About us
Willard-Mt. Zion Presbyterian is a welcoming and affirming church that receives all with hospitality and acceptance. We celebrate our diversity as we embrace our unity as part of the world-wide Christian community. All are invited into a transformational ministry which seeks justice and mercy in the midst of our contemporary circumstances. Willard-Mt. Zion Presbyterian welcomes you to join us on this journey of faith.
What do we believe?
Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th Century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.
Calvin did much of his writing in Geneva, Switzerland. From there the Reformed movement spread throughout other parts of Europe and the British Isles.
Many of the early Presbyterians in America came from England, Scotland, and Ireland. The first American Presbytery was organized from Philadelphia in 1706. The first General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church was held in the same city in 1789 (the year the Constitution of the USA was ratified). That first General Assembly was convened by the Rev. John Witherspoon, one of the few ordained ministers to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Our Leadership
Rev. Dr. John F. Nipper
Rev. Jane Huffstetler
Stephanie O’Neal
Session Members
The Session is the governing body of a Presbyterian church, responsible for guiding the church’s mission, ministry, and overall direction. Made up of elected elders—trusted members of the congregation—alongside the pastor, the Session oversees worship, education, community outreach, and all aspects of church life. Rooted in prayer and a commitment to faithful leadership, the Session makes decisions that reflect the church’s values and goals, ensuring that our congregation remains a welcoming, spiritually nurturing, and mission-focused community.
Shirley Buer, clerk
Mickey Goodson
Mark Hardman
Susan Staley
Janet White
Steve Foreman
Church Government
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a two-part constitution: the Book of Confessions, and the Book of Order. The Book of Confessions includes statements of faith from many generations of Christians in many locations beginning with the Apostles’ Creed (c. 800 CE) and ending with the Belhar Confession from the South African Reformed Church and a Brief Statement of Faith written when the UPCUSA and the PCUS reunited.
The Book of Order contains historic principles of the church in the United States adopted in the 18th century beginnings of the church. The book also lays out order for the church government, worship, and discipline (church courts). The congregation elects elders to serve together to discern the will of Christ for that particular church. (Elder does not mean old, but those who offer wise counsel.) Deacons are elected to lead ministries of welcome and compassion.
For more information please visit the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
First Time Visit?
Quick Info
- Service starts at 10:00am.
- Dress for comfort.
- Plenty available parking & wheelchair access.
Do you provide child care?
We have child care facilities that everyone can use, but we do not provide child care at this time.
Do I have to participate?
Not at all! You’re welcome to participate as much or as little as you feel comfortable. Whether you want to join in, observe quietly, or just take it all in, we’re simply glad to have you with us.
Can I take communion?
Absolutely! Everyone is welcome to take communion with us. Whether you’re a member, a guest, or exploring faith, you are invited to participate in this sacred moment.
What should I do with my offering, and is giving expected?
There is no expectation or requirement to give. If you feel moved to make an offering, you can do so during the offertory. We are grateful for all forms of support, whether through time, talents, or resources. Your presence is a gift, and we’re simply glad you’re here.
Every Sunday @ 10:00am
Our Church History
By Stephanie O’Neal
On September 7, 1879 a group of people living near Walnut Spring, now known as Murray Spring (located a few hundred feet northwest of the present church) met in the local schoolhouse to organize a Presbyterian church. Founding members were Charles, Elizabeth, Gilbert, James and Martha Hughes; Charles, Sarah, Oscar and Anna Farmer; and N.A. and Eliza McCoy. Calling their new congregation the Grand Prairie Presbyterian Church, they continued to meet in the schoolhouse, served monthly by the Reverend E.M. Halbert, until a church building was completed and dedicated in November, 1887. This was the first church building in Willard.
The congregation grew slowly through the years, and when on April 5, 1903, the church name was changed to Willard Presbyterian Church, there were still fewer than 20 members. By the 1920’s, the church had grown large enough to undertake remodeling the building and landscaping the grounds, and by the end of the decade the annual budget was $500(!) The women of the church had sufficient numbers to organize a Missionary Society, which evolved into today’s chapter of Presbyterian Women.
In 1952, the original building was expanded with the addition of Sunday School rooms and a dining hall, and a new heating system was installed to replace the pot-bellied stove that sat at the front of the sanctuary. That same year the first Board of Deacons was organized and ordained, and over the next few years they undertook the repair and re-siding of the older part of the building, improved the sanctuary, and built a larger front porch. Finally, four additional classrooms, a nursery and a pastor’s study were added in 1967. The “old church” had now become the structure that many older members recall.
That building still stands in the heart of the oldest part of town. It has changed hands several times, and now serves as a venue for weddings and other social gatherings.
The congregations of Willard, Ash Grove and Mt. Zion in Cave Spring decided in 1961 to form one parish, with the same minister serving all three churches. That busy individual held 9:45 services in Willard, 11:00 services in Ash Grove, and evening services in Cave Spring. In 1969 the Cave Spring congregation merged with Willard, and the present Willard-Mt. Zion church was created. That same year the Cave Spring church building, built in 1869 by a congregation that had been formed in 1839 (the oldest Presbyterian congregation west of St. Louis), was dedicated as a memorial by the Presbytery. In 1973, the Ash Grove Presbyterian Church merged with the Ash Grove Methodist Church, and Willard-Mt. Zion became independent once again.
The church continued to grow until it again outgrew its existing facilities. A new building was planned, and land purchased on a Highway AB hilltop very near the original site of the church’s founding at Murray Spring. There are further interesting coincidences in regard to the present church property: it is part of a larger tract of land that was willed to the church in the 1950’s, but because the will was not properly completed, it could not be executed. In addition, the small cemetery on the southwest corner of the property, donated to the church by the Hughes family, contains the graves of some of the original founding members. The new church had thus, in a way, returned to its old roots. It was dedicated on Palm Sunday, March 24, 1991.
Willard-Mt. Zion will celebrate its 150th anniversary in September, 2029, its congregation looking forward prayerfully as it works to fulfill its mission: Serving God by welcoming, loving, and caring for all, and celebrating our diversities.