Welcome Statement

As Christ loves, cherishes, and calls each human being as a child made in God’s image, we at Stone House Presbyterian Church strive to be a community of invitation, welcome, and inclusion to all.

No matter if you have walked in faith for decades,
or if you are just starting your search for what is holy and good, 
We welcome you.

No matter the color of your skin,
the languages you speak, or the places you come from,
We welcome you.
No matter how many years you have walked this earth,
We welcome you.
No matter how light or heavy your burdens,
We welcome you.
No matter your profession
or the number of your possessions,
We welcome you.
No matter your gender,
We welcome you.
No matter who you love
and who loves you,
We welcome you.
No matter your history,
We welcome you.
No matter if you are a sinner in need of grace,
a saint gifted by God,
or like all of us, a strange mix of both,
We welcome you,
and we are grateful to have you here with us.

Written for Stone House by member Karen Queen and adopted by Session in 2019

The Mission of SHPC is to invite, equip and encourage people to discover the adventure of becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

The Vision of Stone House Presbyterian Church is to grow:

stronger through worship

deeper through discipleship

more faithful through service and

warmer through fellowship

The Core Values of SHPC:

1. We believe everyone is created in God’s image and welcome all who want to journey with us seeking to know God’s love.  We are an inclusive congregation seeking common ground with those holding a variety of opinions on the left and right to walk faithfully with God.
2. We grow in Christ and become spiritually vital through corporate worship with preaching of the Word, prayer, music and communion. We value longstanding church traditions such as The Lord’s Prayer and new, creative expressions of our faith.
3. We become stronger and deeper disciples of Christ as we learn God’s Word and God’s will by Bible study and other Christian education. We offer flexible opportunities to accommodate people’s complex schedules.
4. Relationships within the faith community are enhanced by small groups. We offer long-term, short-term and flexible small groups to foster loving relationships and spiritual growth.
5. Service is an important expression of our faith. We serve the local community in a variety of ways and in a variety of places, partnering with local agencies.

We are governed by church members. Presbyterian comes from the Greek word “presbyter,” which means “elder” or “faith leader.” Elders are members of the church who the Spirit has filled with gifts for leadership, service, and guiding the life of the church. Elders are nominated and voted on by the congregation each year to serve three year terms. Together with the minister, they make up our church session, which governs, serves, and leads us as a local congregation.

We are connectional. Our congregation does not minister alone, but is a part of the much larger church of Jesus Christ. We are a member of the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia, the Synod of Mid-America, and the Presbyterian Church (USA). We join together in Christ’s mission, witness, and fellowship.

We believe women and men are called by God to all ministries of the church.  In all areas of ministry, we call both women and men who are gifted, trained, and ready to serve. This includes Deacons, Elders, and Ministers of Word and Sacrament.

We believe God’s grace claims us before we can do anything at all to earn or deserve it.  Through the love of Christ and power of the Holy Spirit, God claims us as part of God’s family, forgives our sins, frees us from all powers of evil and death, and leads us into lives where we get to share God’s love and grace with all we meet.

We are reformed and always reforming.  We do not believe that we are perfect people or a perfect church. We make mistakes. We have our biases. We get things wrong. We give thanks for the saints who have come before us, laying down a foundation of faith, but always knowing we that we have more to learn and grow. Informed by scripture and guided by the Holy Spirit, we open ourselves to discovering new ways we can more fully follow Jesus Christ and proclaim God’s love to the world.

A great summary of our beliefs and practices as Presbyterians is found in “A Brief Statement of Faith”

In life and in death we belong to God.

Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit,

we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,

whom alone we worship and serve.

We trust in Jesus Christ,

Fully human, fully God.

Jesus proclaimed the reign of God:

preaching good news to the poor

and release to the captives,

teaching by word and deed

and blessing the children,

healing the sick

and binding up the brokenhearted,

eating with outcasts,

forgiving sinners,

and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.

Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition,

Jesus was crucified,

suffering the depths of human pain

and giving his life for the sins of the world.

God raised this Jesus from the dead,

vindicating his sinless life,

breaking the power of sin and evil,

delivering us from death to life eternal.

We trust in God,

whom Jesus called Abba, Father.

In sovereign love God created the world good

and makes everyone equally in God’s image

male and female, of every race and people,

to live as one community.

But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator.

Ignoring God’s commandments,

we violate the image of God in others and ourselves,

accept lies as truth,

exploit neighbor and nature,

and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care.

We deserve God’s condemnation.

Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation.

In everlasting love,

the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people

to bless all families of the earth.

Hearing their cry,

God delivered the children of Israel

from the house of bondage.

Loving us still,

God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant.

Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child,

like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home,

God is faithful still.

We trust in God the Holy Spirit,

everywhere the giver and renewer of life.

The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith,

sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor,

and binds us together with all believers

in the one body of Christ, the Church.

The same Spirit

who inspired the prophets and apostles

rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture,

engages us through the Word proclaimed,

claims us in the waters of baptism,

feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation,

and calls women and men to all ministries of the church.

In a broken and fearful world

the Spirit gives us courage

to pray without ceasing,

to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior,

to unmask idolatries in Church and culture,

to hear the voices of peoples long silenced,

and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.

In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit,

we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks

and to live holy and joyful lives,

even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth,

praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

With believers in every time and place,

we rejoice that nothing in life or in death

can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is much more to discover about the history, tradition, beliefs, and practice of the Presbyterian Church (USA) at www.pcusa.org.

Pastor “Mike” Burcher is serving as our Intentional Interim Pastor.  Most recently, Mike served as the Associate Pastor for Youth and Christian Education at Yorkminster Presbyterian Church in Yorktown.  Most of her ministry has been spent directing Presbyterian Camps, and she has also served as a small church pastor and a campus minister at ECU. 

So what is an Interim Pastor?  These leaders walk alongside congregations who are in transition between pastors, helping the congregation discern its role in the community as well as its identity as a worshipping body of Christ-followers.  Pastor Mike will be leading us through a mission study and helping Stone House PC build a spiritual foundation as we prepare to call a new pastor.

Pastor Mike especially loves working with kids and youth, going on mission trip adventures and being creative in worship.  She received her Master of Divinity degree from Duke University, and her undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Religion right here at William and Mary. She met her husband Anthony at W&M, you might know him, he plays the drums in the Praise Band!  Together they have two grown children, and they are always on a quest for working pinball machines.  She loves caving, hiking, and riding her new-ebike as well as oil painting and walking their German Shepherd, Duke.

Mike and Anthony have a long history with Stone House, as they were among those who chartered the church in 2002.  They are very committed to helping this church make a difference for Christ.

If you are interested in asking questions, talking faith, discerning how you can be part of this congregation, wanting to pitch a new idea, or just need a listening ear, you can contact her at mburcher@shpchurch.org

Contact Us

Worship Time: Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Office Hours: Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to Noon

Office Phone: 757-565-1130

Office Email: office@shpchurch.org

Physical Address: 9401 Fieldstone Parkway, Toano, VA 23168

Directions from Richmond:

Take I-64 East to exit 227 (Toano). Turn left at exit. Take the second right turn onto Fieldstone Parkway (Stonehouse Development with stone wall). Church will be about .5 mile down the road and is the first driveway on the left off of Fieldstone Parkway.

Directions from Williamsburg/Newport News:

Take I-64 West to exit 227 (Toano). Turn right at exit.  Take the second right turn onto Fieldstone Parkway (entering Stonehouse Development with stone wall). Church will be about .5 mile down the road and is the first driveway on the left off of Fieldstone Parkway.