Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair
Core Values
Thoughtful, Nourishing Worship
We welcome everyone to a worship experience centered on an expectant engagement with Jesus Christ in scripture, music, and fellowship. In worship, children and adults come together to celebrate the good news of God’s grace and to be transformed by the powerful assurance God’s love brings to each one of us. Our service is intellectually stimulating, Bible-based, and enlivened by an outstanding music ministry as moving as it is diverse. The Presbyterian values of independent thinking about God and deep caring about the world are emphasized and encouraged. Worship at PCUM invites and challenges us to listen with heart and mind to God’s call to live everyday life abundantly through Christ.
Vibrant Ministry to Youth & Children
We celebrate our baptismal commitment to nurture and support each child in our midst with a vibrant ministry to youth and children. We want our youngest to experience God’s love in their church home and to know PCUM as a place where they are safe and valued just as they are. Children and teens have a central role in worship on Sunday mornings and in special services, develop their faith through Sunday School and educational programming, and live their faith by serving others and engaging with the world beyond the church’s walls. Building on this foundation, confirmation is a public profession of the desire for a lifelong journey of faithful discipleship.
Relationships
We nurture healthy and rewarding relationships, creating a supportive community that mirrors God’s love for us and provides identity and acceptance in a changing world. Our ministries offer opportunities to hear one another’s stories and foster friendships across ages, genders, interests, and perspectives. In every part of church life, we seek to build connections while we worship, learn, and serve side by side. As we grow closer to God and to each other, we share in the excitement and vitality of growing in faith together.
Participation
We foster discipleship and identification with this church’s mission by encouraging everyone to experience and contribute to what God is doing in and through this active faith community. Worship each Sunday includes young people, friends and members of all ages. Beyond worship, all are welcome to take part in committee work, youth and educational activities, small groups, service projects, behind-the-scenes preparations, and leadership. At PCUM, each person contributes unique gifts to a thriving faith community where we experience together the transforming power of God’s love in Jesus Christ.
Service to Others and to the World
We seek to follow Jesus Christ in serving and knowing those who are struggling, lost, or in need. Our hands-on ministries demonstrate God’s compassion to a hurting world, build stronger relationships, and offer opportunities for personal and community transformation. By committing our time and resources to stretch beyond our walls and ourselves, we work toward God’s vision of justice and love for our neighbors and the greater world.
Relevance and Authenticity
We equip all ages with the tools to connect their faith in Jesus to their everyday lives and to trust God in the midst of complexity and uncertainty. We encourage worshipers and participants in all areas of church life to be honest and authentic in their faith and their questions, trusting that the Holy Spirit invites our true selves into relationship with the Living God. As Reformed Christians, we try to create and defend the space for every person to respond to God’s grace in their own way.