That is our core belief at FPCM, and it is the core belief of our denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA). Over hundreds of years, our Church has further defined our beliefs, including our understanding of the Bible as the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ, in our Constitution, consisting of the Book of Confessions and the Book of Order:

First Presbyterian Church of Maitland is a family of Christ followers who are rooted in the Reformed traditions, yet also represent a diversity of backgrounds and persuasions.  We are united by our common love for God; our commitment to Christ and our journey of transformation by the Holy Spirit; our love for one another and the purposes of the Church.

GREAT ENDS OF THE CHURCH: We are guided by the Great Ends of the Church as defined in the Book of Order of the PCUSA in G-1.0200:

• the proclamation of the Gospel for 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.

STATEMENT OF FAITH:  The ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Maitland (FPCM) is built upon Reformed theology.  We affirm our commitment to Unity in essentials, Liberty in non-essentials, and Charity in all things.

• We believe that God exists and that God is so much greater that we can think or even imagine.  God is one and God exists eternally in three persons:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who are equal in power and glory.
• We believe that everything that is, was created by God.  The world is His and, therefore, we are to care for it.
• We believe that every human being has worth and dignity because we are all created in the image of God; therefore, all human beings, regardless of race or creed, matter to God.
• We believe that the world is in turmoil and conflict because human beings have rebelled against God by choosing to seek their own way in disobedience to God.  This rebellious spirit of going our own way apart from God is called sin.  The result of our sin is estrangement from God, adversely affects all of our relationships:  our relationship with God, with other human beings, with ourselves and with God’s creation.
• We believe that God does not intend for sin, separation and suffering to get the last word.  Rather, God initiates overtures to reveal Himself to us.
• We believe God has revealed Himself to us in the Scriptures, which are our authoritative guide in faith and action.  The Scriptures, while inspired and superintended by the Holy Spirit, nevertheless use the culture, education and experiences of the forty individuals who wrote them.
• We believe that God has expressed Himself uniquely in His Son, Jesus Christ, who lived, taught, died and rose again physically from the grave for our redemption and atonement.  Jesus is our friend, teacher, savior and master.
• We believe that the Spirit of God is now available so that we are closer to God than even the air we breathe.  The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus, convicts us of our sin, regenerates us and transforms us as we cooperate and practice holy habits.
• We believe that the church is the redemptive community that God invites everyone to join who is willing to follow Jesus.
• We believe that Jesus instituted two practices called Sacraments:  Baptism and Holy Communion.  These sacraments are both an outward sign and a guarantee of God’s continued presence in our lives.  Baptism is administered only once and the sign for the cleansing of our sin, our identification with Christ and the official entry into the church.  Holy Communion is celebrated often and is both a regular reminder of what Christ has done and His continued mysterious presence in us and with us and of His coming again.
• We believe that at a time of God’s choosing, Jesus will return to earth.  The bodies of the dead will be raised and God will judge all human beings.  We live in hope because love and justice will prevail, and God will set the world right.
• We believe God has an eternal plan and purpose which may or may not always be apparent to human beings and that God invites us to follow Christ and, therefore, to join and cooperate with what God is doing in the world.