Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church

Church doors have been painted red since the Middle Ages, when going “behind the red door” meant both sanctuary from prosecution and a coming under the blood of Christ. For us at St. Andrew’s, our door is a bold new symbol of the congregation. While we have always been deeply rooted in the best that tradition has to offer, we are unafraid to undertake daring new ministry for the 21st century, in Jesus’ Name.

Indeed, have you ever wondered how God is at work in the world? In fact, who is God, and who Jesus, the Son of God? Who are God’s people, and what is the church? Is hope real, and love possible??

Then you belong with us. These are big questions with even bigger answers. In fact they are only the beginning of a lifelong walk with God––the God who made us, who loves us, and who redeems us in Christ. In fact, the closer one gets to understanding God, the more mysterious and beautiful the world actually becomes—both this world, and the world to come.

St. Andrew’s is a worshiping community that loves God, and the world, in every way we can––and not only this, a community which is “making real what we already believe” (John Fisher) by the manifest grace of God. Worship is our lodestar, and outreach, our mandate.

Minister. The Rev. Colin James Cross has been Minister of Word and Sacrament at St. Andrew's Church since 1997, and is now celebrating his 25th year in ministry. A native of Penticton, he holds a Master of Christian Studies and a Master of Divinity from Regent College; a Diploma in Presbyterian Studies from the Vancouver School of Theology; and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of British Columbia. Do degrees make the man? In a word, no. But the Presbyterian Church in Canada has always been noted for its high view of ministry, not to mention its carefully-trained clergy; and Colin is no exception. Most of all, Colin loves God, and deeply loves people, and feels called by God not only to careful study and intelligent preaching, but to the most creative ministry possible in an exceptional time. (Hence many of our ministries, including our signature outreach, the Walk to Bethlehem; our outreach centres for people in need; and our exciting drama troupe, the St. Andrew's Players, which has presented challenging, spiritually-rich, family-friendly, full-length plays for the community--ten and counting.) Come and meet him! The door is always open.

Pianist and Accompanist. Dennis Nordlund also loves God, and is simply one of the finest pianists in the Okanagan. Needless to say St. Andrew's is blessed to have him playing for our services, and for the choir. Dennis is known for being an intuitive and sensitive player, and music teacher, who communicates his love of music by performing in many ensembles throughout the Okanagan. Dennis began his musical career in Vanderhoof, BC and continued studies in Penticton, Victoria and Vancouver. He acquired his A.R.C.T. through the University of Toronto, as well as a B.Sc. through UBC in Vancouver. He performs as a soloist, as an accompanist for vocalists, choirs, instrumentalists, and theatrical productions, and as part of both a jazz trio and a chamber ensemble group. He has performed with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, Musaic Vocal ensemble, the OSO Symphony Chorus, the OSO Youth Symphony, Soundstage Productions, Okanagan Valley music festivals, BC Performing Arts Festivals, the Penticton Vineyard Community Church, and St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. He is also an active clinician. At his private studio in Penticton, Dennis teaches piano, music theory, composition and collaborative piano. He is a member of the BC Registered Music Teachers Association.

From “Working Together” by Tamiko Corbett in the Presbyterian Record, March 1997

A Presbyterian could be a colleague at work. She could be the volunteer who teaches English. He could be the smiling face handing out blankets, or the quiet widower down the street. They could be that group sharing faith stories together and offering support. A Presbyterian could be anyone. What unites Presbyterians is their common faith in God, the way in which they worship and their ability to achieve extraordinary goals for the sake of others.

The word 'Presbyterian' is from the Greek word presbyteros, meaning "elder." Elders are church members elected for Christian service by their congregations to represent them and to serve God and the church. There are two kinds of elders who participate in the government of the church: ruling elders, who are laypeople, and teaching elders, who are ordained ministers.

Worship

Our churches use various styles of worship, but we are all focused on the authority of scripture and on being Christ-centred. Living Faith is a statement of Christian belief arising from the Canadian Presbyterian experience.

Mission

Presbyterians work to bring the grace of God to all people at work and at home. This transformation begins in their own lives as they grow in Christian faith. Their hands have improved the lives of abandoned children, homeless men and women, communities shattered by war or environmental disasters, and refugees searching for a second chance.

History

Presbyterians have an exciting history and, like all Christian churches, we trace our roots back to the New Testament. The birth of Presbyterianism took place in the 16th century. John Calvin, known as the father of Presbyterianism, was a leading figure in the Protestant Reformation. Worship, education and the role of laypeople were a large part of his teachings. Calvin’s teachings spread throughout Europe and also in Scotland, where John Knox later established Presbyterianism in 1545. Today there are nearly 1,000 Presbyterian congregations across Canada.

To find out more about The Presbyterian Church in Canada, we invite you to attend our service this Sunday, and ask questions. God bless you!

God as Triune

Belief in the Trinity — God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit — is central to the faith. God is the Father to whom we come, the Son through whom we come, and the Spirit by whom we come.

The Bible

The Presbyterian faith goes back behind all denominational divisions and interpretations to the Bible. The Bible inspires and guides us in what we believe and how we live.

Worship and the Sacraments

Worship gives Presbyterians an opportunity to praise, listen, and respond to God. Most congregations organize the worship service into four parts: gathering, listening, thanking, and going. These parts are expressed in terms like: Gather in God’s name; Proclaim the Word of God; Give thanks to God; Go in God’s name.

In worship we celebrate two sacraments – Baptism and Communion.

Baptism can occur at any age in The Presbyterian Church in Canada. It occurs in conjunction with a profession of faith and admission to church membership. Believing parents bring their child for Baptism and promise to raise their child to love and serve God. The entire congregation promises to support the child. Usually the minister pours or sprinkles water on the person’s head in Baptism. The waters of Baptism symbolize refreshment, cleansing, new life, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Because Baptism is seen as an act of the whole church and a sign of church membership, Baptism always happens in the presence of the worshiping congregation.

Traditionally, Communion is celebrated four times a year, but more and more Canadian Presbyterian churches offer it more frequently – monthly or even every Sunday.

Both Baptism and Communion are visible expressions of the gospel given as a way to enter and encourage Christian growth.

Reaching Out and Serving

The Christian church exists for others. We believe that our faith is alive through our actions of service (James 2:14-26). In Presbyterian churches we find evidence of activities that build community and reach out to serve others. Many congregations sponsor Girl Guide or Scouts Canada groups, encouraging the young people to get involved in Religion in Life Programs. On bulletin boards we see notices about coffee hours, potluck dinners, meetings of parents’ groups or CGIT.