We are Called...to Worship
The membership of Manassas Presbyterian Church (MPC) is wonderfully diverse in religious background but we share a common desire to worship, learn, serve, and grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Worship is at the heart of all we do. Our services blend tradition with the contemporary to keep worship fresh, lively, and joyful.
Our pastor is our worship leader, but worship is something we do together as the body of Christ, with many participants: our Minister of Music, the different choirs, lay liturgists, our youth, even our youngest children – we learn together as we worship together.
Our services are grounded in both the Living Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Written Word as it comes to us through the Bible. Sermons are grounded in biblical text and we look to the preached word to challenge us as well as teach us. Our extraordinary music ministry enlivens worship with music that helps us to lift our voices in praise and prayer to God.
Our worship space provides a flexible, comfortable layout and has, even for the size of the space, a sense of intimacy. While the chairs are configured in standard rows, we reconfigure them on occasion to provide different worship experiences. For our Service of Wholeness, for example, we set chairs in circles of 12 to provide a very different and intimate worship experience.
Lovely stained glass windows from the original church building, built shortly after the Civil War, have been incorporated into the sanctuary and narthex. The bell in the tower, which rings every Sunday morning, was ceremoniously conveyed from the old building back in 1977 when the current church building was constructed.
The chancel area is open and configurable for traditional worship, liturgical dance, or special musical offerings. A Steinway grand piano and a sophisticated electronic organ flank the choir lofts, which accommodate singers, handbell ringers, and other instrumentalists who provide musical accompaniment for worship each Sunday.
Reminders of the two sacraments we observe in the Presbyterian Church are present in the Baptismal Font and the Lord's Table. To the right of the pulpit stands the Christ Candle, a reminder that our Lord is the Light of the World.
The Apostle Paul instructs us to "teach one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" and the Psalms call us repeatedly to sing and make a joyful noise to the Lord. Music is integral to worship and we are blessed with an extraordinary music program here at MPC.
Musical participation builds community within the church and beyond. The offerings of the children's choirs are integrated regularly into worship, and the adult choir is present weekly September - June. Music is carefully chosen to enhance the scriptures, sermon theme and liturgical season.
We sing from the PCUSA Hymnal, Glory to God, which is a rich blend of traditional and contemporary hhymns, including hymns from the global church.
Worship is Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m. from September - May. Starting in June and through Labor Day weekend, Sunday worship is 10:00 a.m. Nursery care for newborns - age 2 and Children's Church for ages 3 - 5 are provided during Sunday worship.
We celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper monthly, generally on the first Sunday of the month. All baptized Christians are invited to the Table.
Holidays are opportunities for special worship and special events within worship. For example,
- Ash Wednesday evening service ushers in the season of Lent and culminates with the imposition of ashes.
- The Maundy Thursday service offers us the opportunity to remember Jesus' last meal with his disciples and walk with Jesus to the Cross.
- Easter morning worship often includes fluttering of brightly-colored ribbons, "alleluia wands."
- Christmas Eve worship is a 7:00 p.m. Candlelight and Communion Service.
We invite you to worship with us! We think you'll find our services joyous, welcoming, renewing, and most important, spiritually rich and nourishing. Come join us!