Designers Note: Things I have added/changed are in blue italics. I think people would be interested in what we believe… not denominational statements, but what our church heart believes… real things. I made a stab at it, but I’m sure there are more beliefs we have as a family and better ways of saying them. Please help! (Or leave out if not appropriate.) Some pictures might be nice too!

About Us

Two Hearts - One Beat

“The two will become one flesh.” - Mark 10:8

Our History

In August of 2006, The Presbyterian Church and the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) came together as one church family. Our first board meeting as a new family was held on August 13, 2006.

On August 7th, 2026 we will celebrate twenty wonderful years as one faith community. We maintain a dual affiliation with The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA). We are active participants of the larger denominational bodies of both.

Our Vision Statement

First Christian Presbyterian Church seeks to grown in faith in Jesus Christ, share that faith with others, and serve people in need with Christian compassion.

Our Mission Statement

First Christian Presbyterian Church of Pryor is an open and inclusive community of faith that welcomes all people fully. As committed disciples, we seek to answer that call of God through faithful action and through service to the community and the world. Everyone is warmly welcomed here, no matter their race, color, gender, age, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation.

We Believe

Jesus Christ is the living Son of God who died on the cross, rose again, and whose example shows us the way to live our lives in harmony with God and with one another.

Jesus Christ welcomes all who come to Him: rich, poor, male, female, young, old, gay, straight, those who are sober and those who are seeking sobriety, those with disabilities, those who have been wounded, those who are seeking God after being disillusioned or hurt by denominational teachings, all races, all nationalities

From May 3rd’s Bulletin: “We believe in God, who calls us to grow in faith, to seek thruth, practice justice, and walk humbly in God’s way. We believe in Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life, who teaches us to love God fully and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us to serve with compassion, to act with mercy, and to live as faithful disciples in the world. Called by God, led by Christ, and empowered by the Spirit, we commit ourselves to grow, love, and serve.

I found these statements on the old Weebly website under “Our Values and Goals” and thought we might want to incorporate parts of it in this page:

We will exalt the living God through worship. Our ultimate goal is to glorify God in our lives and ministry through prayer, giving, service, singing, and observing communion.


We will examine the word of God through instruction. Our foundation is the Holy Bible. As individuals and as a church we will strive to continuously grow in our knowledge of the Word of God and apply it in our lives and ministry.


We will encourage the family of God through fellowship. Our concern is for all people. We want to meet people where they are and build genuine relationships with them. We wish to help lead them to the Lord and into a deeper relationship with Him and each other as we grow together in unity and Christianity.
We will extend the love of God through evangelism. Our goal is to see people in a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We want to have an impact as salt and light not only on our community and our region, but also in the world. As in Acts 1:8 we are to start locally and globally to fulfill the great Commission of Matt. 28:19-20 to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit”.
We will entreat the living God through Supplication. Our goal is to be a body of believers who are passionate about prayer. We seek to be a people who enter into God’s presence through personal, pastoral and corporate prayer, for the needs of the body and the power needed to accomplish God’s ministry.

I also found the following that could be updated and included if desired

‍ ‍

Creed
The Early founders of the Disciples viewed Creeds as a "test of faith." They also hated to use a creed to explain the Bible when the Bible speaks for itself. However, in 1968 when the Disciples finally admitted to being a Denomination, they included an Affirmation of Faith which is in fact a creed. So during our worship service we share in an Affirmation of Faith together. These affirmations are simply a restatement of Biblical truths which both sides have no problem affirming.
Priesthood of All BelieversWe join other main line churches in believing in the "priesthood of all believers." That any believer can read and interpret scripture for themselves. And, we serve as priests to one another as we study together and minister to one another.

Bible
We try to follow the clear teachings of God's Word. We do not worship the Bible, but because God's nature and will are revealed in scripture, we claim the Bible as our guide for Christian living and faith. The Bible reveals God's purpose in the world: to free us from sin through Christ so we might be obedient to Him. It also speaks of love and acceptance of others.

Baptism
Because we are a federated church we practice both believers baptism by immersion as found in Acts 2:38 and Romans 6:1-5. At the same time we recognize and practice the Presbyterian practice of infant baptism followed by confirmation classes for youth. Because there are different understandings and different methods, we do not require that anyone be "re-baptized" in order to become a member. In the baptism of a believer, and in confirmation, the believer bears witness to their intention of following Christ and walking in the newness of life.

Holy Communion
Our church practices open communion. We offer both grape juice and wine. The outer ring only is wine, the rest is grape juice. Believers are asked to "examine yourselves, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup" according to 1 Corinthians 11:28. The Lord's Supper is served every Sunday as was the custom in New Testament times. "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread ..." found in Acts 20:7.

Denomination Websites
More information about the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denomination can be found at disciples.org and more information about the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination can be found at pcusa.org

And I found:

Christian Education

We believe that Christian Education is a vital part of the Christian life. It is making Disciples as Jesus instructed us in Matthew 28:20, "... teaching them all that I have commanded you." Therefore our church teaches from the Bible so all persons may respond to God in faith and love; being aware of God's self-disclosure, and especially of God's redeeming love as revealed in Jesus Christ so that they may ...

  • Know who they are and what their human situation means;

  • Grow as children of God rooted in the Christian Community;

  • Live in the Spirit of God in every relationship;

  • Fulfill their common discipleship in the world; and

  • Abide in the Christian hope.



To this end, we offer Sunday School on Sunday morning; a variety of Bible Studies during the week; a small group ministry; and special studies for the community. We provide a nursery on Sunday morning and evenings as needed.

This could be a separate page or something

‍ As Presbyterians, [PC(USA)], our worship follows the Liturgical Calendar throughout the year. The Liturgical Calendar is structured around the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, his birth, life, death, and resurrection, the Redemption of mankind. Thus, we observe the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, and Pentecost. This means our worship follows the history of Jesus C

The Liturgical calendar is based on early Jewish traditions of feasts and started by the early Christians of the 4th century.  Originally it focused on Easter; Christmas was included about 335 AD, and it was fully defined by the Age of Faith (Medieval Times). Major changes were made to the Liturgical Calendar in 1969. 

This image is copyrighted and I have written to find out what is involved in using it on our website.

*Liturgical Calendar courtesy of Third Church. Used with permission.

More about the Liturgical Calendar

First half of the calendar

In the early days of the church, Christians developed a calendar that reminded them of the story of Jesus’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. Today it reminds us each year of the redemptive love God has for us through the re-telling of the gospel story.

The Liturgical Calendar divides the year into two halves. The first Sunday of Advent in late November starts the calendar. The first half ends with the Sunday of Pentecost, usually in May or June. The retelling of the story of the life of Jesus Christ includes words, music, art, the Scriptures, prayers, and colors.

 

Advent  is the anticipation of the coming of Christ. For Isreal, all those years ago, it was their hope and longing for the promised Messiah. Today we remember that but we are also hoping and longing for the return of Jesus Christ, the Second Coming. Advent is celebrated for four Sundays starting in late November and is associated with the color Purple for royalty (Christ coming) for the 1st (Hope), 2nd(Peace), and 4th (Love) Sundays. The 3rd Sunday is pink for Joy – it marks that Christmas is near. Blue is sometimes used in place of Purple. White is used Christmas Eve/Day to symbolize purity, light, and the arrival of Christ.

 

Christmas is a time of remembering the awesome gift from God, that Jesus, Immortal though He was, became mortal like us and came to live among us. There are 12 days of Christmas whose color is white.

Epiphany  is the celebration of the revelation of Christ and includes the Magi’s visit to honor Jesus, the baptism of Jesus, and Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain top. It is a time to reflect on Jesus’ life on earth, and his mission to redeem the world and bring the Kingdom of God amidst us. There are 7, or sometimes 8, Sundays during the Epiphany season and the color for all is White with many accent colors.

Lent  remembers the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus and his suffering and atoning death for us; it reminds us of our need for repentance. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for 6 Sundays or 40 days. The common colors of Lent are Purple,  Brown, and Black although some churches have adopted Henri Matisse’s “Colors of Lent”.

    • Ash Wednesday – Gray like ashes

    • 1st Sunday – Bright Green like spring

    • 2nd Sunday – Blue and White like the sky

    • 3rd Sunday – Black like the night sky

    • 4th Sunday – Yellow like the sun

    • 5th Sunday – Purple like the color of grapes

    • 6th  Sunday – Palm Sunday – Red like flushed cheeks

 

Easter remembers the resurrection, Jesus rising from the tomb and his triumph over death, sin, and hell! There are 6 Sundays in this season or 50 days. The colors are white and gold.

Pentecost focuses on Christ’s ascension into heaven and the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out on the disciples. There are 2 Sundays in Pentecost with both using the colors Red and Orange

 

The second half of the calendar

The second half of the Liturgical Calendar covers about 24 Sundays from late May or early June through Christ the King Sunday in late November. This period of time is called “Ordinary Time” and focuses on the Old and New Testament stories of Gods people. The color of this season is green.

Using the Liturgical Calendar helps us to focus on the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and can be a strong tool of discipleship for us.