All are welcome at Lafayette Presbyterian!Matthew 11:28-29
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. |
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We joyfully welcome you to this link to our congregation! We love gathering together for worship on Sunday mornings and look forward to it and various opportunities for study and fellowship throughout the week! We think you'll love our new pastor, Rev. Steve Graves, and hope you'll come hear him preach soon!
As you consider visiting our church and the beautiful grounds that surround it, we hope the information on this page will help you prepare for your visit. As you consider repeat visits, other information and links below may help you feel better-informed about the Presbyterian Church (USA), in general.
We affirm all people equally, regardless of social, economic, or marital status; race, ability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, previous religious affiliation, or lack of religious affiliation. As God freely loves and accepts us, we offer love and acceptance to you in this congregation.
As a congregation, we are committed to living together in such a way that we give witness to Christ’s sacrificial life, saving death, and glorious resurrection. Through Christ, we live in amazement and joy!
As you consider visiting our church and the beautiful grounds that surround it, we hope the information on this page will help you prepare for your visit. As you consider repeat visits, other information and links below may help you feel better-informed about the Presbyterian Church (USA), in general.
We affirm all people equally, regardless of social, economic, or marital status; race, ability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, previous religious affiliation, or lack of religious affiliation. As God freely loves and accepts us, we offer love and acceptance to you in this congregation.
As a congregation, we are committed to living together in such a way that we give witness to Christ’s sacrificial life, saving death, and glorious resurrection. Through Christ, we live in amazement and joy!
Coming for Worship or an Event?
The main doors to the church sanctuary, where we hold all our regular worship services, face Mahan Drive. When you come inside for Sunday worship, an usher will greet you, give you a bulletin to guide you through the service, and allow you to choose a seat that meets your preferences and/or needs.
Parking:
Buildings, Rooms, and Facilities:
Parking:
- Parking is available in front of and all around the church.
- Handicapped parking with ramped approaches is available in several specially marked spaces at the front and back of the church.
Buildings, Rooms, and Facilities:
- Church/Sanctuary - our "house of God," built in the 1980s; big enough for our congregation, yet small enough so you can see and get to know everyone, we hold all our services in the Sanctuary, except Easter Sunrise service (weather permitting); the sanctuary is "looped" for the hearing impaired
- Vestibule (front entrance) - this room, which faces the road, is the most commonly used entrance to the sanctuary; our Guest Book is there, and the ushers will meet and guide you into worship; this room also includes the Pastor's Study (Office), Church Office, Quiet Room, and restrooms
- Fellowship Hall - located at the back of the church; accessible through the sanctuary or directly from outdoors at the rear of the building; our monthly church luncheons and Kirk Night dinners are held here, as well as many other small and large gatherings
- Julius J. Cox Library - located in the Fellowship Hall; a resource and reading room named for Lafayette's 2nd minister, Rev. Cox, who led this congregation for six years in the mid-'60s, increasing the number of members to nearly 200
- Christian Education (CE) Building - Built in 2002, this building houses the Nursery, Choir Room, and classrooms; Women's Circles (Bible studies) and the Scouts often meet here or in the Fellowship Hall; restrooms are also located here
- The Rock - for youth gatherings and projects; worship was held here while the congregation awaited completion of the present church; fully renovated and re-dedicated to the glory of God for our youth in March 2015
- Memory Garden - created by one of our Eagle Scouts; nested on the side lawn next to the sanctuary; to learn about use of the Garden, please speak to the pastor (850.877.4428)
- Prayer Walk - created by one of our Eagle Scouts; anyone may pray in the quiet of God's natural beauty, read brief passages of Scripture, reflect, and enjoy the fountain, trees, birds, and more
- Playground - located behind the church, safely tucked away from the road; refurbished as part of an Eagle Scout project
Why We Worship "in Community"
In a November 2014 daily "devotional" (a short faith-based reading) of Our Daily Bread, author Joe Stowell described his awe of giant sequoia trees. He described their ability to "grow to around 300 feet tall with a diameter that exceeds 20 feet. They can live over 3,000 years and ... can grow in just 3 feet of soil and withstand high winds. Their strength lies in the fact that their roots intertwine with other sequoias, providing mutual strength and shared resources."
Mr. Stowell points out that "our ability to stand tall in spite of the buffeting winds of life is directly related to the love and support we receive from God and one another." At the close of his observations, he writes, "There is great power in the entwining gifts of words of encouragement, prayers of intercession, weeping together, holding each other, and sometimes just sitting with one another sharing the presence of our love."
That's how it is at Lafayette. We're each stronger for "intertwining our roots" with others in shared worship, prayer, and service to others through our faith in God. As we worship and strengthen our faith together, we also become equipped to reach out to and serve others outside our church.
People come to church for a lot of different reasons, and their reasons may change over time or even from week to week. We invite you to visit and praise God in worship with us at Lafayette, whatever your reasons and needs.
Mr. Stowell points out that "our ability to stand tall in spite of the buffeting winds of life is directly related to the love and support we receive from God and one another." At the close of his observations, he writes, "There is great power in the entwining gifts of words of encouragement, prayers of intercession, weeping together, holding each other, and sometimes just sitting with one another sharing the presence of our love."
That's how it is at Lafayette. We're each stronger for "intertwining our roots" with others in shared worship, prayer, and service to others through our faith in God. As we worship and strengthen our faith together, we also become equipped to reach out to and serve others outside our church.
People come to church for a lot of different reasons, and their reasons may change over time or even from week to week. We invite you to visit and praise God in worship with us at Lafayette, whatever your reasons and needs.
Location
Lafayette Presbyterian Church
4220 Mahan Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Lafayette Presbyterian Church is located on Mahan Drive (US-90), 1.3 miles east of Capital Circle NE (US-319), just past the stop light at Dempsey Mayo Road. We are 3.7 miles west of I-10, Exit 209A. Look for the fountain in front.
4220 Mahan Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Lafayette Presbyterian Church is located on Mahan Drive (US-90), 1.3 miles east of Capital Circle NE (US-319), just past the stop light at Dempsey Mayo Road. We are 3.7 miles west of I-10, Exit 209A. Look for the fountain in front.
This is a map of the Tallahassee area. The star--just right of center--identifies our location.
Child Care
Nursery-level Sunday school classes are available at 9:45 AM and care during worship services is available from 10:45 AM to 12:15 PM for babies through preschool children. The Nursery is located in the Christian Education (CE) Building, adjacent to the back of the church.
We have activity bags and bulletins for children in worship each week. Ask an usher to see what's available.
Child care is sometimes available for special services and events. Call the church in advance at 850.877.4428 to ask whether child care will be provided for the special service or event you plan to attend.
We have activity bags and bulletins for children in worship each week. Ask an usher to see what's available.
Child care is sometimes available for special services and events. Call the church in advance at 850.877.4428 to ask whether child care will be provided for the special service or event you plan to attend.
What Presbyterians Believe
We uphold the affirmations of the Protestant Reformation. The focus of these affirmations is God's grace in Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Scriptures. The Protestant watchwords--grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone--embody principles of understanding that continue to guide and motivate the people of God in the life of faith.
In our confessions, we express the faith of the Reformed tradition. Central to this tradition is the affirmation of the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who--in Christ and by the power of the Spirit--creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in the freedom of sovereign righteousness and love. Related to this central affirmation of God's sovereignty are other great themes of the Reformed tradition:
For more information about the Presbyterian Church (USA), you may click the link below.
In our confessions, we express the faith of the Reformed tradition. Central to this tradition is the affirmation of the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who--in Christ and by the power of the Spirit--creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in the freedom of sovereign righteousness and love. Related to this central affirmation of God's sovereignty are other great themes of the Reformed tradition:
- The election of the people of God for service as well as for salvation;
- Covenant life marked by a disciplined concern for order in the church according to the Word of God;
- A faithful stewardship that shuns ostentation and seeks proper use of the gifts of God's creation; and
- The recognition of the human tendency to idolatry and tyranny, which calls the people of God to work for the transformation of society by seeking justice and living in obedience to the Word of God.
For more information about the Presbyterian Church (USA), you may click the link below.
How to Speak 'Presbyterian'
It's been estimated that 58% of all Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) members did not grow up in the denomination. For readers in that category (and for long-time members, too!), click on the button below for a short rundown of the lingo you're likely to hear in a Presbyterian church that you may not have heard in another church.
The Presbyterian Seal
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The seal (logo) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a symbolic statement of the church's heritage, identity, and mission in contemporary form. Its power is in both its simplicity and its complexity, as well as its traditional, enduring qualities. The Seal contains several significant images related to our faith that may not be visible right away: the cross, Scripture (the open Bible), the dove, and flames.
Click here to learn more about the PC(USA) Seal ... |
Seal (logo) of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
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