About Us

Who are we?

We are a Christian Church Fellowship aligned with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. As such, we are a confessional church that is Reformed in its doctrinal beliefs and Presbyterian in its form of church government. To be a confessional body is to agree together that a certain statement of faith accurately summarizes Biblical teaching. Our Statements of Faith are the historic Westminster Standards: The Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechisms.

What is a Presbyterian?

Presbyterian is a word from the Bible that means “elder.” Elders are elected by the congregation to oversee our church. Those elders may be either “teaching” elders (pastors of the church who preach regularly and administer the sacraments) or “ruling” elders (laymen from within the congregation who have the spiritual oversight of the church), but in both cases their charge and goal is to shepherd the flock through Christ-like example and service.

 

What is Reformed?

  • To be Reformed is to agree with the system of theology that had its roots in the 1st century church (Apostolic period) and was later given articulation by men such as Augustine, Athanasius, and others.
  • The Scriptures, as well as the church’s summary teachings, had almost lost the light of day through the Middle Ages. However, in the Providence of God, they were recovered and subsequently more fully developed in the Reformation of the 16th century. Men such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox as well as the later Puritans were Gospel-driven men that God used mightily in bringing reformation to the European (Western) church.
  • As the church matured in these years, its thinking on Scriptural matters developed into the formulation of confessional statements to summarize what it believed the Bible taught. On the European continent, the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dordt were the primary confessions articulated by the Reformed Church. In Switzerland, the second Helvetic Confession was developed. And in the British Isles, the Westminster Assembly (the last of the great post-Reformation synods, 1643-1652) authored the Westminster Confession of Faith together with the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
  • All of these confessions, though arising from different places and written by various people or assemblies, speak with largely one voice, giving us a system of theology that has been termed “Reformed.”

Our History

Mount Zion started out of a burning desire to see a Reformed Presbyterian witness in Moncton, one that holds to the biblical truths and the Westminster Standards not only in word but in practice. What were the means used?  God’s Word and Prayer.   God honoured the prayers of a number of elders and other individuals who desired to see this happen. One of these elders was Archibald (Archie) Murray 1906-1996, here is a quote from an article he wrote the year before he died.

“Let us accept the challenge, as in Hebrews 12:1-12, to go forward in faith under the banner of Christ and His finished work on the cross, and be much in prayer for a great out pouring of the Holy Spirit from on high to anoint the church today, as He did at the beginning of the Protestant Reformation; it is not a time to be at ease in Zion. (Amos 6:1). Pray that Mount Zion Church, by God’s grace be a church family that reflects what God revealed to the prophets Isaiah, (Isaiah 58:6-14) with our prayer centered on verse 12, together with our sister ARP congregations in Canada, to gather and raise up the ruins of biblical reformed Presbyterian witness; that under the banner of Christ, we will see the church restored as God restored Israel. (Isaiah 49:8-23). Study well these two portions of Isaiah, together with New Testament related scripture texts, that as the Lord builds His church in our day, as He draws families into our fellowship, we take seriously the admonition of Paul to Philemon on receiving Onesimus. (Philemon 8-21). That we see the children of church members, and what a joy and comfort to witness how God supplies these precious transplants for our church gardens, but ever bearing in mind they are sinners whom God alone can save. For parents, grandparents, fellow believers, together with the pulpit ministry to teach and pray for them, as we see them grow in grace to maturity. (2 Timothy 1:5; 1 Peter 2:4-6) May this be our fervent prayer, first in true repentance, asking God’s forgiveness of both sins of omission and commission, and pray for boldness through faith, to enable us to identify the spirit of error, from the Holy Spirit of Truth, as also their teachers. (1 John 4:1-6).  “Study to show thyself approved by God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who rightly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15″

Following is an account of some of the historical dates in the life of Mount Zion.

January 16, 1989 a small group of Christians met to form a new Reformed Presbyterian church in the Moncton area.  On March 5, this group held its first worship service at the Wandlyn Inn, Magnetic Hill, Moncton.  On July 24th of the same year Mount Zion was chosen as the name of the congregation based on Psalm 125.

It was on the 22nd and 23rd of September 1989 that four elders attended the meeting of the Northeast Presbytery at Ballston Spa New York.  It was there that Mount Zion was received into the Associate Reformed Presbyterian denomination as a mission congregation.

November of the same year 22 communicant members were received into membership at Mount Zion. Then on December 3rd the first public worship service was held with Rev. William Campbell as guest speaker. At this service six children were presented for the sacrament of Baptism.

September 1990 Mount Zion welcomed Rev. Jack Whytock as their pastor. Pastor Whytock served the congregation of Mount Zion until the Lord called him to labour in the field of administration and teaching in 2003. In 1990 land was acquired on Charles Lutes Road to build a church. The dedication service for Mount Zion Church was held on September 22, 1991.   

In September of 2003 Mount Zion called Brian Murray and on October 31st Rev. W. Brian Murray was ordained and installed as Mount Zion’s second Pastor. Rev Murray served until April 2008 when he returned to Ontario to further his studies.

In December 2009 Rev. Andrew Savill was installed as Mount Zion’s third pastor. He served until 2012 when he took a call to a church plant in Michigan, USA. 

Finally, in July 2018 Rev. Michael Jaatinen was ordained and installed as Pastor of Mount Zion. He is the current minister of the church.