One Church
How is a Presbytery a Church?
Defined, a Presbytery is a body of ordained elders and clergy that studies, prays and lives the faith together. It is a middle judicatory body of the Presbyterian Church, offering membership standing to clergy; counsel and services on matters of mission and ministry; limited representational authority over member congregations; and acting as the connectional vehicle for fellowship and communication among the member congregations, clergy, and laity within it’s bounds.
But a presbytery is much more than it’s definition. And Cherokee Presbytery is no exception. It is the body of Christ, an intentional expression of Christ’s church, just on a slightly larger scale than that of the local congregation. And it is so much more.
In Cherokee Presbytery, we’re following Christ together as One Church with Many Locations. What does that look like? Here are a few examples:
- It’s a coalition of 12 Presbyterian Churches in Cobb County who partner with one another and Habitat for Humanity to build houses for needy families, and has built over 70,000 houses worldwide since 1976.
- It’s three campus ministries serving approximately 26,000 college students on the campuses of Berry College, Kennesaw State University, and Shorter College, each of whom are connected to a greater movement among Presbyterian Campus Ministries in Georgia.
- It’s a group of committed and passionate Presbyterians coming together to fight hunger.
- It’s a year-round retreat facility located on beautiful Lake Allatoona that has touched the lives of people, young and old, for over 50 years.