A Brief History and Background   The Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church is located in the Mount Auburn community that is part of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Mount Auburn area is one of the many hills surrounding what is now the downtown area of Cincinnati. In the mid-19th century Mount Auburn was one of the new suburbs being developed for those who wanted to escape the crowding of the city. Around 1868 a group of Mount Auburn Presbyterians began to meet and organize what is today our church. Over time Mount Auburn transformed into a more urban type setting as the City of Cincinnati expanded. Today Mount Auburn has as its neighbors the downtown area of Cincinnati, educational institutions such as the University of Cincinnati and Hebrew Union College, and major health facilities such as Christ Hospital, University Hospital and Hoxworth Blood Center. Photo at left: View of downtown Cincinnati from the top of Scycamore Street at the edge of Mount Auburn. Our Congregation Today members and friends who attend Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church  comprise a variety of backgrounds and walks of life. They live in various neighborhoods in the city as well as communities within and surrounding the Greater Cincinnati area including Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and South-Eastern Indiana. Together we are each on a journey of faith seeking to know and serve God as witnessed through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Some of us grew up in the Presbyterian and Reformed traditions while others come from other religious faiths and backgrounds. Photo at right: A special outdoor service for blessing the animals of members and friends of Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church.   What We Believe Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church (MAPC) is a progressive Christian church where faith is exposed to reason and reason enlarged by faith. As Christ's Church we who gather here seek to love the world as he did. We also strive to be as embracing as Jesus was and invite all persons into full membership and service regardless of race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or any worldly condition. In 2005 a Mission Committee report included the following statements which sort out what MAPC stands for as a church: "We share a sense that God has called Mount Auburn to preach and teach a liberating, progressive theology as we design our worship and educational programs. We are part of a tradition that is "always reforming," and expect God to speak not just to us but also to other people, to different traditions and to each new generation. We value process theology, an open-ended theology, focused on God who is a living creative, dynamic being, not captured by scriptures or our historical creeds. As one joins this congregation, we prefer not to ask, "Do you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?" Rather, we prefer to ask, "Will you serve God as revealed in the life and ministry of Jesus?" We find the compelling reference to God for us was the life and ministry of Jesus who differs from us in faithfulness, but not in human experience." Our Statements of Faith, Principles, and Policies We have a Statement of Faith that is based on the Working Principles adopted by our local governing body. This affirms our commitment to the witness and ministry of Jesus Christ, to our denomination, and to each other. Today Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church continues a long tradition of being a place where social justice and inclusion of all people are valued. The following are some statements that express Mount Auburn's stance regarding our denomination's position on the role of GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) people as full participants as members and in serving the church as leaders:   Policy on the Inclusion of Gays and Lesbians   Statement of Opposition to G-6.0106b/Statement of Inclusive Ordination   Statement on Covenant Services Our Local Church Government Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church  is a connectional church through its membership in the Cincinnati Presbytery within the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination. The Presbyterian form of church government we follow is a representative democracy much like the model of the United States. This includes the general membership electing leaders, known as Elders, at the church level to make up what is called the Session. Members of the Session lead various committees within the local congregation. Each committee includes members of the Congregation. The Session also includes the Pastor who serves as moderator. Our Denomination Our denomination is organized into regional bodies known as Presbyteries, Synods, and the General Assembly. The Cincinnati Presbytery is part of the Synod Of The Covenant. The national governing body is the General Assembly that meets every two years. The governing bodies at the local, regional, and national levels follow the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). This consists of the Book of Confessions and the Book of Order. For more information on our denomination, visit the web site of the Presbyterian Church (USA) at: http://www.pcusa.org/   Other Affiliations The following are other progressive groups within the PC (USA) with whom Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church works to bring about positive change in the areas of inclusion and social justice. Logo   Web Site   Mission or Purpose http://www.covnetpres.org/ The Covenant Network of Presbyterians is a broad-based, national group of clergy and lay leaders working for a church that is simultaneously faithful, just, and whole. We seek to support the mission and unity of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in a time of potentially divisive controversy. We intend to articulate and act on the church’s historic, progressive vision and to work for a fully inclusive church.             http://www.mlp.org/   More Light Presbyterians is a network of people seeking the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of faith in the life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA).           That All May Freely Serve   http://www.tamfs.org/   Called by the life and teachings of Jesus, compelled by our faith, and charged by our conscience, we advocate for an inclusive church for all who are disenfranchised a church that honors diversity and welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons as full members full membership, which includes eligibility for ordination to the offices of Elder, Deacon, and Minister of Word and Sacrament.             http://www.presbyvoicesforjustice.org/   Presbyterian Voices for Justice (PV4J) provides news and networking for progressive Presbyterians. 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