Worship Services at First Presbyterian
Learn more about our Sunday Services and Order of Worship
After a long break, First Presbyterian’s early service started again August 21, 2022 in the Chapel at 8:45 am. Centered on simplicity, diverse music, and the sacrament of Communion, this service offers an intimate and welcoming atmosphere no matter whether you are new to faith or a long time disciple of Christ. For any questions, email Pastors Mark Curtis at mcurtis@fpcknox.org or Meredith Loftis at meredith@fpcknox.org.
The 11:00 worship service in the sanctuary follows reformed worship practices. Our worship challenges the congregation to actively participate and not rely on pastors and choir to provide a spiritual experience. For visitors or new members, however, the “script” of worship, the bulletin, can seem confusing. Below is a brief explanation of the purpose of each portion of our worship to help all who join us to be prepared to enter into God’s presence.
Childcare:
There is a Nursery, for Twos, Toddlers, and Infants, and Children’s Church, for four and five year olds, Kindergartners, and First Graders. To learn more about children’s ministries, click here.
The Order of Worship
Even with a bulletin, following the order of worship can be difficult. Each part, however, is designed to help worshippers commune with God.
Call to Worship
The call to worship is normally a responsive opening to the service, where a leader, normally one of the pastors, calls the members of God’s community to prepare to worship the living God.
Hymn of Praise
The hymn of praise comes first in the service, reminding worshippers of their greatest calling, to glorify God. No matter what trials life possesses, we know that God is always with us, and we praise God for that.
Prayer of Confession
Even though we praise God for God’s amazing power and love, we know that we fall short of the glory of God and must confess our sins. We do this through the communal prayer of confession. The reason we read together is that we must recognize that we all sin and we all need God’s grace and forgiveness.
Assurance of Pardon and Response
After the confession, we are assured by the pastor that nothing we do in life can separate us from the love of Christ, for Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us. Those who profess their belief in Jesus Christ are forgiven. In response to this, the congregation sings “Glory be to God.”
Passing of the Peace
As forgiven people, we then greet our neighbors with the “Peace of Christ.”
Proclamation of the Word
The first scripture passage, normally from the Old Testament, is read by a member of the congregation. Since, as members of the reformed church, we proclaim that all people are ministers, they should all be allowed to publicly read the Word of God.
Special Time with Children
After the scripture reading, one of the ministers shares a message with the children, generally First grade, Kindergarten, Four year olds, and Three year olds, on the steps before dismissing them to Children’s Church. Second graders and older children worship with the congregation in “Big Church”. This part of the service reminds us of the importance of children to our congregation and reminds us that we promised at baptism to raise them in the faith.
Usually an anthem follows the children’s time, displaying how the Holy Spirit moves not only through the reading of the word but through the singing about it as well. The New Testament lesson,then, is read by the pastor.
Sermon
The sermon, also part of the proclamation of the Word, follows the second scripture reading. It is said that the best sermons “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”
Response
Following the sermon, the congregation joins together in an affirmation of what they believe, often using creeds of the Presybterian Church. They then join together in a song of response.
Prayer
The church then joins together in a time of prayer. This includes prayers for upcoming church events, members who are ill, missions around the world, and all God’s children wherever they are. This culminates in the people saying the Lord’s Prayer aloud, the prayer our Lord Jesus taught his disciples to pray.
Dedication
After the prayers, the members take time to note their presence in worship by signing the friendship pad. This is also used to show changes in personal information and to convey prayer requests. That is followed by the offering ritual. This task, while practical, is also a spiritual experience. Through the giving of our money, we also may remember that we dedicate our time and our gifts to the Lord as well.
This is followed by the Doxology, which praises God for the gifts God gives us. The congregation then joins in one final hymn.
After the hymn, the ministers give a charge to the congregation to take what they have heard and learned out into a broken and fearful world. They also offer a benediction, asking that God’s peace be with all of the people present as they go out to work for Christ in the world.
Thank you for exploring Presbyterian worship with us, and we look forward to you joining our community of faith whether in a single visit for for a lifetime of discipleship!
Worship Service Information
We understand that God, most importantly, calls us to glorify God and enjoy our Lord forever. We accomplish this through the act of worship. Each week we gather to praise our creator, to confess our sins, to rejoice in God’s grace, to hear His word read and proclaimed, and to respond as faithful people of God who go out to share the Good News with others.
As a part of the reformed church, we recognize the centrality that worship should have in our Christian life. We also profess that this cannot be done alone but requires all members of the body to come together. Choir, ministers, and congregation join together in the drama of worship, remembering that in worship, we are the performers while God is the audience. Each week we bring only our best in offering to our Lord.
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated every week in the Chapel Worship and on the first Sunday of even-numbered months (six times during the calendar year) and at selected special occasions in the Sanctuary Worship. Communion is open to all believers who profess a belief in Jesus Christ and is administered by the pastors and elders (men and women called by God to be spiritual leaders) of the congregation.
Special Worship Services are scheduled over the course of the Church liturgical year. These include an evening Ash Wednesday service at the beginning of Lent, the Maundy Thursday Service of Tenebrae, an evening service each Wednesday during Advent, and two services on Christmas Eve: an early evening service for children and families and the traditional candlelight communion service at 11:00 p.m.
Music is an integral part of worship at First Presbyterian Church. The Chancel Choir leads the congregation in the singing of hymns and proclaims in song the Word of God through anthems chosen primarily from the traditional/classical repertoire. Music is chosen specifically to illumine the scripture passages for each week often taken from the Common Lectionary (readings posted above on this page). The music of worship furthers the prayer life of the church as well as helping us meet our Lord.
Worship Opportunities for Children
Please click the above link to read about the many opportunities for children to worship at First Presbyterian Church.