About Us

Steelville Presbyterian Church is part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States.

Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.

Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin are still at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. Among these are the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, justification by grace through faith and the priesthood of all believers. What these tenets mean is that God is the supreme authority throughout the universe. Our knowledge of God and God’s purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, particularly what is revealed in the New Testament through the life of Jesus Christ. Our salvation (justification) through Jesus is God’s generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. It is everyone’s job — ministers and lay people alike — to share this Good News with the whole world. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.

Our Mission

What ought to be, not what is – that is our Mission. To close the gap between the way things currently are in our church, our community and our world, and the way things ought to be, we believe God calls members of Steelville Presbyterian Church to:

Maintain a church that is comfortable to us . . . and others.
Welcome worshipers of all ages, educational background, ethnicity and social status.
Find their unique talents and use them to spread the Good News.
Constantly strive to improve religious education for ourselves and others.
Serve God through service to others.
Work together for the fellowship, health and welfare of the community.
Strive to make all feel welcome, not only in the church, but the community.
To be led by the Holy Spirit.
Be more intentional in sharing our faith with our families, neighbors, friends, co-workers and others in the community.
Be open to changes that will benefit our church and our community.
Promote meaningful religious practices, worship and fellowship activities.
Be active members in the church – in mind, spirit and body.
Our Mission Statement in Action
We will constantly evaluate everything we do, from our current mission to our new programs to see if we are closing the gap. All programs shall pass the test of mission, for the betterment of our church, our community and our world.

Our Beliefs

We believe God calls us to become a faith community within the Presbyterian tradition and the Church Universal that . . .
is led by the Holy Spirit;
becomes a beacon for Christ within the community and the world;
capitalizes on the uniqueness and opportunities of being a small town church;
is made up of individuals with a high commitment to God’s service;
nurtures to all ages;
involves everyone in Christian Education;
provides an environment in which all participants know they are valued and cared for.
We proclaim the Word of God for all people in all forums, and model Christ’s teaching through the lives we lead.

The Apostles’ Creed

We “believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right had of God the Father Almighty; from thense he shall come to judge and quick and dead.” We “believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen”

Our Vision

The Steelville Presbyterian Church is committed to strengthening our community, both locally and globally, by attempting to close the gap between what is and what ought to be. We realize we will never close this gap completely, but will strive to do God’s work through our mission in an attempt to see this gap close in some positive way.

Our specific vision as a congregation is to reach all the people in our community with the invitation to accept Christ’s freely offered gift of a saving relationship with him, and to encourage them to express their acceptance of that gift through worship and service. As a community of faith, we want to work to build a church which is open to new people and new ideas which are consistent with our beliefs. We will support different approaches to implementing our Mission and Vision, provided such approaches are consistent with maintaining a united, harmonious and loving church.

We shall implement our mission and vision by remaining unswervingly committed to building our ministries upon Jesus Christ and His word.

Symbolism

The stained-glass windows in our sanctuary symbolize the Act of Christian Worship. Seven of the ten windows are based on the Apostle’s Creed.

AgnusDei Window

Symbolizes “And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”

Consecration Window

Symbolizes our Christian Commitment.

Nativity Window

Symbolizes "And in Jesus Christ His Only Son our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; Born of the Virgin Mary."

Oikoumene Window

Symbolizes “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church, The Communion of Saints, The Forgiveness of Sins.”

Passion Window

Symbolizes "Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; The third day he arose again from the dead."

Pentecost Window

Symbolizes “I believe in the Holy Ghost.”

Praise Window

A symbol of worship, praise, adoration and prayer.

Stewardship Window

Symbolizes our Christian Stewardship; time, talents, and material possessions.

Trinity Window

A symbol of the Trinity "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."

Triumph Window

Symbolizes “The resurrection of the body; and the Life Everlasting.”