The Shape of Our Worship
Each Sunday, we gather to listen for God’s Word and respond together. Our worship follows a familiar pattern of Scripture, song, prayer, silence, proclamation, and Communion. These practices are more than parts of a service; they are ways of attending to God’s presence and growing in communion with God, one another, the wider creation, and ourselves.
What follows is a description of the shape of our worship and why these practices matter to us.
Opening Song
As we gather for worship, we listen to a song that introduces themes from the day’s Scripture readings. The music marks our transition from conversation and fellowship to a shared time of worship, inviting us to become attentive to what God may be saying to us. You can find these and other songs from our gatherings in our annual worship playlist.
Welcome
At the heart of our Sunday gathering is a welcome, because we believe “welcome” is God’s word to us and, therefore, our word to one another. Our welcome reminds us why we gather: for worship and communion—with God, one another, the wider creation, and ourselves. We are made for communion, and our gathering seeks to embody and make space for it.
Scripture
Each Sunday we read four passages from the Revised Common Lectionary: a Psalm, an Old Testament passage, a New Testament passage, and a Gospel passage. The lectionary connects us with Christians around the world and keeps us from choosing only the passages we wish to hear. Instead, we receive Scripture as a gift. After the Old and New Testament readings, we “discern the Word” together, sharing aloud words, phrases, and themes through which we hear God speaking to us.
Artwork
We display a contemporary or classic work of art each Sunday connected to the day’s Scripture readings. Introduced during the welcome, it remains on display throughout the service, complementing the words we speak, read, and sing. The artwork invites us to encounter the day’s themes through beauty and imagination. You can explore past selections and reflections in our Art in Worship archive.
Silence
We observe three moments of silence during worship. The first follows the welcome, inviting us to become still and attentive to God. The second follows the sermon, giving us space to receive and reflect on what we have heard. The third accompanies the Lord’s Supper, as we receive the bread and cup. The first two silences last about a minute; during Communion, Adoramus te Christe (“Christ, We Do All Adore You”) plays quietly.
Songs
We sing throughout our gathering because singing is a fundamental expression of human praise. We begin with the “Doxology,” praising the God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Most of our singing is a cappella, in four-part harmony, led by a worship team. This practice reflects our heritage, though we occasionally sing with instrumental accompaniment.
Prayer
In one sense, our entire gathering is prayer. We also have three dedicated times of prayer. First, a different member of the congregation each week leads us in a shared prayer of confession, followed by prayers for our world, nation, city, church, and parish. During our parish prayers, everyone is invited to share praises and prayer requests aloud. Second, we pray together the Lord’s Prayer, taught by Jesus to his disciples. Third, we offer a prayer of thanksgiving during the Lord’s Supper.
Read our Prayer of Confession
in your compassion forgive us our sins; we confess our failures to live up to our highest ideals
and our complicity in the struggles of this world, through actions of our own
and those completed on our behalf, sins known and unknown
things done and left undone; uphold us by your Spirit, we pray,
that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Read the Lord’s Prayer
hallowed be Your name;
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Proclamation
Most Sundays include a sermon of about 20 minutes, inviting us to reflect on the Word God speaks through Scripture. During the sermon, younger children may participate in Jr. Worship, an age-appropriate gathering led by one of our adult members.
The Lord’s Supper
Each Sunday we share the Lord’s Supper, also called Communion or Eucharist. Everyone is welcome at the table—members and visitors, young and old, professed Christians or otherwise. A member of the congregation offers a brief meditation and prayer, after which our Shepherds (church elders) serve the bread and cup. We receive these gifts in a spirit of gratitude, silence, and contemplation.
Family Life
After sharing the Lord’s Supper, we make time for family life announcements. Together we celebrate, share news, and recognize the ways God is at work among us and throughout our community.
Benediction
We close each Sunday gathering with a blessing from one of our Shepherds. Drawing together themes from the day, they send us out with words of hope and peace from Romans 15:13 and 15:33.