About Lancaster Presbyterian Church
Serving the community since 1954
Our Beliefs
Who we Are
We consist of a small congregation of faithful people attempting to live out God’s word in the world.
The purpose of Lancaster Presbyterian Church is to bring people to Jesus in an ever expanding circle of worship and ministry in order to glorify God and live in His joy forever.
Lancaster Presbyterian Church is governed by men and women elected by the congregation, who lead the church in the areas of service and ministry, subject to God’s Word and Spirit.
What we Believe
We believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in Jesus Christ as Savior, and acknowledge Him as Lord of all and Head of the Church.
We believe that the Bible is the authoritative word of God.
We believe in the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism.
Our Presbyterian Roots
Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.
Calvin did much of his writing from Geneva, Switzerland. From there, the Reformed movement spread to other parts of Europe and the British Isles.
Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin are still at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. Among these are the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, justification by grace through faith and the priesthood of all believers. What these tenets mean is that God is the supreme authority throughout the universe. Our knowledge of God and God’s purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, particularly what is revealed in the New Testament through the life of Jesus Christ. Our salvation (justification) through Jesus is God’s generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. It is everyone’s job — ministers and lay people alike — to share this Good News with the whole world. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.
Presbyterians confess their beliefs through statements that have been adopted over the years and are contained in The Book of Confessions. These statements reflect our understanding of God and what God expects of us at different times in history, but all are faithful to the fundamental beliefs described above. Even though we share these common beliefs, Presbyterians understand that God alone is lord of the conscience, and it is up to each individual to understand what these principles mean in his or her life.
History of Lancaster Presbyterian Church
Our church was unofficially started in 1954, by Rev. John Rowlan, with the first service being held on September 9th in the Lancaster Women’s Club. Easter service was actually held in the Antelope Theater. We were granted official status on February 6, 1955 by the Presbytery of Los Angeles.
In February of 1955 came the purchase of the property where LPC currently resides. November of 1956 saw the construction of five new classrooms and the office. This was under the guidance of Rev. Richard B. Stanley, who was called to serve here in November. Stanley also saw the purchase of three additional acres added to LPC’s property.
From September 1969 through June 1974, Rev. William G. Ward served as assistant Pastor. Rev. Stanley resigned in August 1974. It was not until March 1975 that Rev. Kenneth B. Cragg arrived. He served through 1977.
February, 1979 saw the arrival of Rev. Roland B. Rosson and his wife Barbara. It was during his ministry that construction of the current sanctuary began and was completed. During this same time, most of the church facilities were extensively remodeled. The dedication of the new sanctuary was held on May 19, 1985.
Rev. William Witt and his wife Shari came to our church on August 2, 1987 and retired in October 2000.
Rev. William Fry and his wife Dr. Sue Fry served our church from Fall of 2002 to the spring of 2010. Rev. Teresa Ramsey-McNeil and her husband Bob served from the Spring of 2013 until her retirement in December 2020. In February 2021 our congregation welcomed our new pastor Rev. Dr. Randy Working and his wife Evelyne.