Hope Church is a member church of the Central South Presbytery in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, or the EPC.  Hope is a church in the Reformed Tradition, dating its lineage first and foremost to Jesus, His apostles, and the New Testament, but finding its particular heritage in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, and such notable church leaders as John Calvin and Martin Luther. What distinguishes Reformed belief is the insistence on the Sovereignty of God in His Grace; that by God’s own decision He is bringing to fruition His desired plan for all of life and history, including our salvation.  The very Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that sinners are freely and fully and finally justified by the work of Jesus Christ in the Cross and Resurrection, and continue to be sanctified by God’s grace as we continue in life and faith in Him.  For more on our beliefs see the EPC’s statement of faith and the 7 Essentials. As a Reformed church we believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to the authoritative word of God for life and faith.  Additionally, we acknowledge the Westminster Confession of Faith, and its Larger and Shorter Catechisms as the standards which best explain the doctrine or theology laid out in the Scriptures; we also acknowledge the Three Forms of Unity, historically recognized throughout the Reformed church around the world.