About Our Church
New Here?Our Vision
Growing in Faith;
Growing in Community
First Presbyterian Church is an accepting, welcoming family of faith called by God to develop passionate and obedient followers of Christ to carry His love and truth into the world. Our faith community is built upon our Christ-centered values of worship, community, spiritual formation, stewardship and service as we strive to love God and love our neighbor.
In worship, we listen for God’s Word through the Holy Scriptures to teach and direct us into the world as His representatives. Our life together embodies the joyful, exuberant fellowship that characterizes the relationship between the Father, Son and Spirit. We are an intergenerational composite of children, youth, young adults, and wise sages, each of whom is a precious child of God equipped by the Holy Spirit to demonstrate the presence of Jesus and make His love known. Spiritual formation in Jesus is a life-long endeavor. We engage in the personal spiritual disciplines that Jesus embraced. We gather to study God’s Word and develop a deepening familiarity with His voice and direction. Our goal is to learn to easily and naturally do what Jesus would do in our place. Understanding that all we have comes to us from God, we embrace sacrificial giving as a way of life. We prayerfully discern God’s priorities and guidance in all that we undertake. Our buildings and grounds are an outpost of the kingdom of God, through which we deliberately create and maintain an inviting, holy space where all seekers and followers of Christ are welcome. Our love for God spills over in love for our neighbors locally and globally. We partner with Christian churches and organizations in projects that carry the love and truth of Jesus into our neighborhoods and into our world. We strive to make God’s love visible through our words, behavior and acts of service.
Our Team
Our Beliefs
Worship Times
Events
Youth & Kids
Next Steps
Our Beliefs & Values
God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. God has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. (Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; 3:22: Psalm 90:2: Matthew 28:19: 1 Peter 1:2: 2 Corinthians 13:14)
Humankind
We are all made in the spiritual image of God, to be like God in character. While we thus have great potential for good, we are marred by an attitude of rebellion against God called “sin.” This attitude separates us from God. (Genesis 1:27: Psalm 8:3-6: Isaiah 53:6, 59:1,2: Romans 3:23)
Jesus Christ
“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.” (1 John 4:15) Jesus is the Son of God, co-equal with God the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Jesus lived in a sinless life and died on the cross to pay the debt of our sin (Romans 3:24). Because of Jesus, we have a new beginning with God. (Matthew 1:22, 23: John 1:1-5; 14:10-30: 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4: Hebrews 4:14, 15: 1 Timothy 6:14, 15: Isaiah 9:6: Acts 1:9-11: Romans 1:3, 4: Titus 2:12)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and Jesus Christ. The Spirit is present in the world to direct our attention to the life that God offers us through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit of God lives in every Christian from the moment s/he accepts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Spirit provides understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance for holy living. The Christian seeks to live under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit daily. (2 Corinthians 3:17: Acts 1:8: Ephesians 1:13; 5:1: John 14:16, 17; 16:7-13: 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:16: Galatians 5:25)
Salvation
Salvation from separation from God is a gift Jesus brings to us. We can never make up for our sin through a program of self-improvement or good deeds. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin and eternal separation from God. Life lived in the Kingdom of the Heavens begins the moment we received Jesus Christ as our Savior and being to live by faith in Him as Lord. (Romans 6:23: John 1:12, 14:16: Galatians 3:26: Ephesians 2:8, 9: Titus 3:5: Romans 5:1)
Eternal Security
God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ. We will live forever in the glory of God’s heaven. This security is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. As we learn to live as Jesus lived and do what Jesus did, we experience that inner transformation of spirit which prepares us for our future with God in paradise. (John 10:29: Hebrews 7:25; 10:10, 14: 1 Peter 1:3-5: 1 Timothy 1:12)
The Bible
The Bible is a record of God’s activity among us. It is God’s word recorded and written down by human authors. “It is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
“God is doing some fresh new things in our world today. He is whispering to many hearts, building our curiosity to know more and explore what a relationship with Him would be like. At First Presbyterian Church of Golden, we are committed to be the kind of church that is described in the Bible where God is welcome, and we experience Him directly through heart-felt worship, honest friendships, prayer, and compassionate care for those in need. It is our purpose to experience and share the love of God, one person at a time.So whether you are a spiritual person who is curious about growing in your friendship with God through Jesus Christ, or a committed Christian eager to sink the roots of your faith even deeper and use your gifts and talents to share God’s love, you can find a community of like-minded friends here.You’ll find that this is a church where you really matter, because that is how God feels about you.”
– Dr. Miriam Dixon, Sr. Pastor
Who We Are
Our Team & Leadership
Our Pastor: Dr. Miriam Dixon
Senior Pastor
Our Pastor: Andrew Osten
Pastor of Spiritual Formation
John Arnold
Buildings and Grounds
Jason Blaine
Membership
Kathy Duncan
Worship
Greg Dunlap
Buildings and Grounds
Diane Haskin
Missions
Betsy Holland
Christian Education
Kathleen Lester
Outreach
Bob Mallow
Personnel
Chris McCarraher
Congregational Care
Nic Skorski
Finance
Debbie Thompson
Communications
Margaret Thompson-Gough
Stewardship
Core Values
At First Presbyterian Church, we commit ourselves, individually and corporately, to these values to guide how we will act as we pursue God’s vision and mission for our congregation.
In our worship we…
- Glorify and adore God at the center of our lives.
- Expect Jesus to be present in our worship and acknowledge His desire to communicate with each person.
- Profess our need for God’s gracious forgiveness and healing of our spiritual brokenness.
- Listen intently for God’s personal word and direction.
- Express our gratitude to God through praise and generosity.
- Embrace a warm, informal style that is welcoming to seekers and visitors.
In our spiritual formation we…
- Trust the Scriptures to be the Word of God and the unique, authoritative witness to Jesus Christ.
- Pursue a deepening, life-long intimacy with the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—that strengthens our ability to easily and naturally do what Jesus would do.
- Practice the spiritual disciplines that Jesus embraced such as prayer, silence and solitude, study of Scripture, confession, mutual accountability, celebration and forgiveness.
- Study together to explore the meaning and practice of God’s Word, welcoming questions and soliciting observations from diverse perspectives.
In our community we…
- Rely on Jesus as the head of our intergenerational church family.
- Trust the leadership of our gifted and respected staff and elected elders.
- Nurture an accepting, joyful environment that radiates personal and corporate health and accountability.
- Make decisions through corporate discernment.
- Identify and develop the spiritual gifts and call of every person.
- Provide a place in which every person is encouraged to pursue emotional, physical and spiritual healing.
In our stewardship we…
- Acknowledge that all we have comes to us from God.
- Embrace sacrificial giving as a way of life.
- Discern prayerfully God’s priorities and guidance in all that we undertake.
- Empower passion-based ministries consistent with our core values.
- Develop and maintain our buildings and grounds as a holy space pleasing to God that provides a welcoming environment for all seekers and followers of Christ.
In our service we…
- Love others intentionally through acts of kindness and service as a result of God’s overflowing love in our own lives.
- Forge strong spiritual alliances with other Christian organizations to further God’s kingdom work both locally and globally.