Sunday Morning Worship
September - June*:
8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Traditional service
11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Traditional service - featuring MPC choirs and "Time with Children" Bible lesson. Nursery care for infants is available, as is "Extended Time with Children" (ETC) for preschoolers who may not be able to sit through an entire service.
June, July and August:
10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Worship
8:30 - 9:30 a.m. outdoor service offered on the first Sunday of the month only, weather permitting.
How We Worship
Ours is a friendly congregation and conversation fills the sanctuary prior to each service until we hear the Westminster Chimes calling us to center and prepare ourselves for worship. A musical Voluntary then follows before a worship leader calls us to worship and praise God.
After we sing an opening hymn, we join our voices together in a prayer of confession to remind us that none of us is without sin. The Confession is typically led by a lay member, who then joyfully leads us as we shout out the goods news that forgiveness is ours through the grace of God in Jesus Christ. We then greet one another with the peace of Christ.
The pastor extends a welcome to the all, reminding long time member and first time visitor alike that we are in "God's House and there are no strangers here; all are welcome." We then share announcements about all the many activities that take place in our busy congregation.
After we share announcements we may have something special planned, such at the Administration of the Sacrament of Baptism, the Ordination & Installation of New Officers, Welcoming New Members, or Commissioning different groups to special service.
The Time with Children is a particularly joyful moment in worship as the pastor, an elder, or perhaps even our high school youth, help our youngest Christians learn about the love God graces them with through Jesus Christ.
Worship is at the heart of all we do, and the sermon is the heart of each worship service. Sermons are grounded in biblical text and we expect our preachers to challenge us, enlighten us, teach us, and transform us through the Word preached.
We are a praying congregation, and our Prayers of the People are also Prayers by the People, as we pray for one another and for needs throughout the world.
We typically celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper on the first Sunday of each month, alternating between serving by pew and having the people come forward for intinction. We remind worshipers that the invitation to the Table comes from our Lord himself and all are welcome.
We conclude our worship service with a hymn, followed by a benediction, all joining hands together, a reminder that we are the body of Christ, called to go out and serve joyfully in the name of Jesus Christ.
Hymns used in worship are drawn from many different resources to allow us to sing hymns from other denominations, peoples, cultures, and times.
You can see the most recent worship bulletin by clicking on this link: Bulletins
Updated 6.3.19