Rumson Presbyterian began in 1861 and has been an important part of our community since its birth. We have provided spiritual solace and inspiration for generations and have been oriented toward service and hospitality.
Traditional & Non-Traditional
The times are changing. The church is no longer central, as Sunday sports, full schedules and diversity of worldviews and life-styles attest. For years, we complained that “things aren’t like they used to be,” and continued along the familiar path of what we knew and valued. Recently, we have begun to accept that the world is changing and so must we. We have begun to ask questions about what is going on and what is being asked of us in the process.
In this process, we are discovering that we are both traditional and non-traditional. Our sanctuary is beautiful and witnesses to our historic past, and our order of worship reflects this reality. Yet the preaching seeks to integrate evolutionary science with biblical heritage and to honor the Christian path while acknowledging the gifts of other world religions and sources of wisdom. The music comes from old hymnals and contemporary sources and spans a variety of genres.
Emphasis on the future
We inhabit an evolving universe, and believe that as expressions of this on-going, creative process, God is calling to us from the future toward the “more life” of which we have caught a glimpse in Christ. As we experiment with new ideas and practices and strive for the new, we also find ourselves revisiting ancient Christian sources for wisdom and direction.
We make use of contemporary spiritual tools such as the enneagram and centering prayer, whose sources go back to our ancient Christian past. As we seek to make changes in the world outside us, we glean that our inner world must be made receptive to the change we hope to see.
Local & Global
Our focus is on both the ordinary and local and on the extraordinary and global. Facilities must be maintained and relationships nurtured.
The ordinariness of the institution is essential spiritual practice. Yet our vision is on the global nature of the change of which we are a part and on the extraordinary challenge and privilege of nurturing the evolution of human consciousness, which we see as our work. We are ordinary people seeking extraordinary work, and looking for partners in this journey.