THE MIDDLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
 

Founded 1772

Still Serving.....2012

The Presbytery of Redstone approved the call of Linda Snyder by the Middle Presbyterian Church on November 15.  Linda will begin her ministry at the Middle Presbyterian Church in January.

• and follow purposefully their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Linda heard the call to "preach" in the midst of serving families with children from "cradle to college." She understands the dynamics and demands of ministry. Youth wired her to proclaim the timeless, authoritative Word of God in an applicable, contemporary manner that challenges believers to radical discipleship and engages those without a Savior.

Linda experienced the value of pastoral care and fell in love with the other end of the age spectrum as she cared for her parents during their final years of life. She learned to "be still" and utterly dependent upon God, as her parents modeled the importance of faith, the gift of love and the devastating effects of disease.

As a curriculum author and frequent contributor to books and magazines, Linda's creativity and expertise in designing programs for children/youth were recognized by GROUP, the publisher of our Pandamania VBS.

• Author: Fun, Interactive Group Skits (1993)

I believe in the unfathomable mystery of the Trinity: three eternally distinct persons in one God.

I believe in the sufficiency of God, who creates, provides, sustains and redeems according to His purpose-for His glory and our good. God is trustworthy in all situations.

I believe humanity was created in the image of God. Because Adam and Eve did not trust God's perfect provision, we live in disharmony, in a fallen world biased toward sin, incapable of coming to God on our own. The consequence of sin is death and eternal separation from God.

I believe the distinctive natures of humanity and deity were joined in the person of Jesus Christ. God became man to provide the means for our salvation. As man, Jesus is a legitimate sacrifice for us. Being without sin, His death provided the righteousness necessary for salvation. As God, Jesus' death had sufficient value to make atonement for the sin of all humanity and the infinite power necessary to defeat death itself.

I believe we are saved, by God's extravagant gift of grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. I believe this radical gift demands a proper response; belief must transform behavior. Christ commands us to follow Him (in faith and hope) and take up our cross (of love).

I believe the Bible is the Word of God for all time, the authoritative, self-revelation of God's truth, crucial for evangelism and sanctification. I believe the Holy Spirit inspired the original writing of scripture and provides ongoing illumination, a witness to the truth as we study God's Word. The Holy Spirit pours out transformation, sanctifying us, so that day by day we are more able to live in the image of God, obedient to His covenant of faith, hope and love.

I believe faith is more than mental agreement with the historicity of Christ. Faith is relying on God's sufficiency. Faith is initiated by God and strengthened by Scripture's witness to God's ongoing provision in the past. Faith gives birth to hope.

I believe hope hinges on our confidence in God as a future promise keeper. It is the joyful expectation that we can rely on God tomorrow, because He has been faithful in the past. Trusting God's perfect provision for the future frees us to consider the needs of others today. Hope gives birth to love.

I believe love is the extension of faith and hope; love is faith and hope gone public. When we depend on God, the Holy Spirit works to sanctify us in each present moment, giving us the ability to submit our will to God's. Love is obedient submission to God, no strings attached. Our ability to live in faith, hope and love is in direct proportion to our willingness to be dependent upon God's perfect provision.

I believe the church is called to be the body of Christ... a community of faith, hope and love ... focused on proclaiming the Good News of salvation found only in Jesus Christ.