We are Christian
We confess, believe, and teach the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3) as it is summarized in the traditional creeds of the Church — the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds.
We are Reformed
Reformed is short for “Reformation.” It refers to the 16th-century movement within the Church led by men like Martin Luther and John Calvin. The Reformers did not set out to create a new church, or even new denominations within the church. Rather, they understood themselves to be reforming both the doctrine and worship of late-medieval church by returning to the authority of the Scriptures. We believe the confessions and catechisms of the 16th- and 17th-century Reformed churches are still useful guides to understanding Gospel of God’s grace revealed in the Bible. The Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Larger & Shorter Catechisms are our confessional standards. You can read a condensed version of this here.
We are Presbyterian
We are a Presbyterian church, which means we are governed by elders (“Presbyterian” comes from the Greek word presbuteroi, elders). This means there is a plurality of leadership in the local church—pastors, elders, and deacons who are elected by the congregation. To be a Presbyterian also means that we are connected to larger bodies of regional and national leaders to enable us better to carry out the Great Commission and also to provide accountability and wise advice beyond the local church. Grace is currently a mission church of the Presbyterian Church in America. Since we are a mission church and do not yet have our own elders, we are governed by the elders at New Life Presbyterian Church in Canton, NY.