Services
Sunday Worship services
8:30am (informal) and 11am (traditional)
First Sunday of each month: Once-a-Month Sunday Night Service, 6pm
Worship service to honor veterans, Sunday, May 25, 7pm
Sponsored by the Presbytery of
Scioto Valley, this service is intended to offer
thanksgiving for the sacrifices all
our veterans have made and are
making on behalf of our nation.
This service will be the beginning
of a Presbytery-wide effort to
reach out and minister to the
unique needs of vets and their
families.
Christian Education for all ages
9:45am (see Education page)
Communion
Usually the first Sunday of each month and at special services. Home Communion is brought to shut-ins. For information, contact Rev. Jim Mehler.
Baptism
As scheduled during worship services. Contact Rev. Tracy Keenan.
Weddings, Funerals, and Memorial Services
Contact Rev. Tracy Keenan.
Why We Do It
Of course, you can praise and worship God any time you want. You can do it when you’re alone and it can be quiet and meditative. So why gather together, when worship is something you can do on your own?
It reminds us that we are not alone. We are part of the Body of Christ. We have sisters and brothers who are also God’s beloved children, and when we worship together, we celebrate that community.
We learn from one another. We learn music and prayers, some ancient, some new. We hear the Word of God as it is found in and through the words of Scripture. We hear different people’s faith perspectives. And we lift our hearts together with the music and the Word. Again, we are part of something bigger than each of us could be alone.
It equips us for the living of our faith in our daily lives. We are strengthened, encouraged, challenged, and called in worship to step from the church into the days and duties of our lives more lovingly.
And when we worship and praise God, we grow closer to God and recognize that powerful Love that is limitless and enduring.
How We Do It
We know that folks have busy lives. If we are asking them to make worshipping God a priority, we want it to be worthwhile. (Worship really should not be something you have to endure. That’s just plain rude and does not do justice to the Gospel!) We try to design worship so that it is engaging, interesting, reverent, warm, reaches back to our ancient roots, and still has plenty of room for newness and joy.
We begin with greeting one another in peace.
Then we listen to the Prelude to hear what it might be saying about the Holy One, and how it might open our hearts to God.
We sing, we remember our need for forgiveness and hear that God does indeed forgive.
We remember the words to ancient creeds and sing some more. Sometimes people sing or play instruments on our behalf and we let the music take us to new places.
There is a talk with children, and then the youngest and most wiggly of them, if they have their grown-ups’ permission, are excused for Bible stories, crafts, and games. But we welcome children in worship, and many of our children prefer to stay with everyone else. (There are children’s activity bags, puzzles, and pictures available.)
We hear stories and more from the Bible and a sermon that helps to bring that Word to the kinds of lives that you and I live each day. If it doesn’t connect with you, we’re not doing our job as worship leaders.
We sing some more, and then we are sent out with encouragement and a blessing.
The Postlude music sends us out with Oomph. Attitude. Joy. Just what we need.
There are some variations.
The 8:30 service in the summer is held in the courtyard.
Sometimes we have a jazz Sunday or another kind of special music Sunday. Music runs from Traditional to Gospel to Renaissance to Pop.
Once a month, usually the first Sunday of the month, we have Communion.
Once a month, on Sunday nights, we have a Something Different Worship Service, with multimedia, more interactive liturgy, and Communion.
Sometimes there’s a baptism. Youth Sunday. Celebrating the Gifts of Women or Men.
And of course, the rich variety of the liturgical year lends rhythm to our faith. There is Advent leading up to Christmas, Epiphany, Lent leading up to Easter and Eastertide, Pentecost, and its season.