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Church Staff
PASTORAL STAFF
Rev. Dr. William Hoffman Jr.
Senior Pastor (email)
Andy Bishop
Young Adult Pastor (email)
Zack Wilson
Youth Pastor (email)
Rev. Tom Funka
Visitation Pastor (email)
Amy Biddle
Director of Children's Ministries (email)
MUSIC MINISTRY STAFF
Dani Shidemantle
Music Director (email)
Bob McConnell
Organist (email)
Tony Belassi
Lead Instrumentalist Worship Team
SUPPORT STAFF
Stacey Foster
Financial Controller and Office Manager (email)
Janal Crissman
Administrative Assistant (email)
Dave Marcoe
Audio-Video Tech Director (email)
John Bumbaco
Building and Grounds Maintenance Supervisor
David Moore
Custodian
Lisa Jamison
Part-time Custodian
Dennis Maclay
Sunday Custodian
Office Hours: Monday - Friday from 8:30am - 4:00pm
For general questions or concerns, call 724-458-8270, fax 724-458-8802 or (email) the main church office.
EAST MAIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
120 East Main Street
Grove City, PA 16127 USA
Welcome!
Since 1879, East Main has been a community of people who seek to respond to Jesus’ call to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We believe that as we do this more and more, we come to discover wisdom and strength to face the various joys and challenges of life, and so too we become better equipped to be a blessing to our wider community.
As you learn more about us and the particular ways that we are committed to submit to the Lordship of Christ, we hope that you might come to join us in this journey as well.
Who We Are
We, the members so East Main Presbyterian Church, are:
- People who recognize that salvation is found only through Jesus Christ, God's incarnate Son, who died and rose again to save us from our sins and to give us new life now and forever;
- A congregation that affirms the authority of Scripture;
- A community of believers who respond with grateful obedience to God, who created us in His image to do good works;
- A church empowered by the Holy Spirit that acknowledges Christ's Lordship in every part of life.
What We Do
Worship God through prayer, music, the sacraments, the reading of Scripture, and the proclamation of the Word of God through preaching; Endeavor to bring others to saving faith in Jesus Christ, in Grove City and around the world; Train people in the Christian faith and equip them for ministry; Minister to the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of people in our church, in our community, and in the larger world; Strive to worship and serve together in the spirit of Christian love, truth, and responsible fellowship.
What Does it Mean that East Main is a Presbyterian Church?
It means that we are people whose roots are in the Reformed Tradition, a branch of the Protestant Reformation that developed mainly in Switzerland in the 16th century. In terms of core beliefs, Presbyterians have long emphasized the sovereignty of God, Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and the authority of the Bible as the main source for learning the truth about who God is and how God calls people to live. (read more...)
Context of Denominational Concerns
For decades many who call East Main their home church have felt a strong sense of disconnect between our congregation and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the denomination to which our church belongs. While the specific issues have been many and varied, our overall concern is that we believe our denomination has strayed from its Biblical and Reformed roots. We have always found solace in the idea that as long as our local church and presbytery remain true to the Scriptures, then East Main Presbyterian Church (EMPC) is insulated from the decisions of the denomination and it's theological direction. However, General Assembly's adoption of a recent change in ordination standards has, for some, become the last straw. The Session of EMPC has declared that at this point in history we need to thoroughly and prayerfully examine the issues and discern how best to respond.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Session Response - the concerned response of East Main's elders to the recent change in our denomination's ordination standards.
Session Update - a Denominational Concerns Timeline presented to the congregation on January 15, 2011 by Elder Mike Jackson.
Presbytery Resolution - the response adopted by Shenango Presbytery to which East Main belongs.
Presbytery Dismissal Policy - the Policy and Process approved by Shenango Presbytery on November 15, 2011 for withdrawal from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) of a congregation of Shenango Presbytery.
Frequently asked questions with answers from the websites of two Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) groups expressing their concern about the direction of the denomination:
Shenango Presbytery
Presbyterians for Renewal
Papers written and presented by members of East Main regarding the core issues at stake:
Jesus is Lord - by Tim Homan
Authority of Scripture - by Alan Rice
Christian Sexual Standards - by Van Campbell
INTERNET RESOURCES
pcusa.org - Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
shenango.org - The Presbytery of Shenango
pfrenewal.org - Presbyterians for Renewal
fellowship-pres.org - The Fellowship of Presbyterians
epc.org - Evangelical Presbyterian Church
CHALLENGE
As the Session, pastoral staff, and congregation of East Main consider these issues, you are invited to become involved. Above all, please pray that God would grant us wisdom and guidance as we research, discuss and pray that God will ultimately be glorified at East Main Presbyterian Church.
