Why, When & How We Worship
Click here to see the Sunday morning schedule (adopted in Fall 2011)
- Sunday Chapel Communion Service at 8:45 a.m. 45-minute service in an intimate setting. Children may leave following the children's message to participate in a Sunday school program from 9 to 9:55 a.m., or they may remain with their parents.
- Traditional Sunday Worship at 10 a.m. Children may begin worship with their families and leave after the children's message to go to Sunday school or they may remain with their parents. Communion is celebrated the first Sunday of the month. Approximately one Sunday per month is designated as a "Family Worship" Sunday: the Sunday School children remain in worship, the children and youth choirs sing, and the service is specifically designed to be child-friendly.
- Wednesday Evening Worship at 7:30 p.m. A 30-minute contemplative service in the tradition of Taizé held in the Chapel and led by Rev. Marc Oehler. The first Wednesday of the month, this is a Wholeness and Healing Service, led by West Side's Health Ministries team. For more information, see the Wednesday Evening Worship page.
- The Saturday 5:38. An informal, family-friendly service offered on a monthly basis on the first Saturday of each month, October through June.
Live streaming video of all worship services in the Sanctuary are available on the Videostreaming page for those unable to attend worship. There is also an archive of past services so that they may be viewed at your convenience.
A recent study by the North American Mission Board and LifeWay Research found that 67% of Americans say a personal invitation from a family member would be effective in getting them to visit a church. A personal invitation from a friend or neighbor would effectively reach 63%. Just knowing that many of our friends, neighbors, and family are ready for an invitation, please extend a personal invitation to our next Saturday 5:25 p.m. service. The congregation, friends, and family are invited to any and all parts of the evening:
Opportunities to Participate in Worship
During the opening hymn, a small group processes into the Sanctuary with the symbols of our faith: the Cross, the Bible, Communion elements, and water for the Baptismal Font. This is a way for our entire church family to have the opportunity to participate in the service. We need four or five people each Sunday to serve in this way. You could be a family, a small group, a committee, or a circle of friends. All are welcome! But you do need to be able to get to church about 20 minutes early, so we can help you get ready. Don't be shy about asking to be put on the list! Just contact Cheryl Mensing to schedule a Sunday that works for you, or drop a note in the offering plate indicating the Sunday you would like to participate.
What's Presbyterian Worship Like?
The order of Sunday worship service in a Presbyterian church is determined by the pastor and the Session, the church's governing body. It generally includes prayer, music, Bible reading, and a sermon based upon Scripture. The Sacraments, a time of personal response/offering, and a sharing of community concerns are also parts of worship.
The constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) suggests that worship be ordered in terms of five major actions centered in the word of God: gathering around the Word, proclaiming the Word, responding to the Word, and bearing and following the Word into the world.
Sunday Mornings
Click here for the Sunday morning schedule [pdf]
Sunday morning worship at West Side begins with an "invitation"—we are invited into the congregational group to hear the word of God. We start by praising God in word and song, then by confessing our sins to him. We hear a scripture reading, usually one from the Old Testament and one from the New, then a sermon based on those readings. Afterwards we make an offering based on our acceptance of that message and pray and sing our thanks to God. Then we are "sent out" into the world to live what we have just learned and practiced.