Who We Are
We are a congregation of
the Presbyterian Church (PC-USA) and a member of the Shenandoah
Presbytery.
The Middletown Presbyterian
Church is a small town community church dedicated to the
service of the Lord in worship and in mission work in the
community around it and in the larger world community.
Middletown Presbyterian Church was organized on January 26, 1878 and
first met in a building just out of Middletown in Vaucluse. The
church was known as Cedar Cliff Presbyterian Church until it moved
into Middletown, VA in 1995. There were 19 charter members some of
whom came from Cedar Creek Presbyterian Church in Marlboro and some
from Strasburg, Newtown, and White Post. In May 1878, they found
their first pastor in Rev. William Harvey Wood. By October 1881,
they had grown to 45 members.
Throughout its history the church had an active Sunday School
program even when they did not have a full time minister. Sabbath
School as it was known prior to 1883 was a union affair held in
conjunction with other churches in the area. Many years the Sunday
School rolls topped 100 and reached 152 enrollees in 1931. As with
many small town churches, the minister was often shared with other
small Presbyterian churches in the area so worship services were not
held every Sunday until 1971, when some of the members decided they
would assume responsibility for leading worship even when no
ordained minister was available.
In their caring about children in the area, the church has also had
a history of reaching out from the organization of the Sunshine
Mission Band in 1921 and the Young People’s Society that was
organized shortly afterward to the annual Vacation Bible School. The
church has also been a strong supporter of Summer Day Camp, an
annual event for youth from the church and local community, held at
Camp Paddy Run.
The first mention of mission work outside the community was concern
for the victims of Yellow Fever in the southern states. The
Presbyterian Women were first organized in 1880 though the group was
known as the Ladies’ Mite Society and included both men and women!
The Presbyterian Women continue to meet on a regular basis and are
currently combined with the PW from Mt. Hope and Cedar Creek
Presbyterian Churches. They continue to support many local mission
efforts like the local food banks, local families in need of other
services, and other special projects
Our Mission Statement: The
Middletown Presbyterian Church humbly delights in its reliance upon
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Celebrating
our diversity, we endeavor to provide a worshipful atmosphere where
visitors and members feel welcome to worship God in Sprit and in
truth. Through our worship, we reclaim our identity as God’s
children. Through our witness we strive to be living examples for
the grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Members from our congregation serve on various committees,
including session, education, music, outreach, and women's
fellowship.
We support several missionaries by a mix of fundraisers and
donations.
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...that
someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all
seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of all shrubs and
becomes a tree…” -Matthew 13:31-32
