larger parish might assume and what effect it may have on the future of Presbyterians in Alton, but we have made a beginning by joining together in worship on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, during Holy Week and in joint vacation Bible school in July. At the same time, the church has reached an agreement with one of the four churches (Elm Street Presbyterian) to form a “yoked” pastorate. Our two churches seem uniquely suited to yoking: First Presbyterian already has two full-time program/administrative staff employees and both churches have vigorous, experienced lay leadership
Describe what gifts, skills and experiences your congregation possesses to fulfill its mission.
Following the departure of our last called pastor, the session, the deacons, and committees of the session have been reorganized and have assumed additional responsibilities for maintaining the life of the church. Our minister of music now serves also as director of administration and our director of Christian education has responsibilities for communication and office management. The people of the church also serve God in choirs for adults and children, in bell choirs, as lay assistants and lay readers in worship, by ushering and greeting, by preparing and serving communion, by visiting shut-ins and bringing them communion, by providing Christmas baskets and gifts, by general and local mission projects, in Sunday school classes and vacation Bible school, in youth fellowships, and in other numerous and varied opportunities for fellowship.
What are the key theological issues of our church and society that are reflected in the ministry of your congregational organization.
We believe that worship fits us for service to God in the world. We know that congregations prosper when they have a purpose; and we know that, in order to be a vital and thriving congregation, we must have a mission