Who We Are

The mission statement of Second Presbyterian Church states, “We are called to be a witness to and for the world of the new reality God has made available to all people in Jesus Christ. We seek to know Christ and to make Christ known in downtown Richmond and throughout the world.” We welcome all whom God calls into life, worship, work and leadership in this church without regard to gender, cultural heritage, skin color, socio-economic status, gender identity, sexual orientation or other life circumstances. With biblical preaching rooted in the Reformed tradition, our church is a place of meaningful, vibrant worship, superb music and a Christian community that inspires faithful, joyful living. The congregation seeks to be fully engaged in opportunities for Christian education and spiritual growth, music, and the creative use of the arts as expressions of faith. Moving from membership to discipleship, we work together for social justice, through thoughtful dialogue, service and advocacy with our interfaith partners. Second Presbyterian Church welcomes interaction with other faiths and engages in specific global missions to demonstrate God’s love and justice in our world.

Please join us! See What to Expect to learn more about visiting and membership.

What We Believe

Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin remain at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. Among these are the sovereignty of God, the authority of the scripture, justification by grace through faith, and the priesthood of all believers. What they mean is that God is the supreme authority throughout the universe. Our knowledge of God and God's purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, particularly what is revealed in the New Testament through the life of Jesus Christ. Our salvation (justification) through Jesus is God's generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. It is everyone's job, ministers and lay people alike, to share this Good News with the whole world. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.

For more information about what Presbyterians believe, click here.