Our History

 How it all started

Rev. James W. Moore, a native of Pennsylvania and a pioneer of Arkansas Presbyterianism, planted the territory’s first Presbyterian Church in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1828.  He would later settle here in the Sylvania community in 1840 and establish the Sylvania Academy as the first classical school in Arkansas.  In 1843 Rev. Moore planted the Sylvania Presbyterian Church, served as the pastor here for many years, and is buried in the cemetery near the grounds.  Over these many decades four buildings have served the church.  The third building, built in 1860, was burned by Union soldiers during the Civil War.  The present structure was built in 1904.  Courtesy of the Lonoke County Historical Commission

"Scripture urges and warns us that whatever favors we may have obtained from the Lord, we have received them as a trust on condition that they should be applied to the common benefit of the church."             John Calvin

Over the years

More important than the building is the Lord’s gracious provision to allow a remnant of God’s people to continue in covenant worship at Sylvania Presbyterian Church (SPC) for over 181 years.  By God’s grace, SPC has weathered both societal and denominational struggles over the many decades since the first worship service took place here.  SPC had already been meeting for almost two decades when the Civil War began and the church was eventually burned by Union soldiers and then rebuilt.  SPC predates the formation of the Presbyterian Historical Society and has been faithfully assembling for worship as Presbyterianism in America evolved and changed.  SPC is a church of the Presbyterian Church In America (PCA) and we are in the newly formed Arkansas Presbytery.  Through it all, SPC has maintained a witness for the Gospel and Reformed theology in our tiny part of the world in central Arkansas.  SPC affirms the Westminster Confession of Faith along with the Catechisms, the Five Solas with all their implications; recognizes the centrality of the covenant in God’s saving purposes; and the importance of public confession of faith.

Our Vision

Our mission is to proclaim the Gospel, to celebrate the authority of the Bible, to hold fast to the Westminster Confession of Faith (and catechisms), and to conduct our worship and government in accordance with the biblical standards. Many of us here have chosen this as our church home because we have strong convictions about worshiping within a Reformed tradition.  To our knowledge our church is the only Reformed church within a 30 mile radius of our location.

Our vision is to maintain a faithful Gospel witness in our area. Lord willing, our efforts could one day lead to new church plants in the greater area and expand a witness further in this region of Arkansas.

Perhaps you desire to know more about what it means to be a Christian who identifies as "Reformed".  Perhaps you're a Presbyterian or have a background in some other Reformed tradition and were not aware that there is a PCA congregation near to you.   You don't have to settle for anything less than your convictions.  If you’re living within reach of Sylvania Presbyterian Church we’d be grateful to welcome you.  We need your help to remain a witness for the Gospel in this part of the Arkansas.  Together, we have a meaningful mission ahead and your presence and support can make a lasting impact for God’s Kingdom.