SUNDAY SCHEDULE

Worship
  9:30 & 11:00 AM

Sunday School for Adults at 9:30 AM

Sunday School for Nursery through 6th Grade at 9:30 & 11:00 AM

 

1. We affirm that we are a part of the church universal, which is the Body of Christ
   in the world.



2. We affirm that we are descendants of the Reformed tradition.



3. We affirm the Creeds and Confessions of the church as collected in the
   Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Confessions.



4. We affirm the denominational polity as found in the Presbyterian Church
   (USA) Book of Order

"According to the Grace of God, which is given unto me,
as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon.
But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon"
- 1 CORINTHIANS 3:10 (King James)

Reverend Dewey Whtiney preached the first CPC sermon in 1835 using this scripture. He spoke to 15 individuals, many from the Postdam Colony who had left their comfort zone in New York to share their fatih in a new place.

This verse is just as appropriate today, 169 years and three church structures later. We now have almost 400 members and find that Christ calls us again to build our faith, our ministries, and our facilities upon foundations laid by the Master Builder and by our church ancestors.

Our ministries in many areas are thriving, growing disciples, and reaching people for Christ. It has also been a season for expanding ministires. Of particular is our involvement with the Brazil partnership through the Presbytery of Great Rivers, offering courses in Christian financial planning, and helping send our members to seminary.

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Chatham Presbyterian Church celebrated it's 150th anniversary in 1985. We moved to our current location at 1835 East Walnut in 1986. Our membership has been growing steadily since that time. We are now considered to be one of the "up and coming" churches in the Chatham area. We expanded our facilities in spring of 1999 but are already literally "bursting at the seams." From humble beginings, Chatham Presbyterian has continued through the ups and downs of congregational life. But we have always been blessed with a faithful membership and God's faithful presence.

In 1834, the William Thornton family of Caroline County, Virginia, as well as the family of his son-in-law, Rev. Dewey Whitney, had come to Sangamon County from Kentucky. They stopped a short while in what later became Woodside township and, in 1835, moved to land Mr. Thornton had previously entered, in what later became the town of Chatham, Illinois.

On June 21, 1835, the Chatham Presbyterian Church was organized in the home of William Thornton by Rev. Dewey Whitney and T.A. Spilman. The first membership list consisted of 15 people from related families. An additional 24 names were added on the second list which was compiled in the fall of that year. At least 16 of our early members shared the experience of a wagon trip from New York.

Among those on the second list was the Luther Ransom family. Luther became the first Clerk of Session for the church. He bought 2,100 acres and, in 1836, laid out the village of Chatham, probably naming it after the church.

As one looks back at the history of Chatham Presbyterian Church, there might be a passing thought that, for 150 years, this has been a very small group, struggling constantly to stay afloat. To all who have experienced the quiet of shared Communion, the warmth of common sorrow, the healing of shared pain, the exaltation of common voices lifted in songs of praise, the joy of Christian love, and the unexpected Glory of God's Presence, the church has been truly spectacular.

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As a congregraion our VISION surrounds the following:

WORSHIP ....happens in a variety of styles, incorporating a variety of individuals and elements from traditional to contemporary to post-modern, etc.

PRAYER ....a prayer path/nature trail in the wooded area is being developed on our property; a commitment to spiritual retreat for individuals from Jr. High through adult; pastoral care happening primarily through small groups supported by staff members and a small group specifically dedicated to pastoral care; a number of small groups dedicated to prayer and a continuation of the Leadership Prayer Team; "prayer meetings" scheduled on a periodic basis at the church.

STUDY.... a congregation which has a vital and growing Sunday School for all ages and in which the majority of the people participate in a small group; an active program of study for adults including Christian basics, Bible survey, spiritual gifts discovery, and discipleship; making it possible for anyone who wants to attend Synod School to do so; encouraging our young people to attend Presbyterian-related colleges; encouraging young people from our congregation to consider ordained ministry as a vocation; supporting individuals from our congregation who wish to attend seminary.

FELLOWSHIP.... small groups which place a high priority on fellowship; regular opportunities for large group/all-church fellowship throughout the year; a Sunday schedule which provides significant fellowship time between services; many other fellowship opportunities which are self-initiated.

STEWARDSHIP.... the majority of those attending church tithing (10% of annual gross income); tithing embraced as a matter of faith by those who do and as a goal being worked toward by others; being able to provide classes and advice to people who want to be better financial stewards; a broad volunteer base which considers stewardship of people's time through spiritual, gift-based ministries; staff (full and part time) in the areas of pastoral leadership, worship/music, Christian education, youth, counseling, pastoral care, parish nurse, ministry development, small groups development, administrative assistance, business management, reception/information, and custodial functions; regular care and maintenance of the building and grounds including development of a "Postdam Prairie" restoration dedicated to our founders.

MISSION.... hosting a Group work camp in the Enos Park Neighborhood of Springfield; periodically sending groups of people on mission trips to Brazil; annual youth mission trips; sponsoring a Presbyterian missionary somewhere outside the USA; sending people to be Presbyterian Volunteers in Mission; generous financial support for local missions; small groups which are engaged in local mission.

EVANGELISM.... people who willingly, confidently and winsomely share their faith and invite people to church; a small group specifically dedicated to welcoming visitors; a small group specifically dedicated to orienting and integrating new members; planting at least one new church in the next 15 years.

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