What Is Worship? ...
Worship engages all people as we grow in our relationship with God, with one another, and with God’s creation through the joyful and expectant act of prayer. Whether praise or petition, lament or longing, prayer in worship seeks God’s voice and movement through silence, song, sacrament, and sermon.
Why Do We Worship?
- To acknowledge that God alone is sovereign over creation
- To acknowledge that we are not God; and therefore,
- Tolisten to God’s call to us in and through our lives.
Toward that end: We gather together as a community of faith
- to give praise in all things to our God of grace in all things
- to share our confessions and petitions, our joys and concerns, with God and one another
- to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, that the commonwealth (kingdom) of God is among us
- to respond in trust to the Good News sacramentally, by reaffirming our baptisms, breaking the bread of new life, and sharing the cup of forgiveness
- to respond in trust to the Good News socially, by committing to bear it anew to God’s hurting world.
What Makes Worship Happen?
The Holy Spirit -- through the people, the space, the light, the ritual, the movement, the familiar prayers, the new prayers, the music, the silence, the sharing, the words, and the Word.
Regardless of who or where you are on life’s journey, you are always welcome to worship with us at New Hope Presbyterian Church!
More About Our Sunday Morning Worship:
As an intergenerational family of faith we welcome all ages in our worship. If you have children and wish to know more about their involvement on a Sunday morning please click here.
Following, in footsteps of the Reformed tradition we do not celebrate Communion every Sunday, but on the first Sunday of the month. Communion is celebrated at other times throughout the year and is an important part of our congregational life. Communion is most often served by intinction (coming forward and dipping the bread in the cup), and we serve grape juice instead of wine. All are welcome at are table: whether you are a long-time believer or someone struggling with your faith, you are welcome at the table of our Lord.
Music at New Hope is an important part of our worship. We enjoy raising our collective voices in praise and celebration, sometimes gleefully and sometimes more soberly making a joyful noise to the Lord. We sing traditional hymns and contemporary songs. If you are accustomed to the Presbyterian Hymnals you will find us dancing between the old ‘red’ Hymnbook, the Presbyterian Hymnal, Sing the Faith, and supplementary songs and hymns. Our choir, organ, and piano each enrich our worship experience!
Our adult choir practices weekly and sings for worship services and special occasions. They enjoy not only singing praises to God, but also leading the congregation song. At Easter and Christmas, the adult choir has performed special cantatas for the worship services and have occasionally joined with other choirs and voices in the community for special events.
As our children grow in faith it is important that they learn about worship and music. Our roving Minister of Music Ms. Shumway, often sings with them during Sunday School, and many also participate in our seasonal children’s and bell choirs.