Siler Presbyterian Church glorifies God by inviting all into a relationship with Christ, growing in faith, and serving Christ in the Crossroads.

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Siler Presbyterian Church glorifies God by
inviting all into a relationship with Christ,
growing in faith, and serving Christ in the
Crossroads.

Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the
Crossroads
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Why am I not in Sunday School ?

Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the
Crossroads
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Presbytery of Charlotte Commitment to Pursuing
Reconciliation with Member Churches Seeking
Dismissal from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
On November 8th, the Session of Siler
Presbyterian Church voted unanimously to enter
Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the
Crossroads
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Monthly Sunday Schools 2nd Sundays 1. Why
has Siler chosen to enter the process? 2. What
is Presbyterianism? 3. Charlotte Presbytery
Process. 4. How has Siler responded to PCUSA in
the past? 5. If dismissed, where are we
going?Pending meetings with the Charlotte
Presbytery
What is going to happen
Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the
Crossroads
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Being Presbyterian
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Being Presbyterian

• Being Presbyterian is first about a form of
  Government
• Primarily Presbyterianism is not theology or
  doctrine, but polity.

Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the
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Being Presbyterian-
Representative

• Presbyteros means governed by elders.
• We are a church led by those elected as Elders.
• Presbyterians have a representative form of
  government.
• Elders and Deacons are elected by the people to
  lead the church in most matters of faith and
  mission.

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Being Presbyterian Government /Polity

• Our form of Government is much like that of the
  United States, which was patterned after the
  Presbyterian polity.
• Our polity was patterned after the Church of
  Geneva under John Calvin and the Church of
  Scotland led by John Knox.

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Being Presbyterian Structure and Governing
Bodies
General Assembly
Synods (16) regional governing bodies
Presbyteries (173) district governing bodies
Session gt11,000
Congregations
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Being Presbyterian Historical Commitment to
Beliefs

• Presbyterianism was purchased with blood.
• In France, England and Scotland, Presbyterians
  were slaughtered during certain periods of those
  first years because they were standing up for
  their beliefs.
• In France alone the population of Protestant
  churches and her people were reduced by two
  thirds between 1570 and 1598.

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Being Presbyterian Reformed
Reformed thought comes out of the Reformation of
the 16th Century. The Reformation was a biblical
response to the excesses and perversions of the
Roman Catholic Church. The Reformers, having
returned to Scripture, attempted to carefully and
faithfully rebuild the church upon the teachings
of the New Testament. Thus by affirming Reformed
theology, a person is implicitly denying certain
other theologies. Particularly from
the theology of John Calvin.
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Being Presbyterian God Centered

• Reformed Theology is
• God centered
• Not centered on mankind
• God is absolutely sovereign over all aspects of
  this world and our lives. All things are under
  Gods rule and control and nothing happens
  without His direction or permission
• Gods Sovereignty
• Is based upon His attributes
• Is centered in His nature
• Is not derived from any other

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1. The mystery of the Trinity2. The
Incarnation of Jesus Christ3. Justification by
Grace through Faith alone4. Substitutionary
Nature of Atonement5. Scripture as our final
authority6. Gods absolute sovereignty 7.
Gods election of the People of God8. The
Covenant life of the church 9. Stewardship of
Gods Creation and resources10. The idolatry of
sin11. The Call to obedience
Essential Tenets of the Reformed Faith
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Being Presbyterian Five Solas of the Reformed
Faith

• Solo Christo
• Sola Scriptura
• Sola Gratia
• Sola Fide
• Soli Deo Gloria
• The Five Solas are the foundational beliefs of
  our church.
• The Reformation got us back to the biblical
  pillars of our faith.

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Being Presbyterian Solo Christo

• By Christ alone
• The Bible is clear about from whom our Salvation
  is acquired.
• John 146 Jesus answered, I am the way and the
  truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
  except through me.
• Acts 412 And there is salvation in no one else
  for there is no other name under heaven that has
  been given among men by which we must be saved.
• 1 Tim 25 For there is one God, and one mediator
  also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

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Being Presbyterian Sola Scriptura

• The Scriptures alone
• The Scriptures are our one and final authority
  for all the church believes and does.

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Being Presbyterian Sola Gratia

• By Grace alone
• Ephesians 29 For by grace you are saved through
  faith, that is not of yourselves, it is a gift of
  God, not as a result of works, so that no one can
  boast.

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Being Presbyterian - Sola Fide

• Through Faith alone
• Habakkuk 24 Behold, as for the proud one, His
  soul is not right within him But the righteous
  will live by his faith.
• Romans 117 For in it the righteousness of God is
  revealed from faith to faith as it is written,
  but the righteous man shall live by faith.

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Being Presbyterian - Soli Deo Gloria
To the Glory of God alone Ephesians 320-21 Now
to Him who is able to do far more abundantly
beyond all that we ask or think, according to the
power that works within us, to Him be the glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus to all
generations forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy
117 Now to the King eternal, immortal,
invisible, the only God, be honor and glory
forever and ever. Amen
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Being Presbyterian - Presbyterians are
Confessional

• Confessions are reliable teachings extracted from
  the scripture. They teach us what to believe and
  do. With the voices of history we join in
  adoration of our living God.
• Types of Confessional Documents
• Confessions- detailed statements of our beliefs
• The Westminster Confession
• The Scots Confession
• Catechisms- Questions and Answers of our beliefs
• The Westminster Catechism
• The Heidelberg Catechism
• Creeds- short statements of our beliefs made to
  be memorized
• The Apostles Creed
• The Nicene Creed

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Being Presbyterian - Presbyterians are
Connectional

• We do not work in isolation from other churches.
• We are not independent.
• We are not autonomous.
• All congregations in a given area connect us as a
  Christian family.
• Presbyterian congregations join together in
  Presbyteries.

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Being Presbyterian - Presbyterians are
Missional

• The history of the Presbyterian tradition is one
  of mission and outreach.
• Presbyterians
• Transformed Europe
• Brought Christ to the Colonies
• Pioneered missions in Africa and Asia
• Started schools and hospitals all over the world.
  

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Being Presbyterian - Presbyterians are Missional
We not only believe in the Great Commission, we
are committed to fulfilling it. Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am
with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 2819-20
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Being Presbyterian
I am not ashamed of the Gospel Romans 116
Neither am I ashamed to be Presbyterian.
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Do you have any questions about being
Presbyterian?
Your turn.
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Become more informed www.silerchurch.orgAsk
Questions/Share with your SessionInvite the
Denominational Committee to your Sunday School
class.Attend these monthly sessions the
meetings with the Charlotte Presbytery.Pray for
guidance
How can I participate?
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Crossroads
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ATTEND Orientation Meeting with the Presbytery
of Charlotte February 26th at 4PM at
Siler.Note The Presbytery of Charlotte has
deemed this an orientation meeting for the
Discernment Team and congregational input will
not be allowed.ATTEND Joint Sunday School
March 4th Review the Reconciliation and
Dismissal Process.
How can I participate?
Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the
Crossroads