About Us
Chester Presbyterian Church is a vibrant, growing community called by Jesus Christ to “Deliver God’s word, Grow in faith and Serve all people.” We attend to these tasks through a variety of ministry opportunities on our campus, in the community and in distant countries.
Yet all that we do grows out of our worship together. Once a week we gather to reconnect, renew and refresh ourselves for the journey ahead. Your presence with us will add to our celebration of God in our midst.
We welcome all people regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, marital status, social class, ability or religious affiliation. Together, we are exploring how to be in true communion with God and true community with others.
Our services follow the pattern of most Presbyterian congregations and maintains the “Reformed Tradition”.
Chester Presbyterian Church is a connectional church and part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Presbyterians affirm that God comes to us with grace and love in the person of Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose for us so that we might have eternal and abundant life in him. As Christ’s disciples, called to ministry in his name, we seek to continue his mission of teaching the truth, feeding the hungry, healing the broken, and welcoming strangers.
Presbyterians are inclusive of the leadership of all people and engaged in seeking prayerful answers to the challenges of today.
We hope that you will find us as a dynamic community of faith, striving to learn and to live and to serve as Jesus Christ. Join us and share in our excitement!
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God's Call to Chester Presbyterian Church is simple: Deliver God's Word, Grow in Faith, Serve All People
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We strive to be a community of God’s people, to use our rich historical heritage and diverse faith backgrounds to understand and value all people and continue to grow in our spiritual journey. As disciples for our Lord, we seek to serve God in this place and the world.
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Provide opportunities for all ages to develop a greater familiarity with the Bible and practice of the Christian Faith.
With careful stewardship and proper fiscal controls, effectively build and manage the church’s resources to further grow and enhance our mission and the work God is calling us to do.
Encourage faithful and regular participation in the life of the church by providing diverse and transformative worship services, engaging fellowship activities and life enrichment programs where we connect with God and one another.
Inform, excite and involve members of all ages in the full extension of our ministry to those in need throughout the community and around the world.
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During the late 1800s, several families from the north moved to Chester Station, Virginia, to hunt buried treasure. A true treasure of religious heritage emerged. Seventeen charter members were present for the organization of Chester Presbyterian Church on June 16, 1878. The members met in the hall of the Chester Hotel until the first church building was finished in 1880. The Chapel, as it is now known, was built on a small lot purchased for $40.00 and remained there until it was moved to Osborne Road in 1951, where it remained until moved, once again, to its prominent location at the corner of West Hundred ( US-RT 10) and Osborne Roads. The Chester Presbyterian Chapel is now a Virginia registered landmark and, from its beginning, was at the heart of the ecumenical spirit in the Chester community and remains so today.
In 1956, a new building with a sanctuary, a fellowship hall with kitchen, Sunday school rooms and offices, was built facing West Hundred Road. This addition to the church campus allowed the congregation and ministry to continue in its growth. Though most activities moved to the new building, the Chapel continued to be used for Sunday school, scouts, and intimate wedding ceremonies. A new educational building was completed in 1967, providing much needed Sunday School space.
With the continued growth in the congregation, long range planning was begun. The decision was made to move the Chapel once again, and a new larger sanctuary and narthex were completed in 1995. The facilities continued to expand, and an addition with a fellowship hall, kitchen and classrooms was completed in 2000. In Spring 2008, renovation of the old educational building and the renovation of the former "youth house" into a new "meeting center" with larger multi-functional spaces was completed.
In December 2002, a new 31 rank pipe organ manufactured by the A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company was installed. This wonderful addition to the sanctuary assists each Sunday, as the congregation worships our Lord with the spoken word and music.
The church's past, however, is only part of its story. The witness it has borne throughout the years is carried on today by an active, dedicated congregation, which welcomes you to its midst. We are excited about the new growth opportunities these changes afford the congregation, and the many possibilities they provide in carrying out our Christian mission in the community and in the world.