Christ alone is Lord of the church. Everyone else in the Body is under Christ and regarded as of equal status and value.

Responsibility for ministry is given not just to pastors but to every member of the church, each of whom we believe to be gifted by the Holy Spirit for the work of God's Kingdom and the building up of the Church.

Certain individuals are set-apart ("ordained") as church "officers." Their role is to serve the church not lord over it. These officers have particular tasks: deacons (works of mercy), elders (administrative/pastoral oversight), and pastors (preaching/teaching/service of the sacraments).

Our Constitution provides for a due process by which grievances can be aired openly and adjudicated fairly. The goal of these disciplines is always to guard the peace, unity, and purity of the church and to restore offended or offending parties to full fellowship.

Each officer of the church is elected by the people they serve (the "congregation"), for a term of three years. Pastors usually serve a longer period, but also by vote of the congregation. Any church member is eligible for election to office. At the congregational level, each church is governed by a board called the "Session," which is made up of active elders and pastors.

We have intentional and covenantal "connections" with other Presbyterian churches with whom we partner in ministry and in church discipline. Through elected representatives, we participate in higher governing and ministering bodies focused on local (Presbytery), regional (Synod), and national/international (General Assembly) concerns.

We believe that the Church is ever in need of vigilance lest we stray from the will of God declared in Scripture. For this reason we have procedures that allow for amendments to our Constitution and to our congregational By-Laws that will enable us to be more faithful to God's call.