Often, you might hear about people making a salvation prayer or getting re-baptized to mark this faith moment! However, many people have gone to church their whole lives and haven’t had that sort of event. None of this emphasizes or negates the power of salvation, however it occurred in your life. In addition, we are all on a faith journey and each of us is in a different place with different experiences. We are saved when we accept the grace and forgiveness of Jesus and choose to follow Him, at which point we have the responsibility of continuing to follow Him on a daily basis!

The Presbyterian denomination was formulated in the 16th & 17th centuries in Scotland, although its roots go back even further into history. The church was organized around a unique form of church government in which Elders (in Greek, presbyters) lead the church. This was done in opposition to unilateral church leadership, in which a bishop or priest would have absolute authority. This form of church government provides a great system of checks and balances through which discerning spiritual leader work alongside the Pastor(s) to do the work of the church.

Presbyterian theology is Reformed, and typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God (i.e. God is in charge), the authority of the Scriptures (i.e. the Bible tells us how we ought to live), and necessity of grace through faith in Christ (i.e. we cannot save ourselves on our power or merit).

The 9:00 service is our INFORMAL worship gathering. People start showing up at about quarter to 9 to grab a cup of coffee and connect with one another. We sit around tables in the fellowship hall and drink our coffee, while people come dressed more casually. The atmosphere of the service is very relaxed, organic, and intimate. The music in the Informal service is led by the praise band and includes more contemporary praise songs. We spend a good chunk of time in community prayer led by the pastor, with the congregation sharing prayer concerns. We also have communion following the sermon every week in this service.

The 11:00 service is our TRADITIONAL worship gathering in the Sanctuary. This service features classic church music led by our organist, pianist and choir, with the congregation singing along using the hymnal. The sanctuary has pews and the pastor(s) and choir wear robes (except in summer!) It’s a traditional worship offering that is very familiar to many who have attended church in the past. The sanctuary is always beautifully decorated and has stained glass all over the walls, adding to the sanctity of this space. We have communion on the 1st Sunday of every month in this service.