Our Worship
Sunday worship services begin at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. in the summer) and last about one hour. Our style is traditional, but we try not to be too formal.
We use The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration, which, as Charles Swindoll states in the foreword, "maintains the continuity of history by including the hymns G
od’s people have sung for centuries. But there is also a variety in that more recent songs of praise have been included, giving a balanced blend of music.”
The choir, directed by Harley Streiff and accompanied by organist Cynthia Lewis, sings an anthem and other pieces which provide an alternation between the spoken and sung parts of the service.
Rev. Johnston preaches for 15 to 20 minutes in a way that is both faithful to the Bible and relevant to the modern world. His purpose in every message is to be helpful and encouraging to men and women, boys and girls, as they trust in Jesus Christ and endeavor to honor him with their lives.
Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. The congregation remains seated in the pews while the Deacons distribute the bread and grape juice. Our communion table is open to all confirmed children and baptized adults.
On the first Sunday of each month, during the time of the offering, a second plate is passed. This collection goes into our Deacon’s Fund. The money in the Deacon’s Fund is disbursed at the discretion of the Consistory and is used exclusively to help people in need.
Children are in the sanctuary during the first part of the worship service, after which Liz Johnston, Rev. Johnston’s wife, takes them next door into the schoolhouse building, where they learn Bible stories, sing, and play games, all related to the lesson of the day. Having the children in the sanctuary for the beginning of the worship service does two things: It lets them know that they are an important part of the church family and it gets them used to being in church – a habit that we hope will last a lifetime.
