Gum Creek Presbyterian Church, a part of the Greater Atlanta Presbytery, is an Oxford community church with about 100 parishioners and a tremendous commitment to local and worldwide missions.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) has more than one million members and is a mainline reformed Protestant denomination. Gum Creek Presbyterian was established in 1921 in Oxford. Generations of families who first began the church still worship at Gum Creek. The parish is led by Rev. Ron Hieber, who began as an interim pastor 10 years ago and became lead pastor in September 2013.
Gum Creek holds Sunday school for children and adults at 10 a.m. on Sunday, followed by worship at 11 a.m.
Gum Creek’s missions
Heifer International, founded in 1944 in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to obliterating poverty and world hunger by distributing farm animals to third-world countries. Through economic charity, Heifer enables families with agricultural training to become self-sufficient.
Gum Creek Presbyterian donates funds to Heifer International as part of its commitment to helping families in third-world countries.
But parishioners also serve their local community by helping families in need in their own backyards, collecting monthly for the Covington Food Pantry, providing aid to people struck by natural disasters and assisting in helping those without heat in the winter or air-conditioning in the summer.
Gum Creek’s secretary Ashley Smith said if someone has an idea of a charity they are interested in supporting, the church will discuss how to help raise money.
Vacation Bible School begins Sunday, July 13 and lasts through Thursday, July 17. From 6-8:30 p.m., Gum Creek will provide dinner, arts & crafts, bible lessons and games for children and their parents, all under this year’s theme — “Weird Animals.”
Gum Creek always welcomes visitors and loves to see new faces.
The youth group holds Wednesday Bible study from 6 - 8:30 p.m. and hosts weekend events. The Golden Group announces monthly events in the newsletter, and the Presbyterian Women hold Bible study monthly.
The choir and hand bell choir welcome participation with practices on Wednesday (choir) and Thursday (handbells).
