Q & A
Questions & Answers
When looking for a church home, one often has many questions. This section tries to answer many of these questions. If you have a question that we do not answer on this page, please contact us!
When is childcare available?
Nursery Care
Infants – kindergarten
8:15am - 12:15pm
What Christian Education opportunities are there?
| Sunday Morning Church School- Ages 3-12th grade | ||
| 9:30 am in the Christian education Building - September through May | ||
| Sunday Morning Adult Education Class | ||
| 9:30 am in the Auditorium. No prior knowledge needed! | ||
| Weekday Koinoinia (bible study) groups | ||
| Monday evenings - 7pm at the pastor’s home* | ||
| Wednesday Mornings 9:30 am – Room A&B in the rear if sanctuary* | ||
| Wednesday Evening- 7pm at the pastor’s home* | ||
| *call ahead for monthly schedule | ||
How long are the worship services?
Services are approximately one hour.
When is communion available?
Communion is available on the first Sunday of the month at both services. Elders and deacons bring the bread and juice to the congregation, sitting in the pews. Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ, including baptized children, may partake of communion when it is served in our church.
What characterizes First Presbyterian Church of Freehold Church?
We are a welcoming congregation of disciples of Jesus Christ. We enthusiastically embrace Christ and each other. We actively celebrate God’s love for all of us and seek to serve God by sharing our faith and helping others to Grow in Christ’s Love.
What is our Mission?
Because of our faith, we seek to NURTURE a Christ centered church family, guided by the Holy Spirit. Through mission, we seek to share our gifts and talents with others. We believe in reaching out to those in spiritual and physical need, offering love, hope and fellowship. Through the work of Jesus Christ, we seek the will of God, living together in peace and love for each other.
What is the purpose of FPC Ministry "Growing in Christ's Love"?
- We offer meaningful worship which is Biblically based.
- Introduce persons to Jesus Christ and nurture them in faith: through a strong Sunday morning church school program for all ages, small group bible studies, Church retreats.
- Reach out to those in physical and spiritual need, offering love, hope, and fellowship: through hands on mission projects.
- Share our faith in Christ with others through planned outreach.
- Care for and encourage one another by equipping people to use their gifts and skills in the ministry of the church, providing fellowship and praying for one another.
What do we mean by "Disciple"?
A disciple of Jesus Christ is a person who, having accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, is committed, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to being a fully devoted follower of Jesus by:
- Growing in a personal relationship with God through prayer, study of God’s word, and living in obedience to God’s will.
- Worshipping regularly with other Christians.
- Participating in small groups of Christian community.
- Ministering through care and service to both Christians and non-Christians through the development and use of spiritual gifts.
- Being a faithful steward of God’s gifts of time, talent, and money.
- Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those who do not yet believe.
What denomination is the First Presbyterian Church of Freehold?
Our church is part of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), with denominational offices in Louisville, Kentucky, has approximately 2.3 million members, more than 10,000 congregations and 14,000 ordained and active ministers.
Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.
What is the meaning behind the Seal of the Presbytery Church?
The Seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
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The Seal: A Closer Look The seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)is a symbolic statement of the church's heritage, identity, and mission in contemporary form. Its power depends on both its simplicity and complexity, as well as its traditional and enduring qualities. The basic symbols in the seal are the cross, Scripture, the dove, and flames. The dominant structural and theological element in the design is the cross — the universal and most ecumenical symbol of the Christian church. The cross represents the incarnate love of God in Jesus Christ and his passion and resurrection. Because of its association with Presbyterian history, the Celtic cross was chosen as a model for this contemporary rendering of the ancient symbol. |
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In experimenting with the basic lines and shapes of the cross, the contour of a book began to emerge in the horizontal section, and the two center lines of the cross became the representation of an open book. This integration of the horizontal dimensions of the cross with the book motif highlights the emphasis which the Reformed tradition has placed on the role of Scripture as a means of knowing God's word. |
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The slightly-flared shape of the Celtic cross also makes possible the transforming of the uppermost section into the shape of a descending dove. As a symbol of the Holy Spirit, the dove is intimately tied to the representation of the Bible, affirming the role of the Spirit in both inspiring and interpreting Scripture in the life of the church. The dove also symbolizes Christ's baptism by John and the peace and wholeness which his death and resurrection bring to a broken world. |
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Beneath the image of the book is the suggestion of a lectern or pulpit, which captures the important role of preaching in the history of Presbyterian worship. |
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Integrated into the lower part of the design are flames which form an implied triangle, a traditional symbol of the Trinity. The flames themselves convey a double meaning: a symbol of revelation in the Old Testament when God spoke to Moses from the burning bush and a suggestion of the beginning of the Christian church when Christ manifested himself to his apostles at Pentecost and charged them to be messengers of the good news of God's love. |
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The triangle also suggests the nature of Presbyterian government, with its concern for balance and order, dividing authority between ministers of the Word and laypersons and between different governing bodies. This understanding of the church was based in part on an important idea in Reformed theology, the covenant, which God establishes with people to affirm God's enduring love and to call us to faith and obedience to Jesus Christ. |
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Looking more closely at some of the visual components of the design, viewers may discover elements that seem to fuse with some of the more obvious theological symbols. In the shape of the descending dove, for example, one might also discern in the body of the bird, the form of a fish, an early-Christian sign for Christ, recalling his ministry to those who hunger. For some, the overall design evokes the calligraphy of Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. Others have seen a baptismal font or a communion chalice (cup). |
| In 1 Corinthians, Paul described the church as a body with many members, illustrating the pluralism of the church and the many gifts which God gives to its members. So also the seal's individual parts, when taken together, form an encompassing visual and symbolic unity, while not exhausting the richness of possible interpretations. | |
118 West Main Street
Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: 732-462-0234
Email: contact@fpcfreehold.com