Sundays at 9:30am in the sanctuary, followed
by refreshments in Fellowship Hall (lower level)

God, our creator, deserves our thanks, our love, and our lives. In short, He deserves our worship. He has created us to be worshiping beings, and inevitably we seek something to admire, to praise, to stand for, and to give ourselves to. But our hearts find their true home only as God gives us a love for Himself and as we give ourselves to Him. This giving of ourselves touches every aspect of our lives, but finds special expression in times of public worship, when Christians gather to praise God, to remember our unity with each other, to receive God's message, and to commit ourselves to Him.

At First Presbyterian Church, the atmosphere is formal yet warm, reminding us of both God's greatness and His love. Much of our worship is expressed through music which is traditional yet fervent, and we also explore popular and contemporary musical styles.

Infants and toddlers may stay with their parents during the service, or they may be dropped off in our nursery (see the Welcome Table attendant). Also, during the sermon (see below), children six and under who are old enough to appreciate a simple Bible story are welcome to attend our Junior Church.

A typical worship service at First Presbyterian Church includes these elements:

Prelude: Music performed as attendees gather and prepare for the worship service

Announcements: News and updates related to the life of our church and its members

Call to Worship: A brief statement (usually from the Bible) encouraging us to worship God

Hymn: A song of praise to God, sung by all. This first hymn of the day helps us join our voices as we begin our public worship.

Affirmation of Faith: A statement, read by all, summarizing the beliefs that bind us together. Often, our Affirmation of Faith is a passage from the Bible, such as Philippians 2:5-11; at other times it is the Apostles' Creed or Nicene Creed.

Prayer of Confession: A short prayer, read by all, acknowledging our guilt before God and asking for His forgiveness

Bible Reading: A portion of the Bible, generally addressing the same topic to be addressed later in the sermon

Prayer of Intercession: A prayer, usually led by our pastor, for our church and for those in need. At the conclusion of the Prayer of Intercession, everyone prays together the Lord's Prayer ("Our Father, Who art in Heaven...").

Offering: An opportunity to contribute money to the work of the church. "Offering plates" are passed around, in which attendees may place contributions. The music performed while this happens is called the Offertory.

Children's Sermon: Our pastor invites the children to gather around him for a short lesson, generally on the same topic to be addressed in the main sermon.

Hymn: This second hymn is usually in a contemporary musical style.

Sermon: Our pastor reads from the Bible, then explains what he has read and discusses ways of applying it to our hearts and lives.

Hymn: This final hymn helps us to reflect together on the theme of the sermon as the service draws to a close. 

Benediction: A brief assurance of God's goodness to His people, taken from the Bible

Postlude: Music performed as attendees disperse and as we transition from worship to fellowship

Following the service, we gather in our Fellowship Hall in the lower level of the church for refreshments and fellowship, and at 11am some of our discipleship groups and classes meet.

 

The Lord's Supper
Usually the first Sunday of the month, during morning worship

Once a month, our worship service includes the celebration of the Lord's Supper (also referred to as communion, the Lord's table, and the eucharist). This ceremony recalls Jesus' last supper with his disciples and centers on the eating of bread and grape juice, signifying Jesus' death, through which believers’ sins are forgiven. The invitation to participate in the Lord's Supper does not come from First Presbyterian Church, but from the Lord Jesus Himself. Jesus invites all those who trust in Him to share at His table. However, if you are not a believer desiring to live in obedience to God, we ask that you not partake of the elements (the bread and juice).