Worship has been described as "the primary work of the congregation." It is certainly critical in the life and ministry of the church. Worship is the one activity that involves the entire congregation. It is our primary contact with our community. When people are looking for a church they start by attending worship. And often it is worship that becomes the deciding factor in determining whether or not a person will continue a relationship with a church. Most people consider worship to be the primary motivation and encouragement for the life of faith.
At First Presbyterian worship is a vibrant blend of worship styles, music, the dramatic and visual arts, and participatory engagement of the congregation. Our aim is to capture the energy and spiritual quality of contemporary worship while embracing the richness of traditional worship.
Worship design and content are highly regarded at First Presbyterian. Staff resources are devoted to the careful planning of each service. We began 2025 with the annual worship theme: “Rooted in Faith, Growing in Grace”. A monthly theme is selected to support that theme. Recent themes include:
A Message From Pastor RJ Leek
06/19/26
Holy: The Word That Defines Our Worship
Holy is the word Scripture uses when human language stretches to describe the God we worship. To say God is holy is to say he is utterly set apart — pure, different from all that is common or defiled, perfect in love, justice, and mercy. In worship we are not coming before a vague spiritual force, but before "the Holy One," the God of whom it is said, "There is no one holy like the Lord."
Because God is holy, worship can never be casual entertainment or mere religious habit. Psalm 96:9 calls us, "Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth," and Psalm 99:5 says, "Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!" Holiness gives worship its weight; it is the "beauty" that makes his presence both attractive and awe-inspiring. When we glimpse his holiness, like Isaiah we recognize our sin and cry out for cleansing, and like the heavenly creatures we find ourselves saying, "Holy, holy, holy," in wonder and surrender.
In Christ, this holy God has drawn near. By his blood we are made "holy and acceptable to God," called to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, which is our spiritual worship. To worship the holy God, then, is to bring him more than songs; it is to offer a set-apart life — repenting of sin, trusting his mercy, obeying his Word, and adoring his Name. As you gather with God's people, ask him to renew in you both reverent fear and glad confidence, that your worship would reflect the beauty of his holiness and the holiness of the life he is shaping in you.
Life’s Jabbok moments—fears, failures, thresholds—invite us to wrestle honestly with God. Confess your old name. Cling through the night. God wounds to heal, disables to empower trust. In weakness, we receive the blessing of new identity in Christ, who wrestled death for us. Will you hold on until dawn?