Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin are still 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 these tenets mean 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. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.

For a more specific understanding, please follow this LINK.

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.

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, one of the few ordained ministers to sign the Declaration of Independence.

For a more in depth understanding, please follow this LINK.

The Reopening Committee has reviewed The NYS Department of Health's Guidance for Isolation and Masking. In areas with High Community Levels of Covid, including Chemung County, it is recommended that masks are worn indoors in public.

The committee had decided to STRONGLY RECOMMEND MASK WEARING while in the Church Building. We are not currently mandating masks. We are also asking that eating when others are present be kept to a minimum.

We continue to have the following requirements:

Any person with COVID symptoms, Positive Covid Test, or Close Contact with a person testing positive for Covid shall not enter the church for 5 (FIVE) days. After the 5 days of church quarantine, IF the person is symptom free, they may enter the church wearing a KN95 or N95 mask for the next 5 days. After 10 days from exposure/positive test there are no additional church requirements.

Please note: When masking is required, the mask must be kept on at all times. To clarify, food shall not be consumed in the building by the person required to wear a mask.

If you’re visiting Horseheads’ First Presbyterian for the first time, make sure you sign our guest book as you walk into the sanctuary. Please write clearly and include a way for us to get in contact with you. After service be sure stop and say hello to Pastor Aaron. You’ll receive a gift just for stopping by.

It’s a good idea to arrive 10-15 minutes before service starts. That way you’ll have time to get comfortable. Service starts at 10:30AM.

The General Assembly “affirms its conviction that neither the Church as the body of Christ, nor Christians as individuals, can be neutral or indifferent toward evil in the world; affirms its responsibility to speak on social and moral issues for the encouragement and instruction of the Church and its members, seeking earnestly both to know the mind of Christ and to speak always in humility and love; reminds the churches that their duty is not only to encourage and train their members in daily obedience to God’s will, but corporately to reveal God’s grace in places of suffering and need, to resist the forces that tyrannize, and to support the forces that restore the dignity of all men as the children of God, for only so is the gospel most fully proclaimed; . . .” (1958 Statement – PC(USA), p. 537).

For specific issues please follow this LINK.