Worship Life at First Presbyterian Church

Perhaps one of the best descriptions of Worship is “the simple pleasure of our looking at the One we love and enjoying God’s presence.”  In a Sanctuary rich with meaning and design through stained-glass, carillon, and organ pipes, First Presbyterian Church gathers to worship and praise Almighty God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. While open to new forms and styles emerging today, we cherish and embrace the rich heritage of the Presbyterian and Reformed Tradition that has shaped our faith community for the last 115 years.

In his book Good Morning Merry Sunshine, Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene chronicles his infant daughter’s first year of life. When little Amanda began crawling, he records:

"This is something I’m having trouble getting used to. I will be in bed reading a book or watching TV. And I will look down at the foot of the bed and there will be Amanda’s head staring back at me. Apparently, I’ve become one of the objects that fascinates her…. It’s so strange. After months of having to go to her, now she is choosing to come to me. I don’t know quite how to react.  All I can figure is that she likes the idea of coming in and looking at me. She doesn’t expect anything in return. I’ll return her gaze and in a few minutes she’ll decide she wants to be back in the living room and off she’ll crawl again.

Perhaps these words also serve as an appropriate illustration of our hopes for Christian Worship - “The simple pleasure of our looking at the One we love and enjoying God’s presence.”

Samuel P. Warner, Pastor