We Are Glad You Are Here

Plan a Visit
Whether you are a life-long Presbyterian, or you haven’t stepped foot in a church in years, you will find our doors wide open to you. We love to make room for more at our tables and in our pews.

Here are a few things most people want to know before they visit a new church:

“How formal are you?”
Our sanctuary and chapel are fairly traditional, and yes, formal, but the people inside of it span the spectrum, which we like. If you are comfortable in it, whether it is jeans or a business suit, you will see other people here dressed like you. We’re just glad that you are here.

While we wouldn’t call the worship services themselves formal, they do follow a consistent pattern, or liturgy, from week to week in both the chapel service and the 11:00 service in the sanctuary. We come into God’s presence with prayers and singing, we hear God’s Word to us (including a time for Young Disciples in the 11:00 service and in the chapel when children are present) in scripture and a thoughtful, relevant message, and we respond to God’s word by praying for each other and God’s world, and committing ourselves and our gifts to God. We enjoy music from around the globe and across the centuries; in the chapel service our singing is accompanied by the piano. In the sanctuary our music is led by both our adult choir and a group of our gifted youth and is accompanied by our pipe organ or piano. In fact, you will see our children and youth participating in leading worship frequently; including them in every aspect of the church’s life is important to us.

“What do you have for our children?”
Lots. We have a fantastic nursery for your littlest ones that is staffed by caring, attentive, trained workers. Our children’s Sunday School classes are taught by folks who will tell you that this is the highlight of their week. And we love having children in worship, and aren’t the slightest bit bothered by a little noise and squirming. We’ve all been there. At the front of the sanctuary you will find a basket of activity bags to keep little hands and minds busy learning more about the scripture we are hearing that morning.

“What about my tweens and teens?”
This is the age when kids begin to make their parents’ faith their own and learn how to follow in Jesus’ footsteps in the midst of all of the craziness and pressures they encounter in Middle and High School. We recognize that our youth are impacted as much by the relationships forged with caring adults in the congregation as they are with their lessons they are taught, so our Sunday School classes, Middle and High school fellowship, confirmation, mission trips and all other activities are designed to engage those interactions. You will also see our youth actively involved in leadership roles around the church as worship leaders, youth elders, children’s program staff, committee members and more. We value their voice, perspective, and gifts.

“The church looks huge; will I be able to find my way around when I visit?”
You shouldn’t have any problem. Like the other churches on Church Circle our parking lot and main entrance are in back of the church, just off West Charlemont Ave. On Sunday morning all doors off the parking lot are open. During weekdays, the doors under the breezeway are open, as well as the doors by the Children’s Center.

The foyer is where you will find coffee and homemade cookies, the restrooms, visitors’ packets, and friendly people who would be happy to help you find just the right Sunday School class or nursery. Signs will lead you to the sanctuary doors, which some people are surprised to find are at the front of the congregation, not the back. The chapel is at the end of the hallway to the left.