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Common Ground Worship - 8:30am
8:30 am Sundays - FRIENDSHIP HAll (Labor Day to Father's Day)
Worship inside our beautifully renovated Friendship Hall. This service is casual in nature, and families are encouraged to attend.
This service will also be available to watch through our livestream service. Click here to access the livestream.
Celebration Service - 10:00 AM
10:00 am - Sanctuary Service (Labor Day to Father's Day)
The service features a message, community building, and a creative variety of music. Children and youth will begin the morning in worship before they are dismissed to Sunday morning gatherings.
The service will be available to watch through our livestream service. Click here to access the livestream.
Baptism
Baptism is the Sacrament in which God seals persons in the covenant of God’s love and grace, fully shown in Jesus Christ. Those baptized are joined to Christ and become members of his Body, the Church. In the Reformed tradition, we baptize infants, children, and adults. If the child is too young to make a statement of faith on their own, then their parent(s) stand and make that statement for them. Because through baptism the child becomes a member of the church and, as part of the liturgy, the congregation stands and makes a covenantal pledge to help the parents raise the child in the faith, it is expected that the parents are actively participating in our church or another church. The meaning of baptism in the Reformed tradition is explained at below link.
Marriage Ceremonies
The sanctuary of the First Reformed Church provides a beautiful space in which to be married. Christian marriage is a covenant made by two persons before God and human witnesses in a service of public worship. Your marriage ceremony will seal your life together, not only legally, but also as partners who seek to live from and manifest the grace and love of God. Our pastor can officiate at your wedding and meet with you to prepare you for marriage through conversation and counseling. One of our Wedding Coordinators can work with you to plan your wedding service. If you wish to have another member of the clergy either share in or officiate the service, you can arrange this as well. Proof of Christian ordination from a church or denominational body must be provided.
Service Sunday
Once a year, we offer a 20 minutes communion service, then send out our members and friends of all ages and abilities to work on one of nearly 20 service projects, some on our campus and some out in the community and surrounding area. Giving, serving and loving others makes a substantial difference in our church, community and throughout the area.
Labyrinth Walks
Have you resolved to cultivate more peace and mindfulness in your life? Come experience the calm and clarity that can be found with a walk on the labyrinth. Enter a quiet, tranquil setting imbued with flickering candlelight and soothing sounds. Gently follow the unfolding path. Find peace, healing, self-awareness, direction. . . .Come. Feel. Be.
Healing Services
If you are seeking healing and hope in your own life or in the life of someone you deeply care for, this service offers you a chance to find that deep spiritual connection. Through anointing oil and prayers, the pastor will listen to your concerns and then, guided by the Spirit, pray for your needs.
First Communion
Before a child receives communion for the very first time, we encourage them to participate in a couple of classes where they learn about the meaning of the sacrament. Then, one Sunday in the Spring each year, we take time in the worship service to bring them all forward and the pastor gives their first communion. This typically happens around the 8 - 10 years old, but there are always some children older or younger than that. The meaning of communion in the Reformed tradition is explained in this link:
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Confirmation Sundays
For youth who were baptized as infants or as young children, we offer confirmation classes. In those classes, youth learn about the church, the sacraments, and a belief structure. It offers them the opportunity to wonder, ask questions, and consider if they are ready to make the Christian faith their own. Then, at the end of the classes and in worship they would make a public declaration of their faith. It is the tradition of our church that youth do this around their Sophomore year of High School. The meaning of confirmation in the Reformed tradition is explained in this link below:
Funeral Services
In times of grief, individuals and family need a compassionate guide to help them prepare a service that honors their loved one. We have several clergy who are associated with our church who can lead a funeral or memorial service. This could take place in our Sanctuary, Grace Chapel, or in the Cemetery for a Graveside service. It is always our goal to honor the family’s requests and celebrate the life of the person, while also addressing what we know about life after life.