Visitor Information


Posted September 27th, 2006 by KO Comments Off

A Warm Welcome!

If you are thinking about visiting First Presbyterian Church of Holland this Sunday, we will extend a warm welcome to you. We recognize that people come to church with different backgrounds and exposure to Christianity, so we will try to communicate the good news about Jesus Christ in a way that connects with all people. There is a map available at the bottom of this page to assist you in locating the church.
Helpful Visitor Information:

  • Worship Services are held every Sunday morning at:

    • 8:45 A.M.
    and
    11:00 A.M.

    Our early service is less formal in its music and worship style. The later service is a traditional worship service.

  • During the summer months (between Memorial Day and Labor Day) the church holds one worship service at 10:00am.
  • Children are encouraged to join in worship. They can participate in a special children’s message in the front of the Sanctuary during worship at the appropriate time. There is also adult supervised child care available during the service for children up to kindergarten.
  • Christian education programs are held between the two worship services, 10:00 A.M to 10:45 A.M. We offer classes for a variety of ages, kindergarten through adult Bible study. More detailed information about our educational programs can be found here.
  • Parking is located directly behind the church, on the North side of the building. Entrances are on both State Street and Columbia Ave. Parking is also available on the street in front of the church.
  • Our building is Handicapped Accessible with an access ramp from the main parking lot. The Sanctuary is located on the main floor of the building. Wheelchair accessible seating is available in several places in the Sanctuary. A lift is available for events held in our Fellowship Hall.
  • All members and visitors alike are invited to stay after worship for coffee, snacks and fellowship in the “Meet & Mingle Cafe” located in the Church Narthex, on the main floor.
  • For the hearing impared the church has both special receivers which can be worn anywhere in the church during the service and the Loop System.
  • Children’s Worship Bulletins for ages 4-7 and 8-12 are available as are large print bulletins.

    • Map:

    Map

    First Presbyterian Church
    659 State Street
    Holland, MI 49423
    616-392-9022

      Our Beliefs

    History
    John Calvin

    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. Calvin did much of his writing from Geneva, Switzerland. From there, the Reformed movement spread to other parts of Europe and the British Isles. Many of the early Presbyterians in America came from England, Scotland and Ireland. The first American Presbytery was organized at Philadelphia in 1706. The first General Assembly was held in the same city in 1789. The first Assembly was convened by the Rev. John Witherspoon, the only minister to sign the Declaration of Independence.

    Presbyterian Theological Beliefs
    Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin remain 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 this means 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.

    Tending Flame

    That is also why the Presbyterian Church is governed and led at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike. Presbyterians have been ordaining women as Ministers of the Word and Sacrament for 49 years. [Learn more]

    Points of Interest:
    Presbyterians confess their beliefs through statements that have been adopted over the years and are contained in the Book of Confessions. These statements reflect our understanding of God and what God expects of us at different times in history, but all are faithful to the fundamental beliefs described above. Even though we share these common beliefs, Presbyterians understand that God alone is lord of the conscience, and it is up to each individual to understand what these principles mean in his or her life.

    Faith
    Jesus
    Holy Spirit
    The Bible
    Sin and Salvation

      Mission

    Accomplishments:
    Good Samaritan
    From among 95 area congregations, we received the first annual award in 2004 from Good Samaritan, a community organization serving the “least of us”. They noted our years of ecumenical partnerships and our creative support of diverse community needs. We respond to needs as a congregation and as individuals, serving a broad spectrum of community organizations. We are among the top participating churches for Holland’s annual Crop Walk, we have two Red Cross blood drives, and provide blanket and coat donations for Community Action House. During the holiday season we provide gifts for every resident at a nursing home. Our gifts also support families in the community with specialized needs. We are working on our second Habitat House in partnership with two other churches. Biennially, a group of members travels to Mexico for mission work. That trip has been to Xocenpich for several years. Our youth groups also plan mission trips about every two years.

    In Service to Each Other:

    Our Deacons respond with meals and visits when there is a member need through illness, bereavement or chronic sickness. A shawl ministry provides comfort to the hospitalized, ill and new mothers. Our annual spring garage sale, organized by Presbyterian Women, allows us to purge our homes and garages for the benefit of others in our community and provides funding for mission work. Members cook a wonderful Easter breakfast for all members to enjoy. We hold several adult fellowship opportunities for groups of our young families and for our mature members – like a progressive dinner, theater and sporting event trips. For many years our members have taken to the canoes for a summer weekend camping, canoeing, eating and worship experience along the White River near Hesperia. For the past few years entire families traveled to Camp Greenwood for the Memorial weekend. There is an active book club. Those who like to sing or play instruments have opportunities for expression with our adult choir, led by Dr. Charles Norris, and an all-member orchestra that gathers for special musical events. The 3-5 age children and the 6-8 age children both have weekly music time on Sunday morning. They perform the introit for church services about once a month.

    Theological Issues of our Church and Society:

    We are, admittedly, one of Holland’s most open congregations in terms of diversity of thinking, where this is both acceptable and encouraged. Our congregation does not strive to have one answer for all people, but provides each person with the resources to continue to grow and learn on a journey of faith. We are committed to being a safe place for people to think and to be engaged in meaningful mission.

    We are engaged as a congregation in support of many community organizations. We are most proud of our Reciprocal Language Program, which meets twice a week in our church and offers one-on-one opportunities for English and Spanish language to be learned together in teams of two. We participate with First Reformed Church in the Care Closet of items for personal use. We just set aside funding for a second Habitat House. We participate with other churches for Vacation Bible School and the Ecumenical Neighborhood Alliance. We fund programs at Community Action House, Good Samaritan Ministries, Transitional Housing, Boys & Girls club, and Books & Breakfast Program in the local schools. We also support the Alzheimer’s Association.

    Community Action House

      Christian Education

    APRS TrackerOur Christian Education program offers opportunities for all people to study the Biblical story and to develop a strong Biblical foundation. We are committed to education being a lifelong process which encourages all people to have an on-going personal relationship with God. First Presbyterian Church of Holland offers Christian Education programs for all ages, including school age church school, Midway and High School youth programs and adult Christian education.

    Children in Worship

    Our pre-school through 5th grade Sunday School program utilizes the “Children in Worship” curriculum. The program is designed to engage children in learning about the church, our beliefs and Jesus Christ through hands-on participation, in a worship setting, consistent with their age and maturity. Our commitment to this particular teaching style and curriculum is strong, demonstrated by the fact that all of our teachers have been formally trained to teach using this wonderful program and its fabulous classroom teaching materials.

    Youth Education

    Midway High Youth (THE JESUS FREAKS) meets at FPC on Weds evenings from 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM. Come join the fun as we pray for each other, play games, watch video clips and learn eternal truths in the most wacky and zany way possible. Free soda and snacks. Parents are welcome to participate or to simply drop off and pick up.

    Sr. High Youth Group: Sunday mornings 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM. Through prayer, games, videos, music and the Bible we tear into topics and discuss things from multiple points of view. All opinions and views are welcome. Soda and snacks are free. (This group meets between FPC church services.)

    For more information on our youth programs click here.

    Adult Education

    We offer several different Adult educational opportunities.

    They include:

    • Traditional Sunday morning Bible study led by a retired Presbyterian minister who is active in our congregation.
    • Bethel Bible Study – a 2 year journey through the Bible.

      • Bethel Bible Study

    • Presbyterian Women’s Circles with a different study every year.
    • Lenten studies for all.
    • Book studies.
    • Weekday Bible studies.
    • Seminars and topical issue discussions.

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