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
10/11/26
The Light Still Shines
Darkness has a way of making us believe God has stepped away. The diagnosis arrives, the job disappears, the prayer goes unanswered, and we conclude that nothing good could be happening. But Scripture tells a different story. John writes that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5). The darkness is real, but it never wins.
Consider Joseph. Sold by his brothers, falsely accused, forgotten in prison, he spent years where God's hand was nowhere to be seen. Yet years later he could say to those same brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20). God had not been absent. He had been working under the surface, weaving even betrayal into rescue.
The ultimate example is the cross. At Calvary the sky went black, and every earthly power believed it had buried the Son of God. Yet in that very darkness, God was accomplishing the redemption of the world. What looked like defeat was victory in disguise.
That is the promise of Romans 8:28: God works all things together for the good of those who love him. Not that all things are good, but that nothing is wasted. The darkness may hide his work from our eyes, but it cannot stop it.
So when you cannot see what God is doing, trust the One who does. He is faithful in the shadows, patient in the waiting, and powerful in the places where we feel weakest.
Prayer: Lord, when the night is long, teach us to trust that you are still at work. Amen.