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Worship at First Presbyterian |
Worship is the center of who we are as the people of God. We are called together to sing praises to God, hear the Word proclaimed, and give thanks for the many blessings God has bestowed upon us.
Our weekly worship occurs on Sunday mornings at 11:00am. Our order of service stays true to the Reformed Tradition and the Presbyterian church. Our children enjoy a “Children’s Moment” during each worship. Communion takes place eight times during the calendar year and is served to homebound members as requested. In 2006 those dates are: March 5, April 13 and 16, June 4, August 6, October 1, December 3, and December 24.
In addition, our congregation celebrates a number of special worship services. During Lent these include Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and the Holy Saturday Prayer Vigil. On Easter we take great joy in flowering the cross and celebrating our risen Lord. During Advent, members of the congregation light the Advent Wreath and we culminate the season with the Children’s pageant and a candlelight service on Christmas Eve.
Our pastor preaches biblically-based sermons that inspire and challenge members in their faith journey. Visit the SERMON PAGE to view a history of recent sermons.
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Music is a vital part of the life of our congregation! We are blessed to have capable staff and lay leadership that provide exquisite music for many facets of our church life.
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Chancel Choir
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Our adult choir is the primary vehicle of music in our Sunday worship services. Each week they prepare an inspirational anthem as well as leading the congregation in hymns and musical responses. In addition, the choir presents a special cantata during the Advent and Lenten seasons that takes place during the Sunday worship services.
The choir rehearses every Wednesday evening from August through May at 7:30pm in the sanctuary. Anyone interested in learning more about the choir should contact Sandy Beam, Director of Music.
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"Joyful Noise" Childrens Choir |
Led by Legh Beal, our children’s choir shares their gift of music at various worship services and fellowship events throughout the church year. Please contact the Program Director regarding practice schedule and rehearsal dates.
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At First Presbyterian, children are an important part of worship. Every worship service contains a “Children’s Message,” where the children come forward for a brief age-appropriate and engaging message. In addition, the church offers children other opportunities to be exposed to Christian worship:
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| Nursery |
Our youngest members are cared for under the best of supervision. Our nursery is located upstairs in our education wing. A paid staff person oversees the nursery, accompanied by a church volunteer.
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| Little Church |
Immediately following the Children’s Moment in worship, our preschoolers and kindergarteners follow a leader to our Little Church room for a Bible story, snacks and games.
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| Get Ready, Get Set Worship! |
Our church feels it is important to educate our children on the “hows” and “whys” of Presbyterian worship. This program is for Grades K-2 and is held in the spring of each year, led by our Program Director with the assistance of the minister. This is a wonderful opportunity for the children of our church to experience worship!
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Our congregation recognizes itself as being part of the body of Christ that extends around the world. Here are some ways we share the love of God with our brothers and sisters in the faith:
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| Local Service & Outreach |
As part of our annual operating budget, our church is proud to allocate a percentage of our finances to various local mission projects. Some of these include:
Habitat for Humanity
Yokefellow (local food pantry)
Young Life
In 2005, our church joined a partnership of other churches in our community with Habitat for Humanity’s Apostle Build. Together we are committed to building not just a house but an entire neighborhood of six homes. This project will last for three years and is but one aspect of our support and involvement with this worthwhile organization.
Our congregation collects the Food of the Month items for Yokefellow Ministries, our local food bank. There is a basket upstairs in the hallway of the church for collections. We encourage all members and visitors to bring items with them to church on Sundays.
Financial support for local ministries is important, but so is volunteerism. We are always looking for people of all ages who are able to give a little bit of their time to share Christ’s love with others. To learn more about how you can help, speak with the moderator of the session’s Service & Outreach Ministry team.
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For one week each summer, the youth of our church follow Christ’s command to “go out into the world” and extend God’s love and grace to others—always finding they are blessed in return. Previous destinations have included: Georgia, Tennessee, the Bahamas, and Morehead City, NC.
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| The Mills Family in Mission |
Our church is proud to have one of our own, the Mills family, serving full-time in missions abroad. John, Ginny, Holly and Maggie Mills are serving the Lord in Ocosingo, Mexico from January 2006 through August 2008. Please check out www.millsinmission.org to learn more about their labors and how you might take part in their mission!
We are always looking for individuals who wish to volunteer and become involved with the various service and mission opportunities in our church. For more information, please contact the moderator of the Service & Outreach Ministry Team (link here to bottom half of “Church Staff & Lay Leadership” page)
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