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The Reformed Church in America (RCA), which includes some of the best-known congregations in North America, was established on this continent 150 years before the Revolutionary War.
The word "Reformed" comes from the Protestant Reformation which swept across Europe in the 1500s under the leadership of such men as Martin Luther and John Calvin. Calvin's reformation at Geneva spread to many countries, including Scotland (where it became the Presbyterian Church) and the Netherlands (where it became our ancestor, the Dutch Reformed Church).
Our history is a long and colorful one. The Dutch Reformed Church established its first congregation in New Amsterdam in 1628. Although Dutch in origin, the RCA has from its beginning included peoples of different races and nationalities in its congregations.
The denomination currently has over 900 churches in the United States and Canada, and about 200,000 active confirmed members.
What We Believe
We believe:
- The Bible to be the Word of God and the final authority for faith and practice.
- In Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of those who have faith in him
- In the historic Christian faith as confessed in the Apostles Creed. The Heidelberg Catechism, a 16th century evangelical statement of faith, as well as the Belgic confession have played an important role in our denomination's history.
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