Church Mission Statement

We are a welcoming community of caring Christians in service to God... a well of faith and renewal.

Preaching at MPC: Our worship service is the beginning and end of a weeklong conversation with God. We want to be inspired in ways that bring us back to the message of the sermon throughout the week. We love intellectual challenges. We want to think and learn in ways that deepen faith and strengthen us to work for God; to reach visitors in ways that inspire them to return.

Participatory Worship: We take seriously that we are all ministers of the Word. Our worship follows a liturgical form: gathering & confession; reading & preaching; responding to the Word; and going out into God’s world. Members are active in planning and participating in worship.

Pastoral Care: Our congregation includes older members. As a caring community we believe inclusion of ill and aging in the life of the church is one of our highest priorities. It is integral to the pastor’s responsibilities to care for & visit all members, especially the homebound.

Growing the Congregation: Our priority as Christians & members of MPC is to spread the fragrance of Christ to our community. God calls us to this task. It is critical to the spiritual & financial survival of the church.

We Are Open to All: We are a welcoming community: young & old, married & single, different races & heritages, differing orientations & political beliefs. Even Huskies & Cougars!! What we have in common is we are Christian believers.

Church Programs

Christian Education: We value Christian education for all ages. We also foster spiritual disciplines. MPC offers Sunday school, summer Bible programs, and adult education.

Communication: We find grace & power in Christian conversation. Formal communication includes a Sunday bulletin, mailings, a website, a newsletter, & bulletin boards.

Mission: MPC supports diverse missions. Service opportunities are announced via written & electronic media. Mission participants speak during worship to interpret mission & inspire participation. Specific missions include feeding homeless & poor, clothes, etc. for homeless women.

Magnolia Presbyterian Preschool: MPP is an integral mission of the Church, teaching Christian mores, social skills, & academics. MPP offers quality teaching in a friendly & safe setting. Tuition is based on std. rates. A few need-based scholarships are offered.

Magnolia Mission Youth: MMY is an ecumenical group sponsored by 4 area churches. It’s a place kids bring friends. MMY helps youth develop a relationship with Christ. Youth participate in service projects. Many non-churched families send youth to MMY meetings & where kids go parents follow.

Strengthening Our Community: Many groups meet to enjoy fellowship & share interests. Mariners, mostly retired, and a Supper Club, mostly middle-aged, meet monthly for a potluck, programs, & fellowship. A women’s group, a men’s coffee group, & two women’s Bible study groups meet regularly.

Gifts, Skills and Experiences of MPC

We Enjoy Our Spiritual Journey and Each Other: We believe preaching, worship, teaching, learning & mission should be sources of happiness, growth & fulfillment. We enjoy a spirit of shared community.

Personal Commitment: Members are dedicated to a personal walk with Christ. We are his servants and serve in a variety of roles based on our abilities. Our commitment is encouraged by the support of our MPC community.

Spiritual Formation: MPC enriches each person’s spiritual journey through many resources including participation in worship, Bible study & other Christian Education, prayer groups, social events, & helping in the daily life of the church.

Administration and Organization: Our pastor, in addition to being a spiritual leader, acts as head of staff & chief administrator. We value lay participation in all aspects of church life. Volunteers fill many administrative positions. The Session is an active governing body & the Deacons are active in church missions.

Music: Visitors say they haven’t heard such a big sound from such a small choir. Music is central to our worship. We enjoy a mixture of hymns & praise songs. Our music director works magic with available resources. We often gather for hymns before worship.

Hospitality: We are a welcoming congregation, & hospitality, both to visitors and among ourselves, is a valued aspect of our spiritual life. We installed an expensive elevator so less mobile members could attend all church activities.

Key Theological Issues

As a congregation, we hold a wide variety of views on theological issues, from moderately conservative to fairly liberal. The most important thing that can be said about us as a congregation, is that we are open to a variety of theological views, and that we do not employ any litmus test for “theological correctness”. We respect each other’s unique spiritual journey, and each person’s individual relationship with God. We approach the theological issues with a spirit of openness and loving respect for our fellow Christians.

We believe that the Church should be open to all persons who sincerely seek Christ regardless of their sexual orientation or family structure.

Above all, we are a congregation in the process of healing, and in need of rebuilding. In the fall of 2003, dissension broke out in the congregation over the perceived shortcomings of the pastor. Many members wanted him to leave at that time. However, the congregation decided to seek reconciliation by undergoing a process called “Bridgebuilders” sponsored by Presbyterian Counseling Service. A number of longtime members left rather than participate in that process. The process was long and difficult, but the remaining members worked through it. Ultimately, however, the rift between the pastor and the congregation could not be healed. The pastor stepped down at the end of 2006. His departure caused another exodus of members, this time mostly of newer members. Although we are saddened by the recent difficult history of our church, and miss the members who have left, MPC is now a much happier place than it has been in a number of years.