Reformed
What is the Reformed Faith
Have you wondered what it means to be Reformed? The Reformed churches generally hold to those ideas held by Ulrich Zwingli and (especially) John Calvin. In contrast to the Episcopal Polity of electing a hierarchy of bishops (Greek: Episcopoi ) or holding a Congregational Polity to govern the church, Reformed churches usually elect elders (Greek: Presbyteroi ) to carry out this function. The elders work together as a group but are accountable to higher groups known as presbyteries, synods or 
assemblies. This form of government is called a Presbyterian Polity.
There are several active churches in America which bear the name Reformed. The first Reformed church in what today is the US (The Marble Collegiate Reformed Church) was organized in 1628 in New Amsterdam (you may know this as New York). As you can imagine from the name of the city, the church was part of the Dutch Reformed movement and was the beginning of what is now the Reformed Church in America (RCA).
What is interesting is that a lot of the rank-and-file pew sitters don’t realize the theology that is around them, on the walls, the alter (or lack thereof), or the big-screen as they worship. You can learn a lot about the church’s theology by looking around the church. As I read this article, referred to me by a friend and Pastor in the Lutheran Church, I thought of the theology that my church has.