As a Presbyterian Church, we hold to the same values and beliefs as stated by the Presbyterian Church of Australia, NSW.

The Supreme Standard of the Church is the Word of God contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The Subordinate Standard of the Church is the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646).

We are Protestant, Evangelical and Reformed.

We believe that there is One God who is the Creator and Judge of the world. In the fullness of time He has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

• God has made Himself known in His infallible word, the Bible.

• We believe that human beings are created in God’s image However, when Adam sinned, that image was stained and tarnished. We inherit Adam’s fallen nature.

• The penalty for sin is death, leading ultimately to the second death which is everlasting judgement.

• The law reveals that we are sinners but does not save us.

• Christ is the Lord from heaven who came to lead a sinless life, and offer Himself up as the sinless sacrifice to pay the death penalty which we deserve.

• We cannot earn salvation. We can only receive it when the Holy Spirit enables us to have faith in Christ alone.

• Trusting in Christ and not our own merits, we seek to live godly lives, loving God and our neighbour.

• We seek to serve Christ in the fellowship of the body of His people, the Church. Our joining this body is signified by baptism, our ongoing commitment to Christ is signified by taking part in the Lord’s Supper.

‘Presbyterian’ refers to how the church is led. Instead of one person making all the decisions, a group of elected leaders called elders guide the church. This group is known as the Session.

Churches in the same area are connected and form a Presbytery, which helps support and oversee them. Once a year, representatives from all the presbyteries meet at a General Assembly to make decisions for the wider church.

Presbyterians also hold to catechisms, which are structured teachings that explain key Christian beliefs, such as the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Shorter Catechism, and the Larger Catechism. They also affirm historic Christian creeds, like the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, which summarize core beliefs about God, Jesus, and salvation.

To learn more go to the PCNSW website - https://pcnsw.org.au/

The Protestant position is often summed up by the five sola’s (the Latin word for “alone”):

• Scripture Alone: The Bible is the supreme and final authority, not the magisterium or traditions of the Catholic Church.

• Christ Alone: Sinners are justified in God’s sight only on the basis of Christ’s finished work on the cross and through his resurrection.

• Faith Alone: God’s pardon to sinners is granted to and received by faith alone, apart from works.

• Grace Alone: All of salvation, from beginning to end, is only by the grace of God. Not by the will/works of man.

• To the Glory of God Alone: God alone receives glory for our salvation. It is all about him!

Being Evangelical means we believe in these Biblical truths:

1) The authority of the Bible

2) The need for a personal salvation experience (being born again), 

3) The importance of evangelism. i.e, taking the good news of Jesus to our community

Reformed Christianity is a branch of Protestantism that developed during the 16th-century Reformation, especially in Switzerland, Scotland, France, and the Low Countries. It is rooted in the Bible as the ultimate authority and emphasises God's complete control over all things, disciplined Christian living, and salvation as entirely God's work.

Reformed beliefs are closely linked to the teachings of John Calvin and are followed by groups like Presbyterians, Reformed Baptists, and Dutch Reformed churches. They hold to key principles of the Reformation, including the Five Solas (Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and glory to God alone) and the Five Points of Calvinism, which explain how God saves his people.

Reformed theology teaches that Salvation is entirely God’s work, starting with his choice, not ours (Ephesians 1:4). We come to Jesus because he calls us (Matthew 11:28–30), and we simply receive his grace with faith and gratitude.

The Reformed tradition also encourages Christians to be transformed in every part of life—work, family, community, and culture—for God's glory.

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1648) explains Reformed beliefs in detail, and if you're interested in membership, we’ll explore it further in our belong course.

The Presbyterian Church of NSW requires all leaders/volunteers to be accredited to work with children/vulnerable people, along with having a first aid person always on site.

SAFE MINISTRY SUPPORT
The Conduct Protocol Unit (CPU) supports the Presbyterian Church to deal with & prevent abuse within the church. And provides the below services:

• Advice

• Chaplaincy Support

• Presbyterian Counselling Service

• Safe Ministry Training

• Assistance With Implementing ‘Breaking The Silence’

• Formal Response To Abuse Matters

To learn more about our policies, how to report, or other services go to the Breaking the Silence website.