Who We Are and Our Beliefs

A good way to relate who we are and what we believe is to explain our name:

The West Sayville Reformed Bible Church

West Sayville is part of our name because it is in this community on Long Island that we are called to share the Lord's love and tell of his plan of salvation.

We are Reformed because we have our roots in the Protestant Reformation and its emphasis on a return to the Bible. We are a "confessional church" which means that our church is united with other Reformed Churches by agreeing to a belief in God's Word as interpreted by three confessions or creeds.  These creeds are the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession and the Canons of Dordt. We publicly confess our faith in Jesus Christ by the use of the Apostles' Creed proclaiming our hope in Him for eternal life.

We are a Bible church because we believe the Bible is the complete and infallible source of doctrine and direction for our lives as we continually bring our teachings and lifestyle into ever closer conformity with God's Word.

Church means we are called to become living members of the body of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit in order to serve in our Father's world.

Leadership

Christ is the Head of the Church. It is He who distributes various gifts to the members of the congregation "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."

We prayerfully elect our own ruling body, called the Council, at an annual congregational meeting. The Council is made up of Elders, Deacons, and the Pastor. We believe that each officer receives his authority from Christ. The Council has the task of helping each individual member of the congregation discover and use the gifts God has given them.

The Elders or Consistory has a special responsibility to supervise the total life of the congregation. This includes worship, education, evangelism and discipling.

The Deacons' special responsibility is for the church's ministries of mercy to those who are in need - either in the church or in the community.

The Pastor is called to preach, teach, evangelize and carry out the pastoral ministries of the church as the leader in the congregation and council.

As part of the Federation of United Reformed Churches in North America our church sends delegates to Classis Eastern U.S. and to Synod as required. Classis is the local district of churches. Synod is the general assembly of the Federation which meets at a host church in June.

Worship

Worship is the church's greatest privilege and highest calling.

As Christians, we seek to worship God every day, in everything we do.

The Bible teaches us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is our spiritual worship. As a church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we encourage and assist each member to do this ever more completely.

Each Sunday our congregation meets, morning and evening, for formal worship. Here we join together to praise God with hymns, prayers and offerings. Included in and central to each of our worship services is a sermon from God's Word. God speaks to us through the message of the Pastor, which challenges us to allow Christ Jesus to fill our hearts and transform our lives by the power of his Word, so we might live for Him.

The worship services are a very important part of the life of the Christian Church. We warmly invite you to worship with us regularly.

The sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are administered in accordance with the Word of God.

The Lord's Supper is generally celebrated the second Sunday of each month during the morning worship service.