How should I dress?
Some people wear their Sunday best, while others dress more casually. We don’t have a dress code. On the Sundays when daylight saving time begins and ends, some of us wear pajamas. Some of us wear (non-scary) costumes the Sunday closest to Halloween. Occasionally throughout the year, we might have special “dress up days” like wearing fun socks to kick off a sock collection drive.
Where should I park and where do I enter the building?
We have a parking lot next to our building. You may also park along the street or at Paddock Elementary School, across Marvin Street to the west. All four of our side doors, as well as the doors closest to the parking lot, should be open or unlocked on Sunday mornings. The sets of doors closest to Marvin Street are also the closest to our narthex and sanctuary, where you will be welcomed by one of our greeters.
What is the worship service like?
Our Sunday morning service usually begins with a welcome from the pastor and an opening prayer. After greeting one another, we move into a time for the children, followed by a sermon. (You can listen to the audio recordings of some previous sermons here.) On the first Sunday of each month we share communion before singing a final song and receiving a blessing. On all other Sundays, we pray for the needs of our community, sing a hymn, and receive a blessing. After the service, we gather in the Fellowship Hall for light refreshments. A normal Sunday service usually lasts for about an hour.
Why does the worship live stream start later than the in-person service?
Out of the interest of privacy and online safety, we don’t want to share video of our kids in our live stream, so our “Moment Mostly for Children” has been moved to the beginning of the service before we start recording. This change also allows Pastor Leia to sometimes read a fun book or a story from a children’s Bible, which wouldn’t otherwise be possible due to copyright restrictions. Before the live stream begins, we also share prayer concerns that are sometimes more personal than we might want published online. God knows all the prayers that are on our hearts, but the internet doesn’t need to.
What kind of music do you have?
We sing from the 2013 Presbyterian hymnal Glory to God. Our organist plays our pipe organ every Sunday (and occasionally our piano), our handbell choir plays about once a month, and we sometimes have contemporary musicians or special guest performances. We don’t have a standing vocal choir, but we do have a pop-up choir who sings during special services. Pop–up choir is an easy commitment, since it usually only “pops up” around one or two anthems and doesn’t involve long-term regular rehearsals. If you sing or play an instrument and would be willing to share your gifts in a worship service, Pastor Leia would love to make that happen!
Are there any classes for my children during the service?
Yes. Our youngest children (age 5 and younger) are invited to our professionally-staffed nursery before the worship service begins. They join us for the Moment Mostly For Children and then return to their classroom for a time of stories, games, and sometimes crafts! Children in kindergarten up through sixth grade are invited to join us for the start of our worship service in the sanctuary. After the Moment Mostly For Children, they are all invited to step out for a class in the Youth Room. On communion Sundays (usually the first Sunday of each month), all of the children and youth come back to the sanctuary to join us for communion.
Are masks required for in-person worship?
Masks are not required, but they are strongly encouraged, especially for singing.
If you have more specific questions about Presbyterian worship, you might find look through these frequently asked questions from our denomination.