Connecting with Cordova Presbyterian Church
Making Connections. CPC offers a variety of opportunities for members and friends to get to know each other better and enjoy the company of others in our faith community — beyond the traditional activities of worship, study, and mission — with meaningful ways to build connections and friendships.
Our church family gathers every Sunday after worship to catch up on each other’s busy schedules and get a head start on lunch. We offer many other ways to connect and get acquainted as well, including informal gatherings for members of all ages. We are a family of faith, and welcome all to participate and join in our ministry and fellowship.
Our Beliefs
God’s love. We recognize that everyone is a child of God. As a worshiping community, we trust in the love of God our Creator, the grace of Christ our Savior, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit as we live out our individual lives of faith. While we agree more often than we differ in opinions, we honor the fact that we are human and unique. Our faith journeys, therefore, are unique and we recognize that all are not going to agree all of the time.
Mark 12:30-31 says “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This scripture goes a long way in understanding the foundation of our congregation’s beliefs and actions.
For more information about what most of us believe about particular topics related to life and faith, our denominational website, Presbyterian Church (USA), is an informative, insightful resource about topics related to life and faith.
Our History
A Brief History of Cordova Presbyterian Church
In 1855 the Green Bottom Cumberland Church, which was established between 1830-1832 on what is now Old Stage Road, dissolved and united with Morning Sun Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Twenty years later on May 4, 1872, the session of Morning Sun Cumberland Presbyterian Church, recognizing the needs of the families living in the community now known as Cordova, started to hold worship in additional locations.
“Cordova Pres is absolutely gorgeous in its own way. It is a small community feel with a large heart.”
One of the chosen added worship locations was the Masonic Hall at the corner of Hall (now Houston Levee Road) and Macon Roads. After more than 18 years as a part of Morning Sun Church, in late 1889 eleven members, along with their families, withdrew their memberships to form a new congregation. The community at that point was known as Dexter, so the resulting church was first called Dexter Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Dexter Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which would soon be renamed Cordova Presbyterian Church, was officially organized on April 18, 1891, and this is the date Cordova Presbyterian recognizes as our church birthday. In 1889 there were 17 in the congregation and by 1892 the membership had grown to 74.
In 1903 both the town's and the church’s names were changed from Dexter to Cordova. In 1906, as a part of the merger of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church (USA), Cordova Presbyterian Church formally became a part of the PC (USA). The land on which both the church and Cordova cemetery stand was donated by Mr. and Mrs. James W. Allen.
Cordova Presbyterian’s first church structure was erected in 1891, but burned in 1911. The cornerstone for the second sanctuary was laid in November 1912, and the building was dedicated on November 24, 1918. In 1946 a manse was built on the adjacent property where the current church offices sit. A basement, fellowship hall and classrooms were added to the church building in 1955.
The Congregation
An important thing to know about Cordova Presbyterian Church: it isn’t a staff-run church. It is run by people like you, with a staff to support our church’s ministries. The democratic system of governance instituted generations ago by the founders of the Presbyterian Church is the foundation of how we carry out our ministry as a church still today.
The Session
The Session is the governing body of every individual Presbyterian Church. Our Session is comprised of nine individuals elected to three-year terms as Ruling Elders. Typically each Elder chairs or co-chairs a ministry committee of our church. The Session is moderated by our pastor, a Teaching Elder (formerly called Minister of Word and Sacrament).
Elders are persons of faith, dedication, and good judgment. Their manner of life is a demonstration of the Christian Gospel both within the church and in the world. In the PC(USA) there are both Teaching Elders who serve as ordained pastors and Ruling Elders who are elected and ordained lay church leaders.
Although Ruling Elders are elected for a term of three years, once ordained, they are ordained for life, even if they transfer to another PC(USA) church. After their terms of office are finished, Ruling Elders continue to play an important role in the life of the church by participating in various ministries.
Through its oversight of a multitude of committees, the Session handles issues of personnel, mission, worship, congregational programs, evangelism, new member orientation, receiving and dismissing members, nurture of the congregation, and educational curriculum.
Presbyteries, Synods and the PC(USA)
Cordova Presbyterian Church is part of a larger governing body called the Presbytery. The Presbytery is a governing body made up of a number of churches within a particular geographic area. Cordova belongs to the Presbytery of the Mid-South. Just like individual congregations, Presbyteries are also organized into committees comprised of members representing the congregations within that Presbytery.
The next level of governance is the Synod, which is a governing body made of several Presbyteries. As a church in the Presbytery of the Mid-South, we are a part of the Synod of Living Waters.
Churches, Presbyteries and Synods are all governed by the decrees and decisions of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). General Assembly meets every other year with delegates representing every Presbytery who gather to make decisions for the larger church body.
Beyond the General Assembly lies the Scripture and Jesus Christ, who rightfully serves as the head of all church congregations.