Your First Visit
Sunday Worship Service is at 10:00 a.m. The service lasts approximately one hour. The prelude music, which begins about 10 minutes before the service, is intended to help worshippers prayerfully prepare for worship. We have greeters who will welcome you and give you a bulletin for the service. Please feel free to ask them any questions you may have.
The bulletin you receive as you enter the worship spaces will tell you what to expect. Some parts of our worship are participatory, and worshippers stand at times. These times are indicated in the bulletin so you may follow along easily. To help you feel more at ease, the following is a typical outline of our service.
Welcome and Announcements: At this time we welcome visitors and make announcements about congregational concerns.
Children's Chat: (typically those ages 3 — 10) are invited to come forward to the steps in the front of the church. If your children are hesitant to come forward, feel free to come with them. During this portion of the service the biblical story for the day is told to the children in language they are able to understand, and a connection is made for the children between the story and their lives. At the end of this gathering, the pastor will end with a prayer. At this time children under the age of 5 may go to the "Nursery" area for a time of guided play. Older children are invited to return to their seats in the sanctuary.
Passing the Peace: The congregation shares with one another words of peace, saying together:
Leader: The peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
There is time here also for the congregation to greet those around you with appropriate words and gestures.
The Lord's Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy 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.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Presentation of Gifts, Tithes and Offerings: The presentation of offerings in the Presbyterian tradition is seen as an act of grateful response to God. Visitors should not feel obligated to contribute.
Offertory Hymn: This song is an offering of praise sung by the whole congregation. This music can vary from week to week, but the words are printed in the bulletin if it cannot be found in the hymnal.
Saying What We Believe: The congregation is given an opportunity to say together a portion of what we believe. The text for this segment is typically taken from one of the creeds, or widely accepted statements of faith, of the church.
COMMUNION
Communion is served on the first Sunday of each month and all who are baptized believers, regardless of age or denominational affiliation, are invited to participate.
JOINING THE CHURCH
Christ Presbyterian Church gladly welcomes all candidates for membership. If you are interested in joining the church, you may indicate this in the Guest Book and someone will call you; or you may contact the pastor following the service, or through the church office anytime. Whether you are already a member of the Presbyterian denomination, coming from another denomination, just moving to Cortland, or new to church life altogether – you are warmly invited to become a part of the Christ Presbyterian family of faith!
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