RPCNA congregation in Southfield, Michigan, founded in 1834. Worship Sundays with exclusive a cappella psalmody and the Westminster Standards.https://southfieldreformed.com/en-ushttps://southfieldreformed.com/https://southfieldreformed.com/RPCNA congregation in Southfield, Michigan, founded in 1834. Worship Sundays with exclusive a cappella psalmody and the Westminster Standards.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTA congregation of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) in Southfield, Michigan, in the greater Detroit area. Established in 1834, the congregation holds to the Westminster Standards and practices exclusive a cappella psalmody in worship.https://southfieldreformed.com/connect/https://southfieldreformed.com/connect/Visit or contact Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church in Southfield, Michigan—directions, phone, and welcome info.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTWe would love to welcome you. Plan a visit or get in touch with any questions. - [Visit](/connect/visit/) — location, service times, and directions - [Contact](/connect/contact/) — phone, email, and addresshttps://southfieldreformed.com/connect/contact/https://southfieldreformed.com/connect/contact/Phone and contact information for Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church at 26550 Evergreen Rd, Southfield, MI.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTFeel free to contact us by phone or email. - Address: 26550 Evergreen Rd., Southfield, MI 48076 - Phone: [(248) 356-3932](tel:+12483563932) - Email: [srpcinfo@southfieldreformed.com](mailto:srpcinfo@southfieldreformed.com) Lord's Day Morning Worship is at 10:00 AM; Evening Worship is at 6:00 PM.https://southfieldreformed.com/connect/visit/https://southfieldreformed.com/connect/visit/Address, driving directions, parking, and accessibility for visiting Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTWe cordially invite you to come and worship God with us every Lord's Day at 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Our church building is located at 26550 Evergreen Rd., Southfield, MI 48076. Southfield is a northern suburb of Detroit. The church is easily reached by highway from all directions and is just 1.5 blocks south of the intersection of I-696 and Evergreen Rd. on the east side of the road. We have a wheelchair lift that provides easy access from ground level to our main auditorium and the basement of the church. ## Directions - From the North: Take I-75 south to I-696. I-696 west to exit 11 (Evergreen Rd). Go left on Evergreen Rd. Go 1.5 blocks to the church on the left. - From the South: Take I-75 north to exit 41 (M-39, Southfield Rd.) Take Southfield Rd. north to M-10 (John C. Lodge Fwy., Northwestern Hwy.) Take M-10 northwest to Evergreen Rd. Go right on Evergreen Rd. Go 0.75 miles to the church on the right. - From the East: Take I-696 west to exit 11 (Evergreen Rd). Go left on Evergreen Rd. Go 1.5 blocks to the church on the left. - From the West: Take I-96 east which turns into I-696. Take I-696 east to exit 11 (Evergreen Rd.) Go right on Evergreen Rd. Go 1.5 blocks to the church on the left. - From the Southwest: Take I-94 east to exit 171 (M-14), which goes off of I-94 to the left. Take M-14 north and east to I-275. Take I-275 north to I-696. Take I-696 east to exit 11 (Evergreen Rd). Go right on Evergreen Rd. Go 1.5 blocks to the church on the left.https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/Sermon audio from Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church on SermonAudio—recent messages, series, and communion sermons.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTTo hear a sermon, simply click on the sermon title. A pop-up window with audio controls should immediately appear.https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/communion/https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/communion/Sermons preached at communion seasons at Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church, available on SermonAudio.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTSermons preached in preparation for celebrating the Lord's Supper.https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/evangelistic/https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/evangelistic/Evangelistic sermons from Southfield RPC addressed to those outside the church, available on SermonAudio.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTEvery "fifth Sabbath" we hold a "community outreach" service that is preceded by local door-to-door outreach and includes a self-consciously evangelistic sermon.https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/federal-vision/https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/federal-vision/Lecture series on the Federal Vision from Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church, available on SermonAudio.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTFederal Vision lectures are hosted on SermonAudio — [listen to the series here](https://www.sermonaudio.com/series/170606).https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/one-off/https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/one-off/Standalone sermons from Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church that are not part of a longer series.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTOccasional and one-off messages from our pulpit are available on SermonAudio.https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/recently-preached/https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/recently-preached/Recently preached sermons from Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church, hosted on SermonAudio under broadcaster SRPC.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTMost recently preached sermons.https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/romans/https://southfieldreformed.com/sermons/romans/Expository sermon series through the Epistle to the Romans from Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTListen to our sermon series through the Epistle to the Romans on SermonAudio.https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/Doctrinal commitments of Southfield RPC: Westminster Standards, the gospel of Christ, and scriptural worship and living.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAs followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are committed to the historic doctrines of Biblical Christianity, as revealed in the Bible. Our faith and life are shaped by Scripture alone, confessed in the Westminster Standards, and lived out in worship and daily obedience. Explore what we confess about doctrine, worship, Christian living, and the gospel of salvation. - [Scriptural Doctrine](/what-we-believe/scriptural-doctrine/) — the five solas and the Westminster Confession - [Scriptural Worship](/what-we-believe/scriptural-worship/) — the regulative principle and how we worship - [Scriptural Living](/what-we-believe/scriptural-living/) — the Christian life of holiness and obedience - [How Can I Be Saved?](/what-we-believe/how-can-i-be-saved/) — the good news about Jesus Christhttps://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/how-can-i-be-saved/https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/how-can-i-be-saved/A plain explanation of the gospel of Jesus Christ for anyone investigating the Christian faith at Southfield RPC.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTWhen does a flashlight seem to shine the brightest? In the dark, right? The same is true with the glorious light of the gospel (or "good news") of Jesus Christ. In many ways, it's like a flashlight in a dark cave or a candle in a dark room. We will never truly appreciate its light until we recognize the utter darkness and hopelessness of this world. For this reason, our consideration of this "good news" must begin with the "bad news" that our culture desperately wants us to ignore. The bad news of this world comes to us in three basic installments: 1. SIN. Make no mistake: sin is real; it is a plague; and it is everywhere! Greed, hatred, deceit, gossip, selfishness, arrogance, injustice, anger, hypocrisy, discontentment, perversion, abuse, lust, and disrespect, just to name a few.But perhaps the most startling reality of all is the extent to which so many of the same sins we condemn in others actually reside within our own souls! None of us loves God or our neighbor as we should, despite our pathetic attempts to appear better than we are. We all stand guilty of violating God's moral standards, violating our own moral standards, and wasting our lives pursuing the temporary pleasures of this world rather than the glorious God who created us to glorify and enjoy Him forever. For all this (and much more) we have become God's enemies, justly deserving of His infinite wrath. This is bad news! 2. DEATH. Sin has devastated our world. The media may succeed in shielding us from the realities of death, aging, disease, disability, and many other forms of loss and pain. But such things are unavoidable. Soon enough, death will arrive at our door to repossess all that we have in this life. How short, miserable, and vulnerable our lives truly are! Admit it: this is bad news! 3. ETERNAL DEATH. Sin and death are each extremely terrifying, but what happens when they combine forces? Jesus Himself taught that when a sinner dies in a guilty condition before God, his soul immediately enters into unspeakable torment in a place called Hell. There the sinner remains in conscious agony until the Day of Judgment when he will be finally cast (body and soul) into the Lake of Fire, forever separated from God's comforting presence. Nobody enjoys considering this reality, but we must consider it, because Jesus taught it. And that makes it true. Could any news be worse than this? Okay, now for the good news. As alarming as the bad news may be (and it truly is alarming!), there is a more powerful, more overwhelming reality to consider. It is a news so good that its goodness can scarcely be measured; a news that can look the "bad news" in the eye and easily cast it aside. Want to know more? Well, let's consider this good news by posing and answering four important questions. 1. What exactly is this good news? Simply put, it is this: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4). God loved sinners so much that He sent His only-begotten Son to save them. Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God entered our world 2,000 years ago as a real man, freely acting as a substitute for sinners, and taking the penalty which their sins deserved. At about the age of 33, the sinless Jesus was nailed to a wooden cross by sinful men (much like ourselves) and crushed by His Father's infinite wrath against sin. Having fully satisfied this wrath, Jesus rose again from the dead three days later and later ascended into heaven, forever victorious over sin, death, and Hell! 2. How exactly does this work? Some have called Jesus' saving work "the great exchange," and for good reason. At the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the guilt of every sin for every sinner who would ever trust in Him alone for salvation. If we trust Him, then He paid the full penalty for all our sins (past, present, and future), reconciling us to God, and making us God's children. In exchange for our sin, Jesus also gives us His perfect righteousness. You see, unlike any other person in human history, Jesus lived a spotless life of perfect obedience to God in thought word, and action. This is the obedience God demands from us, but which we have failed to perform. As our substitute, Jesus performed it for us, so that we are declared righteous in God's courtroom and made heirs of heaven! 3. Does this apply to me? Jesus purchased salvation for all who admit themselves to be Hell-deserving sinners and who rely humbly and entirely upon His saving work for acceptance with God. He commands all people to embrace Him as their only hope in life and death. Nobody is exempt from this authoritative offer of mercy. However, as arrogant sinners by nature, none of us wants to admit our guilt. Instead we want to trust in our own righteousness, imagining that we are somehow "good enough" to gain acceptance with God. This is the surest path to Hell. But if God's Holy Spirit has given you a new heart to recognize the bad news about your sin and to receive the good news about Jesus, then this salvation is eternally yours! Nothing can separate you from God's love in Jesus! 4. Where do I go from here? Jesus is a Prophet (who declares truth), a Priest (who takes away sin), and a King (who rules, provides, and defends). Receiving Him is a package deal. All who truly accept Jesus as Priest (to remove their sins) will also desire to learn truth from Him (as their Prophet) and to obey Him (as their King). If you truly have a new heart, then, above all else, you will have fallen in love with Jesus Himself, not merely with what He can do for you. You will desire to follow Him, to study His word (the Bible), to commune with Him in prayer, and to worship Him alongside your brothers and sisters in the family of God. Though you will still commit sins each day, you will begin to hate these sins, desire to be rid of them, and gradually increase in obedience to God's word. Does the above explanation describe the condition of your heart and life? Even if it doesn't, we want to speak with you personally about the good news of Jesus Christ and its impact on your life. Click on the "Connect With Us" tab at the top of the page to contact us. Or, if you like, feel free to contact our pastor, Rev. Adam Kuehner, directly [via email](mailto:srpcinfo@southfieldreformed.com). In the meantime, we recommend listening to any of the following sermons on the nature of the gospel, the call to repentance from sin, and our need to trust in Christ alone for salvation.https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/scriptural-doctrine/https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/scriptural-doctrine/Southfield RPC’s doctrinal commitments, including subscription to the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAs followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are committed to the historic doctrines of Biblical Christianity, as revealed in the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Relying exclusively upon God's infallible Word, we boldly confess that: - SCRIPTURE ALONE is our all-sufficient, inspired, inerrant, and infallible authority for every aspect of doctrine, worship, ministry, and ethics. - GRACE ALONE is the basis upon which the Triune God freely chooses, redeems, regenerates, forgives, and transforms hell-deserving sinners into heaven-bound saints. - CHRIST ALONE (as the God-man Mediator) redeems lost sinners by the infinite merit of His perfect obedience, His atoning death, and His victorious resurrection. - FAITH ALONE is the instrument or means whereby we must receive Christ and His spotless, blood-bought righteousness for our justification. - GLORY BE TO GOD ALONE for sovereignly planning, accomplishing, and applying every aspect of human salvation to His people, from start to finish, such that He says, "I will not give My glory to another!" (Isa. 48:11) and such that we must say, "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but to Your name give glory" (Ps. 115:1). Based upon our own understanding of God's Word, we happily embrace as our creed the [Westminster Confession of Faith](https://reformedstandards.com/westminster/wcf) along with the [Larger](https://reformedstandards.com/westminster/wlc) and [Shorter Catechisms](https://reformedstandards.com/westminster/wsc). We also adhere to the [Testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America](https://crownandcovenant.com/products/current-rpcna-constitution-pdf-download) as an ongoing application of the Scriptures to contemporary life. For a more detailed treatment of the sufficiency and reliability of the Scriptures, we recommend listening to our pastor's Theological Foundations Afternoon lessons entitled, [Five Reasons to Trust Your Bible](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/79131431558) and [Five Reasons for Six Day Creation](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/98132315443).https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/scriptural-living/https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/scriptural-living/How Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church understands Christian practice and the Christian life under Scripture.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTTHE CHRISTIAN LIFE — Christianity is not merely an accurate system of doctrine to be believed. It is also a supernatural life to be lived, experienced, and enjoyed by God's people, both now and for all eternity. As the first question of our [Shorter Catechism](https://reformedstandards.com/westminster/wsc?a=question-1) so beautifully states, "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." The blessed life which Christianity offers, however, must be defined exclusively by God's inspired Word, the Bible, which is our only infallible rule for faith and life. The Christian life also involves diligently pursuing the various means that God has appointed for our spiritual growth. As such, Vow 5 of our [Covenant of Communicant Membership](/who-we-are/our-congregation/covenant-of-communicant-membership/) highlights every believer's duty to "diligently read the Bible, engage in private prayer, keep the Lord's Day, regularly attend the worship services, observe the appointed sacraments, and give to the Lord's work as He shall prosper [us]." GOD'S MORAL LAW — Our Lord Jesus Christ once declared, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Elsewhere, He said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets," making it clear that "whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:17-19). The true Christian, therefore, can and must confess with the Apostle John that "this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). God's revealed will for our lives (or "moral law") is summarized in the Ten Commandments, which are as universally binding today as when they were first given at Mount Sinai (Ex. 20:1-17; Deut. 5:1-22) and later confirmed by our Lord and His apostles (Matt. 5:17-20; 22:35-40; Rom. 3:19). Contrary to what many claim today, God's moral law actually promotes the wellbeing of all mankind. In the words of Larger Catechism 95, it serves: 1. To inform them of the holy nature and will of God, and of their duty, binding them to walk accordingly; 2. To convince them of their disability to keep it, and of the sinful pollution of their nature, hearts, and lives; 3. To humble them in the sense of their sin and misery, and thereby help them to a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and of the perfection of his obedience. In addition, God's moral law has a unique impact on those who presently reject the gospel. In the words of Larger Catechism 96, it serves: 1. To awaken their consciences to flee from wrath to come, and to drive them to Christ; 2. To leave them inexcusable, and under the curse thereof, if they continue in the estate and way of sin. Moreover, God's moral law is especially useful to those who, through genuine faith in Christ, have been delivered from the moral law as a covenant of works. In the words of Larger Catechism 97, it serves: 1. To show them how much they are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse thereof in their stead, and for their good; 2. To provoke them to more thankfulness, and to express the same in their greater care to conform themselves thereunto as the rule of their obedience. In summary, God's moral law shows everyone their desperate need for Christ's perfect righteousness (Rom. 10:4), while at the same time urging justified believers to live a life of thankful obedience (1 Thes. 4:1-8; 2 Cor. 7:1). As Reformed Presbyterians, we readily affirm our [Larger Catechism](https://reformedstandards.com/westminster/wlc?a=question-91)'s helpful exposition of the moral law (Questions 91-150). To learn more about the fourth commandment and our duty to keep the Sabbath (or "Lord's Day") holy, [click here](/what-we-believe/scriptural-living/sabbath-resource-guide/). MORE THAN A LIST OF RULES — God has given us His moral law as our only authoritative rule of life and conduct. However, this fact must never be divorced from our intimate relationship to Him in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Nor should we overlook our utter dependance upon the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, by whom the Lord writes His law on our hearts. As those who have been justified by faith in Christ and who are being sanctified by His Spirit, the Scriptures refer to us as: - Adopted children of God, who are being conformed to the image of our Heavenly Father's holy character (Matt. 5:48; Eph. 4:24; 1 Pet. 1:16; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 John 4:7-8; 5:1-2); - Blood-bought imitators of Christ, who are being conformed (as new creatures) to His image, example, and teachings (Luke 9:23; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 11:1; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17; Eph. 4:20-21; Phil. 2:5; Col. 3:10; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 John 2:5-6; 3:3, 16); - Temples of the Holy Spirit, who inscribes His law on our hearts, causes us to love it, empowers us to kill sin, and enables us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Ps. 37:31; 51:10-12; 119:97; Jer. 31:33; Rom. 8:11-13; 1 Cor. 6:19; Phil. 2:12-13); - Fruit-bearing trees or branches, who bring forth good works solely by the nourishing, life-giving power of Christ and His Spirit (Ps. 1:1-3; 92:12-14; Matt. 7:16-20; John 15:1-10; Gal. 5:22-23); - Adornments of the gospel, who daily strive to walk "worthy of the gospel of Christ" (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 1:27; 2:15; Tit. 2:10); - Imperfect, sin-stained saints, who yearn to be perfected in holiness in the life to come (Rom. 7:22-24; 1 Tim. 1:15; Heb. 12:23; 1 John 1:8-10); - Pilgrims and sojourners, traveling by grace along the narrow way and running the race that leads to our heavenly home (Ps. 84:5-7; 119:32, 54; Matt. 7:13-14; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 3:20-21; 2 Tim. 4:7-8; 1 Pet. 2:11; Heb. 11:9-10, 13-16, 35; 12:1-2). Rather than stressing law for its own sake, the Scriptures emphasize law-keeping as a fruit of genuine love for Christ (John 14:15). One might even dare to say (as is stated in the following sermon) that the "secret of sanctification" is to cultivate a deeper intimacy with the Savior, since it is by seeing and experiencing His glorious person that we are conformed to His glorious image (2 Cor. 3:18). THE KINGSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST — The Scriptures declare that our risen Savior and ascended King has been made "head over all things for the church" with "all authority in heaven and on earth" as "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Eph. 1:20-23; Matt. 28:18-20; Rev. 19:16). Strictly speaking, our Lord's "kingdom" is limited to His church. At the same time, Scripture teaches that His Father has given Him unlimited power and authority in this world for the purpose of building His church (Matt. 16:18; 28:18-20). Larger Catechism 54 puts it this way: > Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man he is > advanced to the highest favour with God the Father, with all fulness of joy, glory, > and power over all things in heaven and earth, and doth gather and defend his church, > and subdue their enemies; furnisheth ministers and people with gifts and graces, and > maketh intercession for them. As the enthroned King, Priest, and Prophet of His Church, Christ must be honored by all and above all. This means that all mankind has a duty to believe on Him, worship Him, and observe His moral law in every sphere of life and vocation (e.g. family, church, and society). No aspect of life may be divorced from Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, since "all things were created through Him and for Him… that in all things He may have the preeminence" (Col. 1:16, 18). No nation that hears the gospel is exempt from these duties (Ps. 2:10-12). The more any nation enjoys the saving blessings of King Jesus, the more its corporate life will conform to the spiritual priorities and ethical principles of His Word. Parents will become Christian parents; magistrates will become Christian magistrates; citizens will become Christian citizens; all will serve to advance His glorious agenda of grace and salvation in the world. Of course, this does not mean that the family, the church, and the state may be equated or confused. While all three must cooperate for the advancement of Christ's kingdom on earth, each has its own God-ordained sphere of operation that must remain distinct. One institution may, according to its own proper jurisdiction, insist that the others obey Christ, but it may not replace them or attempt to perform their unique God-given function. For a systematic, Scriptural, and confessional explanation of this doctrine, we recommend listening to our pastor's Theological Foundations lesson entitled, [Christ's Mediatorial Kingship](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/721141032421), along with its sequel, [Christ-Centered Voting](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/8414143510).https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/scriptural-living/sabbath-resource-guide/https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/scriptural-living/sabbath-resource-guide/Practical suggestions and downloadable resources for observing the Lord’s Day, from Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT[Click here](https://files.southfieldreformed.com/resources/sabbath-resource-guide.pdf) to access a Sabbath Resource Guide featuring a number of practical suggestions and recommended resources to help 21st-century Christians maximize their spiritual enjoyment of the Lord's Day. The guide is arranged according to various categories of Sabbath-appropriate activity, such as praying, reading, listening, watching, etc. It also includes a distinct resource guide for parents who desire to make the weekly Sabbath a delightful and edifying experience for their children. [Click here](https://www.sermonaudio.com/series/30461) for a link to our pastor's sermon series on the scriptural doctrine and practice of the Christian Sabbath. The sermons entitled "Delightful Sabbath Activities" and "Delightful Sabbath Parenting" follow the outline of the Sabbath Resource Guide, seeking to highlight and explain the many edifying Sabbath activities now available to Christian families in the 21st century. For a summary of the RPCNA's official teaching on this important subject, [click here](https://files.southfieldreformed.com/resources/rpcna_sabbath-2018.pdf). [Click here](https://files.southfieldreformed.com/resources/isaiah-58-historical-context.pdf) for a handout addressing the historical context of Isaiah 58.https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/scriptural-worship/https://southfieldreformed.com/what-we-believe/scriptural-worship/How Southfield RPC worships: the regulative principle, exclusive psalmody, and a cappella singing from the Book of Psalms.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTWe believe that the Bible fully, clearly, and sufficiently reveals how God is to be worshiped. Therefore, nothing should be offered to God in worship except what He Himself has commanded. We also embrace the remarkable simplicity and spirituality of New Testament worship as instituted by Christ through His apostles. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (1) "WHAT IS SCRIPTURAL WORSHIP?" — Scriptural worship amounts to a firm conviction that God should only be worshiped according to the Bible, with no additions or subtractions (Deut. 12:29-32). Why is this so important? One reason is that, according to the clear teaching of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, true worship is fundamentally an act of service (Luke 4:8). Consider the following illustration: If you entered a restaurant and ordered a Philly cheesesteak (provolone, peppers, no onions) and the server returned with a cheesesteak drenched in caramel syrup, would you be pleased? Of course not! The duty of a server is to bring you precisely what you ordered, without any additions or subtractions. Surely you would politely explain to the server that he or she had failed to properly carry out your order. But what if the server replied, "Well, you never said not to add caramel syrup!" or "Yes, but I find serving you to be more enjoyable when I get to pour caramel syrup all over your food!" Quite obviously, both of these responses would be entirely inadequate. Regardless of their own personal preferences, servers are expected to carry out the precise orders of those whom they are serving, with no unwarranted additions or subtractions. Anything less is self-serving, right? The same may be said concerning our service of worship to God. The moment we deviate from the specific elements of worship prescribed in God's Word, our worship becomes tainted with the service of self rather than the service of God. The Scriptures call us to serve God by worshiping Him exclusively according to His own commandments. This Biblical principle is commonly called the Regulative Principle of Worship. (2) "DOES SOLA SCRIPTURA APPLY TO CHRISTIAN WORSHIP?" — The Reformed wing of the Protestant Reformation has always held that the principle of Sola Scriptura (i.e. Scripture alone) applies not only to Christian doctrine, but also to Christian worship. Just as we must refuse to supplement Biblical doctrine with man-made teachings, so we must reject any attempt to supplement Biblical worship with man-made innovations. This is a major reason why Reformed Christians like John Calvin and John Knox originally broke ties with Roman Catholicism. They were horrified not only by Rome's corrupt doctrine, but also by the numerous man-made religious ceremonies which she had incorporated into her worship. They rightly understood that Christian worship (like Christian doctrine) must be derived from Scripture alone. No action or ordinance of religious significance may be performed in New Testament Christian worship except what is positively warranted from the Bible. There are, of course, certain circumstances of worship which carry no religious significance, but which are necessary for the conducting of Christian worship. Examples of such non-religious circumstances include the start-time of the service (whether at 8:00 AM or 10:00 AM), its location (whether at a traditional church building or in a hotel conference room), and the congregational seating accommodations (whether pews, chairs, or benches). So long as none of these circumstances is invested with religious significance, there is freedom to determine them according to the light of nature, Christian prudence, and any otherwise applicable Scriptural principles. But for anything that has religious significance, there must be positive Scriptural warrant. We must note that positive Scriptural warrant for a particular ordinance may not always involve an explicit command. Sometimes it may simply involve an approved historical example (such as the apostolic church meeting on the first day of the week, Acts 20:7) or a necessary logical inference (such as allowing women as well as men to eat the Lord's Supper, 1 Cor. 11:28; Gal. 3:28). Positive Scriptural warrant may take any one of these three forms, but it must never be absent. Let's see how this Regulative Principle of Worship unfolds in Scripture itself. (3) "HOW WAS OLD TESTAMENT WORSHIP REGULATED?" — Even from the earliest recorded examples of worship in the Bible, it is clear that God has always demanded to be worshiped exclusively according to His own personal appointment. Following the fall of Adam and Eve into sin and the pronouncing of the first gospel promise (Gen. 3:15), God killed an animal and clothed Adam and Eve in its skin. This not only pointed ahead to the atoning death of Jesus Christ; it also marked the institution of animal sacrifice as an ordinance of Old Testament worship. Soon afterward, Adam's son Abel exercised his faith by following the prescribed pattern and offering an animal sacrifice, which pointed ahead to Christ (Heb. 11:4; 12:24). However, when his brother Cain brought an unauthorized offering of vegetables, we're told that the Lord "did not respect Cain and his offering" (Gen. 4:5). Not only did God reject Cain himself for his improper attitude; He also rejected Cain's offering, since Cain had not exercised true faith by offering up the divinely commanded blood-sacrifice. The Regulative Principle of Worship is also seen in the second of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-17). Most of us are aware that the first commandment forbids worshiping false gods (Ex. 20:3), but what about worshiping the true God in a false way? This additional question is addressed in the second commandment (Ex. 20:4-6), which states, You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. When Israel worshiped the golden calf in the wilderness, we're told that they held "a feast to the LORD" (Ex. 32:5) and said of the calf, "This is your God that brought you up out of Egypt" (Neh. 9:18). From this we learn that they viewed the calf not as another god, but as a visible representation of the true God, Jehovah. In opposition to such idolatrous innovation, the second commandment both forbids idolatry and requires strict adherence to God's commandments. So emphatic is our jealous God in instituting the Regulative Principle of Worship that He actually describes those who worship according to "My commandments" as "those who love Me" and regards all others as "them that hate Me." Later in Deuteronomy 12:29-32, Moses gives an even clearer exposition of the second commandment: When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it. According to Scripture, the God-ordained solution to pagan idolatry is not merely some sort of vague or general "discernment," but a principled, unswerving commitment to worship God precisely and exclusively as He has prescribed in His Word, with absolutely no additions or subtractions. Here are just a few Old Testament passages which serve to reinforce this principle. - The Lord kills the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, with fire because they "offered strange [lit. _unauthorized_] fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them." (Lev. 10:1-4) - King David transports the Ark of the Covenant in an unauthorized fashion (using an ox cart instead of poles, as in Ex. 25:10-16), leading to the death of Uzza the priest (2 Sam. 6:1-13; 1 Chron. 15:1-3; 11-16). - The Lord condemns the idolatrous sin of child sacrifice specifically because "I did not command [it], nor did it come into My heart." (Jer. 7:21-32; 19:4-6). - The Lord condemns King Jeroboam of the Northern Kingdom of Israel for adding his own self-devised innovations into divine worship (1 Kings 12:25-33; 14:16). - The Lord condemns those who worship God at "high places"; that is any location other than the one appointed "high place" of Mount Zion (Deut. 12:2, 5-6, 8-9; 1 Kings 15:11-14; 2 Kings 10:28-29; 2 Chron. 33:11-17) (4) "HOW SHOULD NEW TESTAMENT WORSHIP BE REGULATED?" — When speaking with the Samaritan woman in John 4:22-24, Jesus revealed that New Testament worship would be far simpler and more spiritual than Old Testament worship, yet equally regulated by His own Word of truth. Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. The centralized, outward, sensory worship of the Old Testament was destined to be replaced by New Testament worship "in spirit and in truth". The phrase "in spirit" describes the manner or method of New Testament worship, whereas the phrase "in truth" describes the authoritative source of its content. New Testament worship is more "spiritual", involving less of an outward spectacle than Old Testament worship. It also continues to be defined and regulated by God's "truth" as revealed in His Word. One [contemporary writer](https://www.westminsterconfession.org/resources/worship/hear-ye-him/) has explained Jesus' words in this way: > There is a distinction between Old Testament and New Testament worship in the manner > of our access to God. Old Testament believers dealt with altars, tabernacles, veils > and animal sacrifices, shadowy representations of approach into God's presence, rather > than relating immediately to the true tabernacle in heaven. There is a directness of > approach in New Testament worship, because we deal not in the menace of shadows, but > come boldly to God's own throne of grace, the way into the most holy place now being > manifest. > > ...The beauty of New Testament worship is not produced by aesthetic display. When a > congregation tries to worship God by making a creative artistic program for its > services, it is not only offering to God something he has not commanded and never > sought, it is also failing to appreciate the nature of our access into God's very > presence in heaven which was won for us by the blood of Christ. The glory of our > worship is the glory which surrounds our priest in heaven. Does that suffice us? > > ...The simplicity of New Testament forms of worship – the absence of outward pomp and > aesthetic exhibition – speaks volumes. It tells of the complete reality of our > entrance into the holiest of all in heaven. We are no longer playing with models, but > have come to the new Jerusalem itself. This same writer elsewhere comments on the tendency of many churches to be dissatisfied with the sheer simplicity of New Testament worship. Why is it such a common feature of church life in our day that activities never required by God in the Scriptures are introduced into worship? Is it not because men fear that the few and simple ordinances prescribed in Scripture will be insufficient to build the church? Is there not an underlying anxiety that further means beyond the biblical ordinances must be devised in order to secure the welfare and prosperity of the church? > ...The rebuke to our generation's fascination with extra-Scriptural worship practices > is the apostles' persuasion that, insufficient as they were in themselves, the > ministry Christ commissioned them to carry out would be accompanied by the power of > the Holy Spirit. Regrettably, this analysis appears all too accurate. Too many churches in our day have chosen to supplement simple New Testament worship with trendy, externally-stimulating, man-made innovations. Perhaps this reflects a lack of faith in the promise of Christ to build His church according to His own commands (Matt. 16:18; 28:19). But whatever the cause, it is surely an abandonment of the Scriptural "truth" by which New Testament worship is to be regulated. In order to dispel any remaining doubt about the Regulative Principle of Worship, consider the following New Testament passages which serve to confirm it. - Jesus refuses to participate in the man-made, Pharisaical religious tradition of hand-washing, saying of the Pharisees that "in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:1-9; Mk. 7:5-13). - Paul warns the Colossians against any religious observance which is "according to the commandments and doctrines of men" calling it "will worship" or "self-imposed religion" (Col. 2:18-23). - Paul reminds Timothy that Scripture alone is fully sufficient to equip him (and all believers) "for every good work", which must certainly include the "good work" of worshiping God (2 Tim. 3:14-17). For a more detailed treatment of this subject, we recommend listening to our pastor's 2-part Theological Foundations Afternoon lecture entitled, [The Regulative Principle of Worship](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/714141741503). (5) "WHAT SONGS SHOULD WE SING IN WORSHIP?" — Many churches today are embroiled in "worship wars" over whose preferences should determine the content of congregational singing. We believe that the Scriptures themselves provide a plain and peaceable solution to all of this unfortunate controversy. The only praise songs that should be sung in worship are those which God's Word has specifically authorized us to sing. Of course, the next logical question is, What praise songs has God's Word authorized us to sing? To answer this question, we must briefly survey the history of singing praises to God as recorded for us in the Bible. - During the period from Adam to Moses, we find no record of God's people singing praises to Him in worship. - During the period from Moses to King David, we find God's people singing praise songs written exclusively by divinely inspired prophets and prophetesses, such as Miriam (Ex. 15:20-21), Moses (Deut. 32; Psalm 90); and Deborah (Judg. 5). - During the period from King David to the Babylonian Captivity, we find God's people singing praise songs written by divinely inspired authors such as King David himself and his guild of Levitical prophets (2 Sam. 23:1-2; 1 Chron. 25:1-6; 2 Chron. 5:12-13; 29:30). - During the period from the Babylonian Captivity to the closing of Old Testament canon of Scripture, we find God's people singing from the inspired collection of praise songs that took its final form as the Book of Psalms, probably under Ezra (Neh. 12:45-47). - During the period from the closing of the Old Testament canon of Scripture to the births of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, there were no new prophets and, therefore, no new praise songs added to already-finalized Book of Psalms. - During the period from the births of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ to closing of the New Testament canon of Scripture, we find certain individual prophets personally singing inspired songs (Lk. 1:46-55; 2:29-32; 1Cor. 14:13-15, 26) and entire congregations singing from the inspired Book of Psalms (Mt. 26:30; Eph. 5:18-19; Col. 3:16). (For a persuasive demonstration that Eph. 5:18-19 and Col. 3:16 both refer to the Book of Psalms, [click here](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/82712126491).) - During the period from the closing of the New Testament canon of Scripture to the future return of Jesus Christ, God's people possess the inspired Book of Psalms and can expect no ongoing gift of prophetic inspiration (1 Cor. 13:8; Heb. 1:1-2) and no new additions to Scripture (Rev. 22:18). A straightforward examination of this Scriptural evidence forces us to conclude that the singing of inspired praise has clear and well-documented Scriptural warrant as an element of New Testament worship. As for the singing of uninspired praise, we find no such warrant (i.e. explicit command, approved example, or necessary logical inference) anywhere in Scripture. Now that the canon of Scripture is closed, the Book of Psalms constitutes the only inspired "hymnal" which God has seen fit to give to His Church. We rejoice that God has given us the Book of Psalms as a fully sufficient, Christ-centered collection of inspired New Testament praise songs. Martin Luther was correct to call the Psalter "a little Bible" and John Calvin was right to characterize it as an "anatomy of the soul." Even more significant is the Apostle Paul's designation of it as "the word of Christ" (Col. 3:16), and our Lord's own assertion that it speaks so very explicitly "concerning Me" (Luke 24:44). Indeed, who better to author the lyrics of Christian praise songs than Christ Himself, who inspired every word in the Psalter by the operation of His Holy Spirit? For more a more detailed presentation of the Biblical case for Exclusive Psalmody (with responses to common objections) we recommend visiting the online database of [articles](https://exclusivepsalmody.com/articles-exclusive-psalmody/) and [audio resources](https://exclusivepsalmody.com/audio/) compiled by Rev. Mark Koller on his website, [ExclusivePsalmody.com](https://exclusivepsalmody.com/). The following articles may prove most helpful to new inquirers: - [Sing the Lord's Songs: Biblical Songs in Worship](https://www.westminsterconfession.org/resources/worship/sing-the-lords-song-biblical-psalms-in-worship/) by John W. Keddie - [The Singing of Psalms in the Worship of God](https://www.westminsterconfession.org/resources/worship/the-singing-of-psalms-in-the-worship-of-god/) by G. I. Williamson - [The Singing of Psalms](https://www.westminsterconfession.org/resources/worship/the-singing-of-psalms/) by Rev. Sherman Isbell - [Ashamed of the Tents of Shem](https://www.spindleworks.com/library/vos/AshamedTentsShem.html), by J. G. Vos - [The OPC Minority Report on Song in the Public Worship of God](https://www.opc.org/GA/song.html#Minority) by Prof. John Murray & Dr. Wm. Young We also recommend our pastor's Theological Foundations Afternoon lecture entitled, [A Response to T. David Gordon's Critique of Exclusive Psalmody](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/715141914390). (6) "WHAT ROLE SHOULD MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS PLAY IN OUR WORSHIP?" — If our desire is to be strictly Biblical in our worship, we cannot answer this question until we first answer a far more fundamental question: "Is there any positive Scriptural warrant for using musical instruments in New Testament worship?" Sadly, this is a question that is rarely (if ever) raised in most American churches today, largely due to a lack of interest in Scriptural worship. Nevertheless, if we are to put God's glory and God's commands ahead of our own opinions and preferences, we must diligently search the Scriptures to answer this crucial question! Consider the following brief historical survey of musical instruments as they appear in the Bible within the context of worship. - During the period from Adam to Moses, we find no record of God's people using musical instruments in worship. - During the period from Moses to King David, we find three possible examples: (1) The prophetess Miriam's use of a tambourine to lead Israel's worshipful, patriotic celebration of its deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Ex. 15:20); (2) God's explicit command to make two silver trumpets, which only the sons of Aaron could use, for the threefold purpose of gathering the worship assembly, directing military camps, and accompanying animal sacrifices at the tabernacle (Num. 10:1-10); and (3) The private use of various musical instruments by prophets in connection with prophetic activity (I Sam. 10:5, II Kings 3:15). - During the period from King David to the Babylonian Captivity, we find four sorts of examples: (1) David's appointment of Levites to play musical instruments alongside animal sacrifices in celebration of ark's return (1 Chron. 13:8; 15:27; 16:1); (2) David's institution, by divine command, of specific musical instruments to be played by certain Levites over the burnt sacrifices at the tabernacle and eventually the temple (1 Chron. 16:4-6; 23:5; 25:1; 28:11-12; 19; 2 Chron. 5:12; 29:24); (3) The command to sing certain specified Psalms alongside certain specified musical instruments, as indicated in the introductory titles of those Psalms (Ps. 4:1; 5:1; etc); (4) The command to worship God with the specific divinely-commanded musical instruments employed by the Levites at the temple (Psalm 33:2-3; 150:4-5; etc). - During the period from the Babylonian Captivity to the closing of Old Testament canon of Scripture, we find two examples: (1) When the Levites were taken into captivity in Babylon, away from lately-ruined temple in Jerusalem, they discarded their musical instruments (Ps. 137:1-2); (2) When the Jews returned to Jerusalem, they made sure to identify the God-appointed Levitical musicians before re-instituting musical instrumentation at the rebuilt temple (Ezra 2:41; Neh. 12:27). - During the period from the closing of the Old Testament canon of Scripture to the births of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, there is no indication from ancient historians that musical instruments were used outside the temple ceremonies (such as in the Jewish synagogue) or by anyone other than the God-appointed Levitical musicians. - During the period from the births of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ to closing of the New Testament canon of Scripture, we run across at least four relevant pieces of data: (1) The New Testament repeatedly indicates the abolition of all Old Testament ceremonies, particularly those relating to the temple's sacrificial system (Heb. 10:1-13), the office of the high priest (Heb. 5:1-10), and the unique status of certain tribes, such as the Levites (E.g. Heb. 7:1-16). (2) The New Testament nowhere even hints at the use of musical instruments in New Testament Christian worship; (3) Christian worship assemblies are characterized as a direct continuation of the Jewish "synagogue", which did not employ musical instruments (Matt. 18:20; Heb. 10:25; James 2:2); (4) Multiple New Testament passages seem to militate against the use of musical instruments in worship, noting that, when singing praise, believers should be actively "making melody [Lit. "plucking an instrument"] with your HEART to the Lord." (Eph. 5:19), that Christian praise is "the fruit of lips" (Heb. 13:15), and that musical instruments are "things without life" (1 Cor. 14:7). - During the period from the closing of the New Testament canon of Scripture to the future return of Jesus Christ, we find that, according to church historians, (1) Musical instruments were not introduced into Christian worship for hundreds of years after the apostles, as indicated by the fact that the term "a capella" literally means "as it is done in the church"; (2) Musical instruments did not become prevalent until at least the tenth or eleventh century, when the Church of Rome's elaborate, priestly ceremonies began to reach their height; (3) Following the Protestant Reformation, Reformed Churches were virtually unanimous in prohibiting the use of musical instruments in worship, since they viewed it as an aspect of the ceremonial temple worship now abolished under the New Testament; (4) Musical instruments did not become commonplace in Reformed Churches until around the 19th century, despite the adamant protests of many sound pastors and theologians. Based upon the Scriptural evidence, it appears quite clear that musical instruments were specifically commanded and regulated by God as part of the Old Testament temple ceremonies, which have since been fulfilled and permanently abolished by Christ. We have no more warrant to re-institute musical instruments in Christian worship today than to re-institute animal sacrifices or the Levitical priesthood. These shadowy ordinances have passed away and been replaced by the glorious simplicity and spirituality of New Testament worship. Whatever pleasant sounds may have emanated from the temple and its courts during the Old Testament, the Lord is far more pleased today, as His people offer up the "fruit of lips", filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, gladly "singing and making melody with their hearts" to Him. For a more detailed treatment of this issue, we encourage you to consult the following online resources: - [Instrumental Music in Worship: Commanded or Not Commanded?](https://www.westminsterconfession.org/resources/worship/instrumental-music-in-worship-commanded-or-not-commanded/) by Rev. G. I. Williamson - [What? No Instruments? I object!](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/723141436388) by Dr. Dennis Prutow - [Musical Instruments in Worship](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/715122327580) by Rev. Nathan Eshelman - [Why We Worship Without Musical Instruments](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/312081027190) by Dr. Anthony Selvaggio (7) "HOW DOES YOUR CHURCH WORSHIP GOD?" — In keeping with Scripture, the ordinary elements of our corporate worship fall into six basic categories: 1. The reading, preaching, and hearing of God's inspired Word (Neh. 8:1-8; Gal. 3:2; Col. 4:16; 1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 2:15; 4:2-3; Rev. 2:7) 2. Prayer with thanksgiving, offered up in the name of Christ, by the aid of His Spirit, according to the will of God (John 14:13-14; Rom. 8:26-27; Phil. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:1-8; 1 John 5:14) 3. The unaccompanied singing of praise songs from the inspired Book of Psalms, with regular explanations as to their meaning (Ps. 47:7; 2 Chron. 29:30; Matt. 26:30; Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:18-19; Heb. 13:15) 4. The proper administration and worthy receiving of baptism and the Lord's supper (Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:23-34) 5. The presentation of tithes and offerings "for the service of the house of our God" (Neh. 10:32-39; Mal. 3:8-10; Matt. 5:23-24; 1 Cor. 9:13-14; 16:1-2; Phil. 4:8; Heb. 13:15-16) 6. The pronouncing of God's blessing upon God's people by God's ordained servant (Num. 6:22-27; Lk. 24:50; 2 Cor. 12:14)https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/Meet Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church: our people, pastor and elders, RPCNA denomination, and nearly two centuries in metro Detroit.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTSouthfield Reformed Presbyterian Church is a congregation of Christian disciples united in love for the Triune God of Scripture, whose glory shines in the face of Jesus Christ. Explore our people, leaders, denomination, and nearly two centuries of faithful witness in metro Detroit. - [Our Congregation](/who-we-are/our-congregation/) — who we are as a church family - [Our Leadership](/who-we-are/our-leadership/) — pastor and ruling elders - [Our Denomination](/who-we-are/our-denomination/) — the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America - [Our History](/who-we-are/our-history/) — from 1834 to todayhttps://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/Who attends Southfield RPC, what visitors can expect, and how this Reformed Presbyterian congregation is composed.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTWe are a congregation of Christ-followers hailing from a variety of ethnic, social, and religious backgrounds. Our desire is to increasingly reflect the diversity of our community and of God's saving love (Rev. 5:9), while maintaining the unity of His Word and Spirit (Eph. 4:13). As born-again believers, we are invisibly united to Jesus Christ and to each other through faith in Him. As an organized Christian congregation, we also enjoy the visible unity expressed in our [Covenant of Communicant Membership](/who-we-are/our-congregation/covenant-of-communicant-membership/). We make it a practice to publicly renew our covenant every January in connection with the Lord's Supper. For a more thorough analysis of the nature and importance of church membership, we recommend listening to our pastor's [8-part sermon series](https://www.sermonaudio.com/series/48477) explaining our membership vows from Scripture, along with some additional articles by Rev. Stephen Pribble: ["Is Church Membership Optional?"](/who-we-are/our-congregation/is-church-membership-optional/) and ["Choosing a Church"](/who-we-are/our-congregation/choosing-a-church/). Following the pattern of Scripture, we regard the children of our adult members as part of Christ's kingdom (Lk. 18:16) and worthy recipients of baptism as a visible sign and seal of God's covenant of grace (Gen. 17:7; Acts 2:39). While we do not presume our baptized children to be elect or regenerate, we do acknowledge them as true members of Christ's visible church. As such, they are rightful heirs to the oracles and promises of God (Rom. 3:1-2), which we pray will "lead them to repentance" (Rom. 2:4), and "make them wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 3:15). Whenever a covenant child is baptized, we also require his or her parents to renew their membership vows and to affirm our [Covenant of Baptism](/who-we-are/our-congregation/covenant-of-baptism/). In order for baptized members to become communicant members (and so gain access to the Lord's Table), we require them to make an outwardly credible profession of faith in Jesus Christ by affirming our [Covenant of Communicant Membership](/who-we-are/our-congregation/covenant-of-communicant-membership/). To learn more about the status of children in the New Covenant, [click here](/who-we-are/our-congregation/what-about-infant-baptism/). We believe that every church member eventually has a role to play as "salt" and "light" in this dark and decaying world. Fundamentally, this involves faithfulness to Christ in our most basic duties in the home, the workplace, the classroom, the pew, and the public square. In addition, God often provides unique opportunities to more actively promote His glorious agenda in the world. Along these lines, we currently have members involved in the following efforts: - [Sports Fan Outreach International](https://www.sfoi.org) - [Exclusive Psalmody Churches](https://exclusivepsalmodychurches.wordpress.com/) - [The Teenage Life Club](https://www.liveaction.org/news/the-teenage-life-club-strikes-again-with-advice-for-teens) - [RP Missions: Christian Mission Trips](https://www.rpglobalmissions.org/shortterm)https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/choosing-a-church/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/choosing-a-church/A summary of Rev. Stephen Pribble’s article on finding a good, Bible-believing church home.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTThis article was originally published on our congregation's earlier website. It is summarized here, with the author's permission, and the [complete original remains available](https://web.archive.org/web/20260413211005/https://reformed.com/congregation/pribble/) for anyone who wants to read it in full. Pribble offers guidance for finding a church home. He argues, from Matthew 10:32 and Hebrews 13:17, that membership in a local church is necessary rather than optional, and he encourages readers to look for a Bible-believing, confessionally Reformed or Presbyterian congregation (or, where none is available, a Reformed Baptist or independent church) rather than choosing a church based on worship style or personal preference. He is critical of a consumer approach to church shopping that asks what "works for me" rather than what pleases God, and he suggests a set of doctrinal questions worth asking a prospective pastor — covering the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, the reality of final judgment, the six-day creation account, the ongoing obligation of the moral law and the Christian Sabbath, worship regulated by Scripture alone, and the practice of church discipline. He recommends attending a candidate church for several weeks, and bathing the decision in prayer, before committing. Rev. Stephen Pribble is the pastor of [Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church](https://www.all-of-grace.org/) in Lansing, Michigan. This article is © 1996 Stephen Pribble. A companion piece, ["Is Church Membership Optional?"](/who-we-are/our-congregation/is-church-membership-optional/), is also summarized on this site.https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/covenant-of-baptism/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/covenant-of-baptism/The full text of the RPCNA Covenant of Baptism, the vows affirmed by parents and the congregation at the baptism of a covenant child.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTThe RPCNA Covenant of Baptism is as follows: 1. Do you believe this child is a possession of God entrusted to your care? 2. In this light, do you promise to provide for his/her temporal well-being, to teach him/her to love God and His Word, the Bible, and to provide him/her with a God-centered education? 3. Do you promise to teach him/her of his/her sinful nature, of the plan of salvation which centers in Jesus Christ, and his/her own personal need of a relationship with Christ? 4. To the end that he/she may grow in the Christian life, do you promise to pray for him/her, and to train him/her to read the Bible, to pray, to keep the Lord's Day and to understand the nature of the Church, the value of its worship and fellowship, and his/her need to seek communicant membership in the church? 5. Do you promise to lead him/her by your example and parental discipline exercised in love, to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness in all the relationships of life? 6. Do you make these promises in the presence of God, in humble reliance upon His grace, as you desire to give your account with joy at the Last Great Day? Immediately prior to the baptism of an adult or a covenant child, he or she is officially received into our local fellowship by the members of our congregation, who affirm the following vow: Do you, the members of this congregation, receive this child into your fellowship and promise to pray for him/her, and to help and encourage the parents as they seek to bring him/her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/covenant-of-communicant-membership/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/covenant-of-communicant-membership/The full text of the RPCNA Covenant of Communicant Membership, the vows affirmed by communicant members of Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTThe RPCNA Covenant of Communicant Membership is as follows: 1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule for faith and life? 2. Do you believe in the one living and true God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as revealed in the Scriptures? 3. Do you repent of your sin; confess your guilt and helplessness as a sinner against God; profess Jesus Christ, Son of God, as your Saviour and Lord; and dedicate yourself to His service: Do you promise that you will endeavor to forsake all sin, and to conform your life to His teaching and example? 4. Do you promise to submit in the Lord to the teaching and government of this church as being based upon the Scriptures and described in substance in the Constitution of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America? Do you recognize your responsibility to work with others in the church and do you promise to support and encourage them in their service to the Lord? In case you should need correction in doctrine or life, do you promise to respect the authority and discipline of the church? 5. To the end that you may grow in the Christian life, do you promise that you will diligently read the Bible, engage in private prayer, keep the Lord's Day, regularly attend the worship services, observe the appointed sacraments, and give to the Lord's work as He shall prosper you? 6. Do you purpose to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness in all the relationships of life, faithfully to perform your whole duty as a true servant of Jesus Christ, and seek to win others to Him? 7. Do you make this profession of faith and purpose in the presence of God, in humble reliance upon His grace, as you desire to give your account with joy at the Last Great Day? Listen to our pastor's [8-part sermon series](https://www.sermonaudio.com/series/48477) explaining these vows.https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/is-church-membership-optional/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/is-church-membership-optional/A summary of Rev. Stephen Pribble’s article on the biblical basis for church membership.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTThis article was originally published on our congregation's earlier website. It is summarized here, with the author's permission, and the [complete original remains available](https://web.archive.org/web/20260413211005/https://reformed.com/congregation/pribble/) for anyone who wants to read it in full. Pribble argues from Hebrews 13:17 ("Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves") that formal church membership is a biblical command, not merely a modern institutional convenience. He challenges the idea of the "unattached believer" who considers himself part of Christ's universal church while avoiding accountability to any local congregation, explaining that the "rule" in view is the pastoral authority of a congregation's elders, who shepherd the flock in Christ's stead (1 Pet. 5:1-2). Surveying Psalms 84, 48, and 26, he describes the gathered church as "the city of the great King" and the place where believers most fully enjoy fellowship with God and with one another. Turning to Matthew 18:15-20, he explains the church's "power of the keys" — the authority of a lawfully constituted church court to bind and loose — and argues that this discipline, and the accountability it requires, is only possible for those who have formally joined a congregation. He also ties membership to the Great Commission, arguing that baptizing and teaching disciples is properly the task of the organized church rather than of parachurch ministries. He closes with practical counsel: place yourself under a true church marked by faithful preaching, right administration of the sacraments, and the practice of church discipline; transfer your membership promptly when you move; and consider whether the ministries you support encourage the planting of local churches. Rev. Stephen Pribble is the pastor of [Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church](https://www.all-of-grace.org/) in Lansing, Michigan. This article is © 1996 Stephen Pribble. A companion piece, ["Choosing a Church"](/who-we-are/our-congregation/choosing-a-church/), is also summarized on this site.https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/what-about-infant-baptism/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-congregation/what-about-infant-baptism/Sermons and lectures on the Scriptural basis for infant baptism and the status of covenant children, from Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBelow is a four-part lecture series outlining the Scriptural basis for infant baptism, originally hosted on our congregation's earlier website. The first lecture offers a survey of Scriptural teaching on the place of believers' children in redemptive history, from Genesis to Revelation. The remaining lectures explore three simple arguments for infant baptism, based on a Scriptural understanding of the Covenant of Grace, the Church, and circumcision. 1. [Lecture 1: Believers' Children in Redemptive History](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/1112141348292) 2. [Lecture 2: The Covenant of Grace](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/127142124598) 3. [Lecture 3: The Church](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/14151757171) 4. [Lecture 4: Circumcision](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/31152241499) Three sermons on the nature of New Covenant church membership: - [Sermon 1](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/126211417534285) - [Sermon 2](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/12202118836779) - [Sermon 3](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/25171350278) A sermon on Paul's covenantal exhortation to the children of believers in Ephesus: [listen here](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/71221138134654). Two sermons on Peter's assertion that "baptism now saves us": - [Sermon 1](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/2622171051829) - [Sermon 2](https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/2282208536647)https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-denomination/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-denomination/About the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA), the denomination of Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTThe 183rd Synod of the RPCNA in Marion, Indiana (June 2014) Since our inception in 1834, we have been happily affiliated with the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA). WHAT IS "REFORMED"? — We are "Reformed" in that we adhere to distinctly Biblical principles of [doctrine](/what-we-believe/scriptural-doctrine/) and [worship](/what-we-believe/scriptural-worship/). These principles were most clearly set forth during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century and its further development in the 17th century. Our spiritual forefathers include John Calvin, John Knox, the English Puritans, and the Scottish Covenanters. As Reformed Christians, we embrace the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired and inerrant Word of God, the only supreme and infallible rule of faith and life. Our understanding of Scripture is summarized in the several confessions and catechisms that we have adopted as "agreeable unto and founded upon" the Scriptures. These include: [The Westminster Confession of Faith](https://reformedstandards.com/westminster/wcf); the [Larger](https://reformedstandards.com/westminster/wlc) and [Shorter Catechisms](https://reformedstandards.com/westminster/wsc); and the [Testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America](https://crownandcovenant.com/products/current-rpcna-constitution-pdf-download). WHAT IS "PRESBYTERIAN"? — We are "Presbyterian" as regards our form of church government. In accordance with Scripture, each local congregation elects its own ruling and teaching elders to oversee them in the Lord. These local elders then participate in higher courts of appeal known as presbyteries, which are responsible for training and ordaining teaching elders (i.e. pastors). Each year, our presbyteries unite together to form a synod, which is our broadest and highest court of appeal. WHAT IS A "COVENANTER"? — As Reformed Presbyterians, we have historically been known as "Covenanters." This is because of our conviction that Scripture calls individuals, churches, and nations to express their faith, obedience, and loyalty to the Triune God, through Jesus Christ, by way of covenant (Ps. 2:10-12; Jer. 50:5; Rom. 10:9-10). Historically, the Scriptural practice of covenanting was most clearly exemplified by Scottish believers during the 16th and 17th centuries. Moved by the Spirit of God, they courageously bore witness to Christ's sole kingship over His Church and His universal authority over every human institution, including the state. Known to historians as the "Scottish Covenanters," they chiefly rallied around the [Scottish National Covenant](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/National_Covenant) (1638) and the [Solemn League and Covenant](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Solemn_League_and_Covenant) (1643). Far from a mere academic exercise, many of them signed these covenants in their own blood and later, during the notorious "killing times" (1680-1688), sealed their testimony with the same. Almost two centuries later, the RPCNA ratified its own North American covenant, [The Covenant of 1871](https://rpglobalalliance.org/2024/01/26/the-covenant-of-1871/). As Reformed Presbyterians, we happily join with our spiritual ancestors in raising the blue banner "For Christ's Crown and Covenant" in at least two ways: (1) By seeking to advance and apply these glorious "reformation principles" in our own day, and (2) By occasionally renewing our [Covenant of Communicant Membership](/who-we-are/our-congregation/covenant-of-communicant-membership/). Here are two sermons on the nature of covenanting: WHAT ABOUT NORTH AMERICA? — The RPCNA presently has 96 congregations in three countries (U.S., Canada, and Japan), organized into seven Presbyteries, with a total membership of around 7,000. New opportunities for global ministry may also be on the horizon in India, Pakistan, Latin America, and elsewhere. Sister RP denominations exist in [Ireland](https://www.rpc.org/), [Scotland](https://www.rpcscotland.org), [Australia](https://rpca.org.au), and [South Sudan](https://rpglobalalliance.org/missions/global-missions/south-sudan/). Domestically, we hold membership in the [North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council](https://www.naparc.org). The first organized RP congregation in North America was established in Middle Octorara in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1738. The Reformed Presbytery was later constituted in 1774 by ministers sent for that very purpose: John Cuthbertson, who came from Scotland in 1752, along with Matthew Linn and Alexander Dobbin, who came from Ireland in 1774. After its dissolution in 1782, the Reformed Presbytery of the United States of North America was constituted in 1798, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The RP Synod was then constituted in 1809 and the RP Seminary in 1810. The RPCNA currently oversees the following institutions: - Three seminaries: [Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary](https://rpts.edu), in Pittsburgh, PA (founded in 1810), Ottawa Theological Hall (founded in 1980) and Kobe Theological Hall in Japan (founded in 1996). - [Geneva College](https://www.geneva.edu), a liberal arts college in Beaver Falls, PA (founded in 1848). - [Crown & Covenant Publications](https://crownandcovenant.com/), the publishing arm of the RPCNA's Education and Publications Board.https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-history/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-history/Congregational history of Southfield RPC from its 1834 founding—thirteen years before Michigan statehood—to today.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTIn 1834, three years before Michigan gained its statehood, the Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church was organized as a congregation of the Western Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. The first members were Scots-Irish settlers who had migrated from New York State with a firm conviction of the gospel of God and of the Mediatorial Kingship of Jesus Christ. These settlers cleared the dense Michigan forest and eked out a living off the land and helped to establish what would one day become the City of Southfield just northwest of Detroit. In the early days, members were organized into "societies" or local Bible studies to promote the study of God's word and to maintain fellowship and community through the week, and the body gathered for public worship when itinerant preachers were available. David Stewart and Alexander McClung were elected as the first ruling elders. Pastor James Neill became the first pastor in 1842 and served in that capacity until 1851. The Lord has raised up a total of seventeen men to serve as pastor of the congregation, and they are listed with their years of service below. In 1838, a building in which to worship was constructed at the current site. In 1852, David Stewart, the "founding father" of the congregation died and was the first person buried in the cemetery. In 1861, with the need for a larger and more permanent worship facility, Joseph Torrens constructed the current church building but died shortly afterward, without ever being able to worship in the building. A basement was dug and the building was moved back from Evergreen Road onto the basement in the 1950s, and the congregation continues to worship in this historic structure today. Additionally, in the 1940s, a parsonage was built north of the cemetery. Here are some pictures of our church building over the years. Church membership declined through much of the twentieth century, and some in the community, and perhaps even in the church itself, seemed to view the Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church as a quaint and historic relic of religion that had become outdated with its simple gospel message of God's sovereign grace and simple worship with a cappella Psalm singing. Written records indicate the expectation that the church would fade into the history books along with rural Southfield as the city blossomed into a commercial force in the mid-twentieth century. Today, Southfield is a robust city and the Lord has sustained His church which continues to worship on Evergreen Road just off of Interstate 696, one of Michigan's busiest highways. King Jesus continues to reign and His church has not become outdated – it is more needed than ever before. God was pleased to grant growth to this historic congregation during the late 1990s and early 2000s, especially under the leadership of Pastors Ray Joseph and Ian Wise. At present, we remain a small but energetic congregation blessed with a new generation of young men and women poised to continue in the "old paths" of their godly forefathers. We are excited to see what new chapters the Lord will add as His gospel is proclaimed from this place. Our congregation was the first church of any kind in Southfield, and we pray that He would enable us to continue proclaiming His gospel in Southfield and beyond until He finishes His work on earth. So, come, worship with us, and join us in this great calling! Since our organization in 1834, the following men have served as our pastors. 1. James Neill: 1842 to 1851. 2. J. S. T. Milligan: November 11, 1853 to April 11, 1871. 3. James R. Hill: May 10, 1872 to May 22, 1876. 4. Joseph McCracken: June 15, 1878 to May 29, 1903. 5. Harvey Galbraith Patterson: October 11, 1904 to May 27, 1910. 6. W. M. Robb: December 5, 1911 to June 2, 1915. 7. Robert E. Willson: November 22, 1917 to January 20, 1919. 8. John Calvin Boyd French: January 15, 1920 to December 7, 1921. 9. J. C. Mathews: November 4, 1923 to October 1, 1947. 10. Harold Thompson: August 3, 1948 to July 30, 1961. 11. Armour McFarland: May 18, 1962 to June 1964. 12. Donald Weilersbacher: June 1, 1965, to November 18, 1968. 13. John O. Edgar: October 24, 1969 to February 28, 1979. 14. Charles Sterrett: January 31, 1980 to December 31, 1985. 15. Raymond P. Joseph: February 6, 1987 to January 11, 2002. 16. Ian D. Wise: January 11, 2002 to April 10, 2005. 17. James I. Faris: November 17, 2006 to June 11, 2011. 18. Adam M. Kuehner: March 30, 2012 to present. In addition to what we've summarized above, two fascinating histories of the congregation exist. Mary Thompson, granddaughter of founding elder David Stewart, wrote a history in 1915 as part of a campaign to raise support for the care of the church cemetery. A second history was written in 1973 by then-Pastor John O. Edgar as part of the congregation's 140th anniversary celebration. These histories are available here: - [The Covenanter Church of Southfield and Its Early History](/who-we-are/our-history/thompson/) related by Miss Mary E. Thompson - [Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church from 1834-1973](/who-we-are/our-history/edgar/) by Dr. John O. Edgar. On Thursday, April 14, 2011, historian Rochelle E. Danquah gave a presentation at the Southfield Public Library that related to our congregation. She presented to the public, for the first time, research documenting that the Underground Railroad had been active in Southfield. Her research also outlined the involvement of Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church in that historic effort primarily through the work of the church's second pastor, J.S.T. Milligan. You can see some of Rochelle's work [by clicking here](https://southfieldundergroundrailroad.wordpress.com/).https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-history/edgar/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-history/edgar/A summary of Rev. John O. Edgar’s 1973 congregational history, prepared for Southfield RPC’s 140th anniversary.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTThis congregational history was prepared by Rev. John O. Edgar, who served as Southfield RPC's pastor from 1969 to 1979, at the request of a congregational meeting held in January 1972, as part of the church's 140th-anniversary observance. It draws on the session's minute books, newspaper clippings, and Mary E. Thompson's 1915 account. It is summarized here, and the [complete original remains available](https://web.archive.org/web/20191211121144/http://reformed.com/history/edgar/) for anyone who wants to read it in full. Edgar traces the congregation from its 1834 organization, when a roll of founding members was drawn up and Alexander McClung and David Stewart were elected as the first elders, through nine pastorates spanning 140 years. He describes the session's active role in the community — mediating members' civil disputes, disciplining absenteeism, and even settling a dispute over whether it was proper to take an offering on the Sabbath — and recounts the building of the present sanctuary in 1861 by contractor Joseph Torrens, whose bid of $1,989 left him little profit for his labor. Several episodes from the church record stand out: a Civil War-era resolution declining to hire substitute soldiers because the required oath omitted any acknowledgment of God; a season in 1864 when the pastor, Rev. J. S. T. Milligan, took leave to organize a mission to formerly enslaved people in Washington, D.C., a ministry the congregation supported with special offerings for years afterward; and two Session resolutions, in 1863 and again in 1867, asking members not to spit tobacco on the floor of the new church. Edgar profiles each of the congregation's pastors in turn — Neill, Milligan, Hill, McCracken, Patterson, Robb, Willson, French, Mathews, Thompson, and McFarland — noting their education, their financial hardships (one year the treasurer's balance after expenses came to thirty-seven cents), and their lives after leaving Southfield, several of whom went on to overseas mission work. He closes by reflecting on the congregation's long, sometimes lean twentieth century and its continuity of witness across seventeen pastors and fourteen decades.https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-history/thompson/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-history/thompson/Mary E. Thompson’s 1915 account of the founding and early history of Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church, published in the Birmingham Eccentric.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTRelated by Miss Mary E. Thompson. Copied from the Birmingham Eccentric of Birmingham, Michigan, published February 1915. (This 1915 newspaper article is in the public domain.) ### The Covenanter Church of Southfield, Michigan About equidistant from the two avenues, Woodward and Grand River, running northwest from Detroit, almost at the intersection of the Eleven Mile and Evergreen roads, standing beyond the brow of a hill with level farms stretching away beyond, is a large, unadorned, white church with green shutters and two giant spruce tree spires. To the north of the church is the little old fashioned graveyard. God's half acre. To many this historic church and grounds brings to mind pioneer life, childhood, parents and friends gone before, tender ties of affection, hopes and aspirations of the past, formation of moral habits, salvation, etc. No one who has ever lingered about the spot in the days of his youth will ever quite forget it. It is the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Southfield, or Covenanter church as it is commonly called, because it embraces in its teaching the principles of the second reformation or covenant of Scotland. It is derived from and is a true representative of the Church of Scotland in her purest days. The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Southfield township is one of two original churches in America, and first of its kind in the State. The Covenanter church has been called the strictest and one of the most historic in America. It is not the present purpose to state its distinctive principles, of which it has many, suffice it to say that the form of worship is kept as simple and direct as possible, and the supremacy of God and Christ, the King, is acknowledged supreme both in heaven and earth. The church has had a powerful influence in the development of Southfield and the adjoining towns. It has been sort of a parent church, and many are the people, now widely scattered, who "said their psalms" and "answered their questions" in the old Covenanter Sabbath school. Those of us who did are proud of the fact and often feel like saying: The fond, vivid, recollections of the good old people gone before must ever be the most precious and lasting pictures on memory's Wall. ### History of the Church Before Michigan was a state, before the time of regular roads, before the virgin forest had felt the bite of the woodman's axe, before the name of Birmingham was heard and the place itself little more than two or three road houses on the crest of the hill went by the name of Hamilton's or Willer's, before all these, in the fall of 1831, David Stewart, a man past sixty-five years of age and a Covenanter, came to Michigan from White Lake, Orange County, N.Y. and settled on land now opposite Caleb Jackson's in Southfield, a few miles southwest of Birmingham. Soon after his arrival, he found that one of his neighbors, Wm. Connery, living on and clearing the land of James Beattie, later known as the Neil farm, was of Covenanter origin, David Stewart also took up a farm opposite to and surrounding the present Covenanter church for his son-in-law, John Parks, who came from New York City with his family and that of David Stewart in May 1832. Through the influence of David Stewart other Covenanters and relatives from Orange county, N.Y. and the East settled round about, notably the McClellands, Browns, McKinneys, Lowes, McClungs, Harmons, also some "New Lights" as the Erwins, etc. As the new settlers came in they were made welcome not only in the houses of David Stewart and John Parks, but in the next oldest settlers' houses as well. The government land was $1.25 per acre for your pick, some people choosing "the openings," where no heavy timber had to be cleared off, in preference to the heavily timbered land farther north. The swamps around Detroit were passed over as being undesirable and left to French settlement mostly. Detroit itself was only a little larger than Birmingham at the present time. In 1834 there were a sufficient number of Covenanters in Southfield to organize a church. Previous to this, the people had been gathered together in prayer of "Society" by David Stewart. In fact for nine years after this the "Society" was the binding influence, as no minister was ordained until 1843. On a yellow slip of paper in one of David Stewart's books, published in 1790, and in his own hand is written this "Society" topic, James 4:14. For what is your life? How ought we to improve life so as to be ready for death? As the writer sat the other day in the very room in David Stewart's house in which this topic was discussed some eighty years ago, it was easy to imagine the whole scene. The rugged pioneers in the early style of dress, the earnest reading of Scripture by Mary B. Stewart, or "Aunt Mary" chosen because as her father said, "You have a brave, coarse voice," the singing of a psalm led by Matthew Ervin, a senior of all, the fervent prayer, and then the pleasant exchange of goodbyes for another week. ### A Sermon of 1836 Some Covenanters lived at "The Flint," Wm. Marshall, Woodburns, and others, and some in West Bloomfield, Samuel Blackwood, etc. During the summer months when a supply minister rode the circuit from Ohio to "The Flint," and landed at David Stewart's Saturday, David Stewart would shoulder his gun and follow the trail to John Parks' to tell them that the minister had come and there would be preaching in his barn on Sabbath. Then back he would go to tell his neighbors, all of them, for church was a social center indeed. John Parks would in turn walk down to the openings to invite the people there. The people came from far and near behind their ox teams and over stumpy trails to hear a real sermon and greet their friends. At other times the meetings would be held in the Mason James barn (the W. L. Rundell farm at the present time), the Anthony McClung barn or in a vacant log house of John Parks just north of the present church. Through the eyes of one who was present we see again the old barn meetings, see the ladies decked in city finery seated on rough slab benches set on the barn floor, see the boys and men dressed in homespun reclining on the hay mow; see the minister, John Wallace, behind Aunt Mary's candle stand, upon which this is written, and hear him deliver a rousing Covenanter sermon on July 11, 1836 from Psalm 119:106 (noted in a David Stewart book). We see John McClelland slowly rise in front to "line the psalm," hear the many voices fill the barn loft, feel the solemn hush fall over all as the benediction is pronounced. When the last words are said we watch the unselfish, saintly crowd file out and homeward go strengthened to face the hard toil of another week. But we must leave them, no matter how much we may love to linger over the memories of the old folks of early Michigan days. ### Covenanter Ministers Some time after 1834, John Parks gave one acre of land for a church site. A small church was erected amid the stumps and woody background but it is hardly likely that the donor ever entered it as his death occurred in January 1838. For nine years after a church was organized in 1834, the congregation was without a pastor. In 1843, Rev. Jas. Neil was installed and preached in the little church until 1851. The next minister was Rev. J. S. T. Milligan whose ministering added so greatly to the membership that a new church was built on the old site about 1862. The little old church was moved to the Neil east eighty where it stood many a day. Rev. Mr. Milligan, in 1871, went to Dennison, Kansas and started a church, many from Southfield going with him. He was succeeded by Rev. Jas. R. Hill who remained four years. Following this, Rev. Joseph McCracken was pastor from 1878 to 1903. Rev. H. G. Patterson succeeded and remained some five years. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Robb, who resides in Birmingham. ### The Covenanter Churchyard When John Parks, donor of the church site, died suddenly January 24, 1838, aged 36 years 24 days, he was buried in the cemetery at the Presbyterian church of Southfield, as there was none at the Reformed Presbyterian church at that time. His family years later had too much respect for the husband and father to attempt removal consequently by his side are laid his wife, Margaret Stewart Parks, 1800- August 20, 1880, and his daughters, Mary Ruth Parks, 1935- September 11, 1872, and Sarah Jane Parks, aged 34 years, 11 months. A short time after his death, his wife added another half acre just north of the church site for a cemetery. Twenty-one years later, Sarah Jane Parks, the youngest daughter, gave the whole amount out of her portion of her father's estate. After her death, the property not being deeded, went to Margaret Parks, the mother, whose death in 1880 left the oldest daughter, Margaret Ann Parks Thompson, to give the acre and a half site out of her share. Some dozen or more years ago the Reformed Presbyterian church asked for a deed and it was gladly given. ### The Past The first cemetery plat was inclined to be wet, as the surrounding ground was level and the soil mostly clay. Many Covenanter families had started lots in the older cemeteries where the soil was sandy. David Stewart, father of the Covenanter church of Michigan, loved his church too well to wish to be buried in any other place than beside it, consequently when he died February 24, 1852 his body was sorrowfully laid away in the rough stumpy ground. A little later a large, strong iron fence was placed around his lot which still stands as good as ever. Years ago the church tiled the cemetery – Wm. Young also laid a private drain – so that now the ground is as dry as that of any other and the top soil much adapted to the growth of plants. The church people of olden times took pride in caring for the cemetery for they were interested in the people buried there and had known them every one. Many a Sabbath morning has the writer, when a child, walked hand in hand with the best of mothers through the old churchyard with its bright flowers flaunting their perfume and bloom to the breeze, with its quaint tombstones and grassy mounds; many a time peeped through the old fashioned lot fences and listened to the life stories, the heroisms of those sleeping below. The flowers, the stories, the friendly morning greetings of others, these all made the place seem God's Album in which each sleeper had written his best thoughts and laid down to pleasant dreams. ### The Present But times have changed. The old people are gone. Many of the present church members have no interest in the little cemetery. The very few who have can't be expected to care for all the churchyard. Some of the thoughtful ones have wanted something done for the cemetery in the way of improvements, better care and permanency, for years back. It is a historic spot the most fitting burial place for those buried there. The churchyard cemetery is an old, old idea found in all old cemeteries and early settled parts of the United States. Removal of the dead buried years ago in the old way is a farce. The better and more Christian-like way is to help make the little old cemeteries permanent, better cared for and beautiful. The famous men and women of history are nearly all buried in them. The First Lady of the Land of our own country was recently laid away in a little town cemetery in Georgia beside her mother and within sight of her childhood home. Last October a few interested persons presented the matter to the church organization, and as a result the presiding officer appointed a committee of two, Edward McKinney and Mary E. Thompson, to discover some plan of bettering conditions. After due consideration of circumstances and conditions existing and investigations of the laws, the committee reported to an official meeting of the Reformed Presbyterian church that township ownership seemed to be the best solution. It was voted to retain the acting committee and power given to the chairman to appoint three more. These three are Milligan Henning, James Cannon, Jr. and Renwick McKinney. The committee was empowered to deal with the township board in the way of finding out the requirements and putting the cemetery into such shape as to meet these requirements, also given power to raise a trust fund for the care and up-keep of the cemetery if the cemetery would be accepted by the town under no other condition. Three members of the committee went before the township board meet[ing] of Southfield and presented the matter of having the cemetery taken over by the town. The clerk of the board stated the following [_______] and requirements; A few families worked faithfully last fall to grade the ground, drawing in much dirt to fill in the ugly ditch that has yawned for years between the cemetery and the church. The markers have nearly all been reset an[d] all the old tough, sour, weedy sod, with all its roots and sprouts, have been removed. In the spring a little working up of the soil and seeding have to be done. The level landscape effect will allow of lawn mowing, and artistic shrubs will be set. Then a good fence will be put up so that the town will be at no expense for many years to come. The last requirement is the one that the committee is working on now. At a committee meeting recently it was decided to raise the fund by subscription, each member being assigned certain lots upon which they wish to raise as much as possible, the whole lump sum going for the care of the entire cemetery which consists of one-half acre. If a sufficient sum can be raised we have a right to expect as good care of the lots as would be taken in the other township cemeteries, providing an extra fee were given each year and as good as would be given in any corporation cemetery. A township owned, endowed cemetery seems to me to embody all the safety of a town and the care of a corporation cemetery. Some lots have no one to provide for them. Our fathers and mothers and others did their very best to us and for the township and state. Will we do less for them? When our loved ones are gone we can do no more for them except care for their resting places. Perhaps the angels in heaven and the spirits of the dead know when we smooth the mother earth over the graves or perchance drop a tear or flower in remembrance and are rejoiced. At least the fact remains that such acts influence the living and make the presence of those gone before seem nearer. Someone has said that a stranger can judge the moral standards of a community by looking at the cemeteries. If anyone is interested in or has been interested in the Covenanter church or cemetery and wishes to contribute, the members of this committee will be only too glad to accept what you have left after paying your taxes and feeding the Belgians; in fact will give you some little time in which to accumulate more. The trust fund will be left so that later bequests may be added thereto. The interest only will be used. The rate will be four per cent most likely. It takes $1.00 to care for a lot alone. Besides a fence is needed. The ground has been platted and each lot will have numbered corner posts of cement sunk to grass level. This plat will be kept in the office of the township clerk together with the names of the lot holders. If anyone wishes to secure a lot or put up a memorial for a Covenanter father or mother in what is to be the finest little cemetery in the town, kindly make your wishes known to some member of the committee. The following is the Michigan law providing for the care of the trust fund; PUBLIC ACT OF MICHIGAN – SESSION OF 1909 (No. 95). Approved May 18, 1909. Did not copy. STEWART, DAVID, died February 24, 1852, age 84, Ann, wife of David Stewart , died November 24, 1865 aged 106 years, 4 months. John Porter, son of David Stewart, died December 19, 1880, aged 82 years. Mary B., daughter of David Stewart, died June 11, 1887, aged 90 years. Mary, daughter of Andrew and Betsy Taylor and grand-daughter of David Stewart, died September 28, 1853, aged 20 years. Margaret, daughter of Andrew and Betsy Taylor and granddaughter of David Stewart, died October 5, 1863 aged 17. HEMPHILL, THOMAS. Nancy, daughter of Thomas and Mary Hemphill, born November 18, 1845, died March 23, 1854. Aged 13 years. McCURDY, ANDREW. Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth McCurdy, died May 12, 1859, aged 13 years. GREER, SAMUEL, Agnes J., wife of Samuel Greer, died August 13, 1860, aged 20 years, 5 months, 5 days. GREER, Wm. J. Elizabeth, wife of Wm. J. Greer, died July 12, 1873, aged 50 years. MARSHALL, ALEXANDER, died October 8, 1860, aged 45 years. Mrs. Alexander Marshall, buried just north of husband. CAMERON, SAMUEL, Agnes, wife of Samuel Cameron, died March 20 1861, aged 43 years. BELL, SAM'L, Born November 13, 1819, died February 24, 1904. Mary, wife of Samuel Bell and daughter of Wm. And Isabella Marshall, died September 7, 1861, aged 25 years. TORRENS, JOSEPH, died February 20, 1864, aged 36 years. Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Torrens, died June 6, 1878, aged 36 years. Annie, daughter of James McKinney, died May 6, 1869, aged 16 years. EDGAR, JOSEPH. Joseph, son of Joseph and Agnes Edgar, died September 20, 1865, aged 6 years. McDONALD, Wm. William Wallace, son of Wm. McDonald, born March 26, 1854, died March 23, 1866. MORROW, JAMES. Jr. Achibald, son of James Morrow, was born December 12, 1867, died March 11, 1868. On the same lot are buried Robert John, son of Robert, son of Robert Douglas, born January 31, 1875, died March 15, 1879; Another son, Samuel, A. was born March 16, 1880, died July 27, 1880. NEIL, ALEXANDER. Young child. YOUNG, HUGH. "Our Willie." No date now. McLAUGHLIN, ROBERT. Born July 10, 1801, died February 28, 1881. Ruth, wife of Robert McLaughlin, born June 20, 1809, died July 2, 1885. James McLaughlin, son of Robert McLaughlin, died July 18, 1869, aged 41 years. Jane, wife of James McLaughlin, died November 16, 1866, aged 41 years. James Jr., son of James McLaughlin, died Sept. 18, 1872, aged 18 years. STEWART, JOHN LUTHER, son of John Stewart, born February 22, 1848, and died September 30, 1868. Ella, born Aug. 6, 1857, died Aug. 20, 1884. Lot east of the McCurdy's. MARSHALL, Wm. died in Southfield January 17 1872, aged 70 years. Isabella, wife of Wm. Marshall, born 1802, died about 1881. Buried to north of her husband. HANNA, DAVID. Agnes M., daughter, died February 22, 1881, aged 1 year. James A. died August 17, 1872, aged 5 months. Also infant sister. Robbie and Freddie, twins, died March 14, 1882, aged 3 months, December 14, 1881, aged 15 days. CONNERY, WILLIAM. Margaret, wife of Wm. Connery, died March 6, 1872. DERMOND, GEO. C. born in Vermont, June 27, 1810, died June 29, 1873. McKINNEY, JAS., born August 1, 1806, died April 13, 1891. Martha, wife of Jas. McKinney, born May 18, 1808, died February 4, 1879. HENNING, Wm., born January 24, 1828, died February 24, 1904. Eliza, wife of Wm. Henning, born August 16, 1817, died August 2, 1883. Anna M. wife of John Wallace and daughter of Wm. and Eliza Henning, born August 11, 1851, died August 1, 1882. THOMPSON, Wm. JAMES, born April 24, 1823, died February 24, 1886. Margaret Ann, wife of Wm. James Thompson and daughter of John and Margaret Parks, born, July 4, 1828, died March 13, 1914. McCOY, FRED, born July 22, 1889, died October 30, 1889. YOUNG, Wm. S., was born April 14, 1837, died September 1898. Ann J., wife of Wm. J. Young and daughter of Dr. Jas. Rodgers, born April 26, 1840, died April 4, 1891. McDONALD, CLARENCE, Day old son. McKINNEY, JAS. A., born May 17 1837, died April 20, 1893. James Roy, eldest child of S. Edward McKinney, born April 24, 1901, died June 18, 1902. CANNON, A.M. Alexander Woodburn Cannon, son of A.M. Cannon, born July 24, 1874, died June 23, 1895. GROW, Mary Ellen, born May 1, 1866, died August 3, 1899. ### Interments The following is a chronological record of the lots and a complete list of interments, including a few sketches of the early pioneers. STEWART, DAVID. Born at Ballylane, Ireland, 1768; died at Southfield, Mich. February 24, 1852. aged 84. In Ireland he married Ann, daughter of John and Margaret Porter. He came to White Lake, Orange County, N. Y. in 1800, settling near the farm of John Porter, who had come to America some years before. For 31 years David Stewart tilled the somewhat barren, stony soil of Orange county and raised his family of seven children, Mary B., John Porter, Margaret (Mrs. John Parks), David, Jr., Betsy (Mrs. Andrew Taylor) and Ruth (Mrs. A. Bell). In the fall of 1831, when the tide of immigration was moving toward the Michigan territory, David Stewart resolved to go to the new country. His friends said, "You are too old a man." Despite his almost sixty-five years, he came and picked out a farm for himself, now opposite Caleb Jackson's in Southfield, together with other holdings. He also chose a farm for his son-in-law, John Parks, farther south. In the spring, Mr. and Mrs. John Parks, their almost four year old daughter Margaret Ann, Mrs. David Stewart, and Miss Mary Robb (Mrs. Cornelius Brooks), niece of David Stewart, came from New York City and Orange County. David Stewart, always a devoted Covenanter and a man of clear insight and business tact, gathered the early settlers together in religious meetings held in log barns and houses. In 1834 the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Southfield was organized with David Stewart as one of the elders. (In the churchyard lies buried five of the persons who were present: David and Ann Stewart, Mary B. Stewart, Mrs. William Connery and Margaret Ann Parks Thompson.) After some hard struggles a small church was erected on the acre of land donated by John Parks. It contained no seats for some length of time. David Stewart, an old man over seventy, had to walk from home to home in the woods with a subscription begging for money to seat the church. In a recent conversation with Mrs. Rachel McClelland, she told the writer what David Stewart said to the head of the family in her hearing when the opportunity to help was not eagerly seized upon. The tall spare man with snow white hair meaningfully and regretfully waved his hand toward the walls of the room in which he was seated and said; "People who live in their fine, comfortable ceiled houses will let the house of the Lord go without seats." Has the species died out? Indifference to public good must have pained the heart of the old man many times. He contributed often beyond his means and endured endless personal sacrifices. It is said that his Irish homespun wedding coat of 1795, with its brass buttons, long swallow tails and high Revolutionary style of collar, was worn for over fifty years as a "church coat" in order that he might provide for others and the public good. His sacrifices were not in vain, for he lived to see the church grow and flourish. He was not only interested in religion, but education as well, and donated a site for a schoolhouse on the southeast corner of his farm. Here stood the low plank schoolhouse for many years. If anyone said a disparaging word concerning Michigan in those early days, David Stewart's reply always was, "Give it time." February 24, 1852, David Stewart fell asleep to dream of his beautiful Michigan to be, and to realize his highest ideals in the heavenly country beyond. Beside the church amidst the stumps and trees they buried him, the first grave there. At his head a big broad slab they set, around his body a heavy iron fence was placed. On the slab deeply chiseled are these significant quotations: Sixty years have flown. The Michigan wilderness has blossomed into a beautiful country – the prophesy of David Stewart come true. Sleep on, oh grand old man of invincible courage, of high ideals, of fertile mind, of kindly heart and gentle! Well have you taught your lesson to the earth children plodding below. Ann, daughter of John and Margaret Porter, was born in 1758 at Ballylane, Ireland, and died November 24, 1865, aged 106 years, 4 months. Her parents died in Orange County, N.Y., John Porter, November 1826, and Margaret Porter, December, 1829. After their deaths she came to Michigan with the family of John Parks in 1832 to join her husband, David Stewart. To Ann Stewart, David Stewart owed much of his success in life. She not only brought up her own large family of seven, but raised her husband's niece and a granddaughter as well. Many a logging frock she supplied to the visiting ministers, stopping over from one week to another, when they could not be restrained from helping to log. After a very long life she died and is buried just south of David Stewart. John Porter Stewart, son of David and Ann Stewart, was born at Ballylane, Ireland, 1799, and came to Orange County, New York, with his parents in 1800. He did not come to Southfield, Mich. from New York City until some years after his father. He was a bachelor and from the time of his arrival always lived at home and worked his father's farm, buying one of his own immediately west on the northeast corner of the Twelve Mile and Evergreen Road. After his father's death in 1852, he worked hard to keep up a home for his aged mother. From her death in 1865 until his death December 10, 1880, with the exception of a few weeks, he lived alone in the old home and endured many privations, being an old man of eighty-two at the time of his death. John P. Stewart, or "Uncle John" as he was known by all, was a man of quiet, intellectual tastes and a natural born collector of books. Some of his books, as well as those of his father's and mother's, go back before the time of the American Revolution. The Stewart Collection, together with the early Baptist library, kept at the home of the late George Jackson just over the way, was a reading center for the town in early days. ### "AUNT MARY" Mary B. Stewart, eldest daughter of David and Ann Stewart, died June 11, 1887, aged 90 years. She was born in Ballylane, Ireland, 1796, and came to America in 1800. She grew up to be her father's right hand man and remained with her parents until the end. In 1833, she came to Southfield, a year later than the rest of the family as she wished to remain to settle up her business as a weaver. During all her long life in Michigan she wove cloth, blankets, carpets, etc. and a master weaver she was. John Bodine, late tailor of Birmingham, said that he never put scissors in finer cloth than what she wove and her niece, Margaret Ann Parks-Thompson spun. "Aunt Mary" as everyone called her, could chop down a tree as well as any man of those times; in fact, could plow and help her father in every way. On long winter evenings she loved to go "paring bees" or visit the homes of her relatives. With her pipe in her mouth she would sit by the firelight's glow and fashion, with the chips from the morning firewood, a little basket for her niece or whittle out from a stick a quaint little flour scoop, perhaps. How the children liked her and watched for her coming. Thirty years ago the writer, when nearing the Covenanter Church on Sabbath morn, always looked for the "skeleton" and old white horse at the end of the shed. It was always there and the owner, Aunt Mary, was ever in her place at the eastern window in the end of the front amen seat next to the pulpit. As a little child I thought she constituted as permanent a part of the church as the pulpit itself. There she sat during all the scripture measure service – a morning sermon, lunch time, Sabbath School, afternoon sermon, 11:00 AM to 2:30 or 3:00 PM – in her dress of black, shawl and hood of same, fine boots and heavy cane, over each eye a little ball of hair, and a face with ninety years of care. But one day the old white horse didn't come through the flats and up over the brow of the hill, turn into the churchyard and stop at the post at the end of the shed. No Aunt Mary looked out of the eastern window through the old iron fence at the resting places of her father, mother, and brother. She had joined them and taken her heavenly seat at the eastern window of heaven where she joyously welcomes her nieces and nephews today. Aunt Mary was nature's noblewoman and belonged to the royal house of Stewart (David). She was one of the bravest, cleverest, best big-hearted woman that ever lived. She gave away more than enough to care for a half dozen little cemeteries. Perhaps some despicable small souls took advantage of her trustfulness and generosity at times, but Aunt Mary will be remembered long after such specimens of mankind and their memories have faded from the earth. The average age of the four Stewarts was ninety years, six months. They all worked hard; were temperate in all things, read by candle light (only two wore glasses), and never went South. Did not copy poem "Old Aunt Mary" by James Whitcomb Riley. (M.E.T.) [Added by James Faris, 2009] OLD AUNT MARY'S Wasn't it pleasant, O brother mine, In those old days of the lost sunshine Of youth–when the Saturday's chores were through, And the "Sunday's wood" in the kitchen, too, And we went visiting, "me and you," Out to Old Aunt Mary's? It all comes back so clear to-day! Though I am as bald as you are gray– Out by the barn-lot, and down the lane, We patter along in the dust again, As light as the tips of the drops of the rain, Out to Old Aunt Mary's! We cross the pasture, and through the wood Where the old gray snag of the poplar stood, Where the hammering "red-heads" hopped awry, And the buzzard "raised" in the "clearing" sky And lolled and circled, as we went by Out to Old Aunt Mary's. And then in the dust of the road again; And the teams we met, and the countrymen; And the long highway, with sunshine spread As thick as butter on country bread, Our cares behind, and our hearts ahead Out to Old Aunt Mary's. Why, I see her now in the open door, Where the little gourds grew up the sides and o'er The clapboard roof!–And her face–ah, me! Wasn't it good for a boy to see– And wasn't it good for a boy to be Out to Old Aunt Mary's? And O my brother, so far away, This is to tell you she waits to-day To welcome us:–Aunt Mary fell Asleep this morning, whispering, "Tell The boys to come!" And all is well Out to Old Aunt Mary's. On the south end of the David Stewart lot are buried his two fine young granddaughters, daughters of Andrew and Betsy Taylor. Mary Taylor died September 28, 1863, aged 20 years. Margaret died October 5, 1863, aged 17. HEMPHILL, THOMAS. Nancy, daughter of Thomas and Mary Hemphill, was born November 18, 1845, and died March 23, 1854. A brother John still survives. This little girl's grave was the second in the cemetery. McCURDY, ANDREW. Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth McCurdy, died May 12, 1859, aged 13 years. As far as is known this is the third interment. Her fond parents planted many flowers upon this grave of their daughter, flowers from about their home in Southfieldburg where they kept their store. Some time later Mr. McCurdy sold out his business and both returned to their old home in Ireland. Each season since these guardian flowers have grown and blossomed and shed their perfume on the summer breeze, reminding the passerby of immortality and finer things. GREER, SAMUEL, Agnes J., wife of Samuel Greer, died August 13, 1860, aged 20 years, 5 months and 5 days. Agnes J. was a daughter of George and Mary Slater of Bloomfield township. She was married in 1857 and left behind one child, the late Mrs. Jennie Williams. Mrs. Greer was a sister of Thomas Slater, a former Southfield Covenanter now residing in Ludington, Michigan. GREER, Wm. J., Elizabeth, second wife of Wm. J. Greer, was born in West Morland County, Penn., in 1823. She was the daughter of James and Mary Johnson, sister of the late John Johnson, of Birmingham, and the late J. M. Johnson, a former Covenanter minister. Mrs. Greer was married January 1861, and died July 12, 1873, aged 50 years. She was a woman of many fine traits and character, a faithful Covenanter and a careful, loving mother to the little step-daughter, now Mrs. Mary J. Shanklin, entrusted to her care. She loved her Bible and her church and expressed a wish that she might lie in death where she loved to go in life. MARSHALL, ALEXANDER, a brother of Wm. Marshall, was born in Scotland about 1826. He traveled much and while in Australia married a French woman. When he came to Southfield and to his brother's in 1859 with his wife he had only one little boy, Robert, who still survives. Within a year Mr. Marshall took sick and died October 8, 1860. After her husband's death, Mrs. Alexander Marshall lived at Royal Oak with her son. Some years after her son's marriage to Mary Ann McKinney, daughter of Alexander McKinney, Mrs. Marshall died and lies buried beside her husband, to the north. CAMERON, SAMUEL, Agnes, wife of Samuel Cameron, died March 20 1861 aged 43 years, 7 months. Mrs. Cameron was a sister of Robert James, William, Alexander, Mary and Margaret McKinney. She was born in Ireland. Her husband and herself were members of the Covenanter church in Philadelphia and after his death she came to Michigan with her three children, Mary, John, and Agnes (now deceased). BELL, SAMUEL, Born in Newry, County Down, Ireland, November 13, 1819. Came to America with his sister and her husband, Wm. Henning, in 1849. Until 1852, Mr. Bell and Mr. Henning worked together as weavers in the carpet mills of Philadelphia. Coming to Michigan he married Mary only child of Wm. And Isabella Marshall. His wife's early death left one infant son, William. In 1870, Mr. Bell married Mary Hanna. Mr. Bell's death occurred February 24, 1904, and he was buried in the shadow of the church he loved so well and served so faithfully. For many years Mr. Bell was elder and Sabbath school superintendent. His pleasant manner and consideration of others won for him admiration and friends. Mary, wife of Samuel Bell, and only child of Wm. And Isabella Marshall, died September 7, 1861, aged 25. An only son, William still survives. Mary Marshall Bell was a fine young woman and many friend still remember her. She was the pride of her parents. TORRENS, JOSEPH, son of Francis and Mary Torrens, was born in the township of Rahn, County Donegal, Ireland, April 4, 1828, and died in Southfield, Michigan, February 20, 1864. His parents were life-long members of the Covenanter church of Gortlee, Ireland. He came to America when he was about sixteen years of age with his older brother David and his sister's family, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Keyes, later of Detroit. As a young man, Joseph Torrens had strong religious and intellectual tendencies and began to prepare himself in the theological school to be a Covenanter minister. Some time later he realized that his health would not allow him to follow an indoor life, consequently, he gave up studying. Next, he served seven years as an apprentice, learning carpentering and contracting in Detroit. He often attended church in Southfield and there met his future wife, Miss Elizabeth McKinney, daughter of Jas. McKinney, in 1861. When the bids for the building of the second Covenanter church building were received in 1861, Joseph Torrens was found to be the lowest. So low that he himself said: "I know that I will not make anything, but I want to leave something for people to look at and think of me sometimes when I am gone." No tithing here, but all. No hope of great reward kept Joseph Torrens at his work, yet how carefully he planned and put together each part as eternity drew near. The heavy work and anxiety hastened his disease. At last it was finished and he rested in his little cabin in the church yard. Soon his health gave way and he was unable to even sit up. James McKinney came, loaded the cabin, and with Mrs. Torrens walking behind driving the cow, Joseph Torrens took his last look at his great gift to his fellows and to his God. For a hero, one need look no farther. When you see the church, think of the builder buried beside it. Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Torrens, and daughter of James and Martha McKinney, died June 6, 1878, aged 36 years, one month, twelve days. She lived twelve years after the death of her husband, at her father's home, and visited his friends in New York City. Her life was beautiful indeed. Annie McKinney, daughter of James and Martha McKinney, died May 6, 1860, aged 16 years, two months. She is buried in the Joseph Torrens lot next to her mother beyond. EDGAR, Joseph. Joseph, son of Joseph and Agnes, died September 20, 1865, aged 6 years, 8 months. McDONALD, Wm. William Wallace McDonald was born March 26, 1854, and died March 23, 1866. He was the son of Wm. McDonald, a former elder of the Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church. MORROW, JAS. Jr. Achibald, son of Jas. Morrow, Sr. was born Dec. 12, 1867, and died March 11, 1868. On this lot are buried the sons of Robert Douglas, a brother-in-law. DOUGLAS, ROBERT. Robert John, son of Robert and Elizabeth Douglas, was born January 31, 1875, died March 15, 1879. Another son, Samuel, A. was born March 16, 1880, died July 27, 1880. NEIL, ALEXANDER. Young child of Alexander Neil, one of the early interments. The father was the brother of the first Reformed Presbyterian minister of Southfield. YOUNG, HUGH. "Our Willie," son of H. and C.J. Young. This is one of the early graves and the tiny stone with little lamb looking meekly forth now bears no date. McLAUGHLIN, ROBERT. Born in County Donegal, Ireland, July 10, 1801 died February 25, 1881. Mr. McLaughlin lived sometime in New York before coming to Michigan. He was a brother-in-law of John Parks and purchased the Mason I. James farm just opposite, now owned by W. L. Rundel. Here he lived until he retired to Birmingham some forty year ago. He died February 25, 1881, and lies buried in the little old churchyard within sight of his old time farm. Ruth, wife of Robert McLaughlin was born in Coleraine, Ireland, June 20, 1803. She came to America with her mother and three brothers, John, Daniel, and Robert Parks. The last years of her life she lived with her daughter, Mrs. John Johnson. She was a Covenanter from away back and brought up her family in the Covenanter church of Southfield. On July 2, 1885, she passed from earth. James McLaughlin, son of Robert died July 18, 1869, aged 41 years, 10 months, 18 days. He was raised on his father's farm in Southfield and was a member of the Reformed Presbyterian church. When quite young he married Jane Rogers and to them were born five children, James, Jr. Robert, Joseph, Susan and Elizabeth. Joseph of Seattle, Wash., and Elizabeth of Detroit still survive. Previous to his death, Mr. McLaughlin was one of Birmingham's leading business men. Jane, wife of James McLaughlin, died November 16, 1866, aged 41 years, 7 months, 4 days. James Jr., son of James and Jane McLaughlin, died September 18, 1872, aged 18 years, 7 months, 25 days. STEWART, JOHN. Luther, son of John Stewart, was born February 22, 1848, and died September 30, 1869. Ella, daughter of John Stewart, was born August 6, 1857, and died August 20, 1884. The lot is just of the McCurdy one. GAILEY, ANDREW. Died March 12, 1871, aged 66 years. Mr. Gailey was a Covenanter and owned a farm nearby. His only child, Dr. John Gailey, is a prominent Detroit physician. Mrs. Andrew Gailey was a sister of Mrs. John Stewart. MARSHALL, Wm. Born in Scotland; died in Southfield January 17 1872, aged 80 years. Mr. Marshall resided in Lapeer, near "The Flint," when he first came to Michigan from Rochester, N.Y. Later he owned the farm now belonging to the Samuel Bell estate. Wm. Marshall was a rugged man and many a day he "masoned" with Hugh Purdy and Alexander McKinney. Many buildings still rest on their foundations build strong as Gibraltar. He was a fine man. Mrs. William Marshall lies buried beside her husband, to the north. Isabella Barclay was born in Scotland in 1802 and died about 1881. One of the most vivid pictures of early childhood for the writer is that of Mrs. Marshall sitting in church with little Wylie Bell by her side. Sitting there with her dress of black and cap of the same, her gentle, aged face and quaint, friendly ways quite won the heart of the childish observer. She was a kind, good woman. HANNA, DAVID. Agnes M. , daughter of David A. Hanna, died February 22, 1881, aged 1 year, 4 months, 11 days. James A., died August 17, 1872, aged 5 months, 22 days. (Also an infant sister) Robbie and Freddie, twins, died March 14, 1882, aged 3 months, 15 days; December 14, 1881, aged 15 days. Overshadowing this lot and protecting it as it were from the north wind's wintry blasts, are two of the original spruce trees planted many years ago by Robert Hanna, senior of all, and father of David Hanna. CONNERY, WILLIAM. Margaret, wife of Wm. Connery, died March 6, 1872, aged 82 years, 4 months, 17 days. Mrs. Connery came to Michigan with her husband and family about 1830, being engaged by John Beattie, a resident of Orange County, New York, to clear up his government land – later the Neil eighties. She must have attended the first meetings of the Covenanters in the summer of 1832, held in the barn of Mason I. James. Mrs. Connery was one of the original members of the Southfield Covenanter church and was with it in its time of need. She was a hard worker, as were all the women of those days. A large family of children were to care for and support. Many a time her children and herself walked behind an ox team load of cranberries, picked in the Royal Oak marsh, clear to Detroit over the old Pontiac trail. This was the only outing and many were the purchases made. After her death the family moved west. DERMOND, GEORGE C. Mr. Dermond was born in Vermont, June 27, 1810. He came eastward to Allegheny and there became acquainted with his future wife, Jane Johnson, sister of the late John Johnson, of Birmingham. On December 2, 1851, she died and was buried in Pennsylvania. She left three children, Maggie, who later died in Pennsylvania, the late Samuel of Detroit and the late James of Southfield. Mr. Dermond was a Covenanter and died at the home of his son, Samuel, in Detroit, June 29, 1873. McKINNEY, JAMES. Born in Coleraine, Ireland, August 1, 1806, died April 13, 1891. Mr. McKinney came to Michigan while it was still a territory and took up a farm in "the openings" in Southfield. He was one of the very early time Covenanters, attended the barn meetings and saw the first minister installed. Many a Sabbath morning was his ox team seen coming from the south with himself trudging along at the side. Mr. McKinney, was a man of sterling worth and filled well his place in life. Martha, wife of James McKinney, born in Coleraine, Ireland, May 18, 1808, and died in Southfield February 4, 1879. She came to Michigan with her husband and little boy Robert. She was the mother of six children: Robert, Elizabeth (Mrs. Joseph Torrens), Sarah (Mrs. Alexander Purdy), Anna, Lucy (Mrs. John Greer), and Alexander. HENNING, WILLIAM. Born in Newry, County Down, Ireland, January 24, 1828. He came to the United States with his wife and brother-in-law, Samuel Bell, in 1849 and worked in the Philadelphia carpet mills until he moved to Michigan in 1852. Mr. Henning was for many years a deacon, and during the erection of the present building, aided largely in the hauling of the material from Detroit. He was a man of distinctive individuality and of sterling worth. On who eagerly watched the welfare of the church and the little cemetery as well, where later he was buried. His death took place February 24, 1904. Eliza, wife of Wm. Henning and daughter of John and Ann Bell, was born in Newry, County Down, Ireland, August 16, 1817. She came to America with her husband in 1849 and to Michigan in 1852. Her family consisted of a daughter Anna and son Milligan. On August 2, 1888, her spirit passed into the great beyond. Mrs. Henning was one of those gentle-spirited, sweet faced women whose personality makes the world a better place in which to live. Anna M. daughter of Wm. and Eliza Henning, was born in Philadelphia, August 11, 1851. She married John Wallace July 1879, and died August 1, 1882, leaving an infant daughter Mary (now Mrs. Malcolm McDonald) to the care of her mother and brother. THOMPSON, WILLIAM JAMES. Born April 24, 1823, at Lisnalea, County Armagh, Ireland. When a young man he came to America with an older sister. Some years later they both visited their former home in Ireland. On New Year morning, 1861, in the little old church, by Rev. J.S.T. Milligan, he was united in marriage to Margaret Ann, eldest daughter of Mrs. Margaret Parks. A reception at the home of the bride's mother, across the road, followed. This wedding is still remembered as quite an event for those days. In 1885 he again visited his old home in Ireland, and died suddenly of apoplexy February 24, 1886, shortly after his return. James Thomson was of Covenanter origin and a member of the Southfield church. When a young man he wrote, in a moment of reflection, on the fly leaf of his copy of Robert Burns: "Wm. Jas. Thompson is a decent man." Such a judgment with all that it implies is the highest tribute one can pay to himself or another. Margaret Ann, eldest daughter of John and Margaret Parks, was born in New York City, July 4, 1828. When almost four years old she came to Michigan in May, 1832, with her parents. When she was a ten, her father's death brought much sadness and added duties. She was ever solicitous for the comfort and care of others. Many times she would work all day and spin until long after midnight, or sit up with a sick neighbor until morning. She was present at the Covenanter church organization in 1834 and watched its progress for over eighty years. To her the little cemetery was indeed precious, for she was present at every funeral from the beginning to end, her beloved grandfather's, David Stewart, being the first and her own the last. She lived the last forty years or more next to the church and within sight of her home in 1832. She knew and loved nature in all its various forms and possessed and unusually alert, retentive mind and artistic temperament. On the evening of Friday, March 13, 1914, her beautiful spirit went home. McCOY, FRED. Born July 22, 1889, died October 30, 1889. This child was a son of a Covenanter family who happened to be in Detroit when death visited their family. YOUNG, Wm. S., was born April 14, 1837, in Ayrshire, Scotland within two miles of London Castle. He came to this country in 1855 and resided in Southfield, Michigan, most of the time. He was an efficient elder, class leader, and head psalmodist for many years previous to his death on September 10, 1898 (1893). Ann J. Rodgers was born in Commerce Township, April 26, 1840, and was the eldest daughter of Dr. James Rodgers. She was married to Wm. S. Young in 1862 and passed away from earth April 4, 1891, aged 51 years. McDONALD, CLARENCE. Day old son of Clarence McDonald, born October 19, 1892. Lot just east of Wm. McDonald's. McKINNEY, JAS. A., was born in Philadelphia, May 17 1837. Came to Redford, Michigan, when but a little boy some three years of age. He was a devoted member of the Reformed Presbyterian congregation until his heavenly Father called him home April 20, 1893, being as we would say in the very prime of life, only fifty-six. Mr. McKinney was an able deacon and Sabbath school teacher for many years and was ever in his place. On the same lot is buried James Roy, eldest child of Mr. and Mrs. S. Edward McKinney and grandson of Jas. A. McKinney. He was born at Dover, Otsego county, Michigan, April 24, 1901. His earthly life was destined to be short. After an illness of only eleven days, he died at Birmingham, Michigan June 18, 1902, aged 13 months, 24 days. CANNON, A.M. Alexander Woodburn Cannon, son of A.M. and Elizabeth Cannon, was born at Holton, Kansas, July 24, 1874, and died at his parent's home in Southfield, June 23, 1895. The early close of this exemplary young man's life brought much sadness to his family and friends. GROW, Mary Ellen, third daughter of James A. McKinney, was born May 1, 1866. She was married to Mr. Herbert Grow, of Vernon, Michigan, July 1890, and died August 3, 1899, aged 33 years. Three little boys and a husband were left behind to mourn her loss. ### About Mary E. Thompson Mary E. Thompson (1871–1967) lived her entire life on her family's farm on Evergreen Road, taught in Southfield's schools, and later sold much of her land to the City of Southfield, leaving a substantial bequest to the city in her will. A biographical note added to this article, drawn from the Royal Oak Tribune (1967 and 1971), describes her as a "well traveled and knowledgeable person" whose "agile mind and keen perception" were matched by a simple, frugal way of life.https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-leadership/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-leadership/Pastor Adam Kuehner and ruling elders Jon Hughes and John Kim, who shepherd Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTPastor Adam Kuehner was raised in a Christian home, where he trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Lord from an early age. After receiving his Master of Divinity degree from [Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary](https://rpts.edu/), Adam was ordained as our pastor in 2012. His hobbies include reading, drinking coffee tea, watching/playing baseball, and spending quality time with his family. Our congregation is governed by our pastor and two ruling elders. All three were elected by the members of our congregation and carry equal authority as overseers of Christ's flock. A complete list of their ordination vows is [available here](/who-we-are/our-leadership/ordination-vows/).https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-leadership/ordination-vows/https://southfieldreformed.com/who-we-are/our-leadership/ordination-vows/The full text of the RPCNA ordination vows affirmed by Southfield RPC’s pastor and ruling elders.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTOur pastor and ruling elders are ordained upon affirming the following vows: 1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith and life? 2. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the only Redeemer of men, and do you confess Him publicly as your Saviour and Lord? 3. Do you believe that it is the duty of Christians to profess publicly the content of faith as it applies to the particular needs of each age and situation, and that such public profession, otherwise called covenanting, should be made formally by the churches and other institutions as well as informally by each believer according to his ability? 4. Do you believe in and accept the system of doctrine and the manner of worship set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, and the Testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, as being agreeable to, and founded upon, the Scriptures? 5. Do you believe it to be the teaching of Scripture — that church and state are distinct and separate institutions; that both are under the mediatorial rule of the Lord Jesus Christ; and that the permanent form of church government is presbyterian? 6. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Saviour and Lord of men and nations, and that in loyalty and obedience to Him, it is our duty to follow the noble example of the faithful confessors and martyrs of Jesus in their witness for divine truth, and in their sacrifices and labors to establish the Kingdom of God on earth? 7. So far as you can know in your own heart, is it the call of Christ, the glory of God and the welfare of the church, and not any selfish object, that moves you to undertake this sacred office? 8. That you may perform faithfully all the duties of the office to which you have been called, do you engage to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Do you promise, in His strength, to live a holy and exemplary life, to study and promote the purity, peace, unity and progress of the church — (to elders) to watch over the spiritual growth of the members of the congregation, to endeavor to win others to Christ, to visit the afflicted and to attend the meetings associated with your office; (to ministers) to bring to your congregation the fruits of earnest study of the Word, to maintain a testimony for the Kingdom of God, to endeavor to minister to others and win them to Christ, to watch for souls as one who must give account? 9. Do you promise subjection in the Lord to the courts of this church, and engage to follow no divisive courses from the doctrine and order which the church has solemnly recognized and adopted; and do you promise to submit to all the brotherly counsel which your brethren may tender you in the Lord?https://southfieldreformed.com/worship/https://southfieldreformed.com/worship/Lord’s Day schedule at Southfield RPC: morning and evening worship, Christian education, and communion.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTOur morning and evening worship services consist chiefly in the reading, preaching, hearing, and singing of God's inspired Word. Our monthly worship schedule usually proceeds as follows: First Lord's Day of Each Month: - Morning Worship - 10:00 AM - Fellowship Lunch - 12:45 PM - Evening Worship - 6:00 PM Second Lord's Day of Each Month: - Morning Worship - 10:00 AM - Evening Worship - 6:00 PM Third Lord's Day of Each Month: - Morning Worship - 10:00 AM - Evening Worship - 6:00 PM Fourth Lord's Day of Each Month: - Morning Worship - 10:00 AM - Evening Worship - 6:00 PM Fifth Lord's Day (If Applicable): - Morning Worship — Evangelistic Service - 10:00 AM - Fellowship Brunch - 11:30 AM - Evening Worship - 6:00 PM We observe the Lord's Supper during evening worship on the third Lord's Day of February, May, August, and November. On the Saturday evening prior to communion, we usually host a preparatory service at 6:00 PM. at the church. Generally speaking, communion interviews seek to confirm (1) a profession of faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, (2) a manner of life consistent with one's Christian profession, (3) valid Christian baptism, (4) active communicant membership in good standing within a true church, and (5) a basic grasp of the meaning of the Lord's Supper. Those who have not yet been interviewed and approved by the elders are encouraged to attend the communion service and to participate by way of visual observation only. Personal preparation and self-examination are also recommended for all communicants during the week prior to communion.