Who We Are

Our Vision, Mission, & Values

About Us

Founded in 1882, Madison Square Presbyterian Church is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA). We are an open, welcoming community of God’s children—a church that strives to be radically inclusive, Spirit-filled, and involved in society.

A world where everyone knows the unconditional love of God, believes in their worth and values, and serves the common good for all.

Our Vision

Our Values

As a Christian community, we are the Body of Christ; therefore, our very being is Christ-centered, scripturally based, and theologically informed. Beyond our faith in God, our example in Jesus, and guidance from the Holy Spirit, our congregational values are the underlying ethic by which we define our community. Our congregational values are a way to explicitly name the things we hold most important as we consider what it means to be a part of the Body of Christ and how we behave and make decisions. These values are both operative and aspirational. We already see them working in our community and they are those things we aspire to consistently embody

We are hearers and doers of the word and expect that what we say matches what we do. Our words and actions reflect each other and show our commitments and values.

We are open and welcoming of all people, particularly to those on the margins or those otherwise excluded. The gospel challenges us to see all people, including those not like us or who do not hold similar values or understandings, as our neighbors. In as much as possible, we are to love and welcome everyone.

We recognize we make mistakes and that we might be wrong. Because we understand this, we are open to new people, new ideas, and nudging from the Holy Spirit. We expect to be changed and made better by new people and not for new people to adapt to Madison Square Presbyterian Church.

We believe all people are made in the image of God, and that the community of faith should be a place where people can honestly express their true and whole selves in healthy ways. We believe this means we hold one another in support and accountability, and we foster deep and meaningful relationships.

We are never finished. We practice a faith that seeks understanding and our learning is never complete. We ask questions and we encourage curiosity.

We believe that our faith calls us to both speak and act. We understand our world in light of God’s justice, and we advocate for how things should be rather than how things are. We work toward dismantling oppression and injustice in active ways, even in the face of possible risk or harm.

We are individual members of the Body of Christ. We recognize God calls us together with a variety of gifts and that all are important to the work and ministry of Madison Square Presbyterian Church. We cultivate gifts in the whole community so that ministry is shared.

Our faith calls us toward empathy and to care for the people of the world. We view all people as children of God. We consider the suffering and misfortune of others and take action to ease that suffering.

Following the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, we create connections that foster a caring community, build bridges across divides, and work toward reconciliation for all.

Our Mission