Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery

Summerville Presbyterian Church is part of the Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery. You can find additional information about the Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery at www.chas-atlpresbytery.org.

Presbyterian Women

Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves: To nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study, To support the mission of the church worldwide, To work for justice, peace, and To build an inclusive, caring community of women that strengthen the Presbyterian Church (USA) and witness to the promise of God's kingdom.

The value of the individual member is a central concern of Presbyterian Women. We believe that our spiritual journey requires us to constantly search the scriptures and pray for the understanding of God's will for us and the world. Membership is open to all women. Presbyterian Women members are those women who choose to participate in, or be supportive of Presbyterian Women. Find more information at the Presbyterian Women website.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Presbyterian comes from the root word "presbyter," which means "elder," and reflects the Presbyterian denomination's form of church government. The Presbyterian Church is organized around the principle of representative democracy, or the rule by "elders" who are elected annually by the members of each congregation. "Elders" may in fact be persons of any age (generally young adults and older) and either male or female. The elders serve on the governing body of the local congregation, called a "session," for a three-year term. The size of the session depends upon the size of the congregation, with nine to twelve members a likely number. "Elder" is a biblical term arising out of the Old Testament descriptions of Israel's form of government, particularly during the time of Moses.

Presbyterians trace their theological roots to the Protestant Reformation in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries, and most especially to John Calvin (1509 - 1564). Calvin was French theologian who served a church in Geneva, Switzerland, in the mid 1500s. Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion emphasize the power of God, the love of Jesus Christ, the need for the Holy Spirit, and the importance of the Bible.

You can find additional information about Presbyterian Church (USA), the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States at the www.pcusa.org home page.