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
06/12/26
In the shadowed hours beside the Jabbok River, Jacob—alone, fearful of his approaching brother Esau—wrestled not merely with a man, but with God Himself (Genesis 32:22-32). Most readers see a dramatic nighttime struggle, but deeper layers reveal profound transformation.
The Hebrew wordplay is striking and often missed: Jacob (Yaʿaqov, "heel-grabber" or "supplanter"), the Jabbok River (Yabbok), and the rare verb for "wrestle" (yeʾaveq) echo one another, painting Jacob as one whose very life has been a river of striving. His name carried the weight of deception—grasping blessings through cunning rather than trust. Yet at Peniel ("face of God"), he confronts his past. When asked his name, Jacob confesses it aloud: the cheater, the over-reached. This admission opens the door to grace.
The mysterious opponent—described as a "man," yet later identified by Jacob as God (and in Hosea 12 as an angel)—touches Jacob’s hip socket, wrenching it. This was no random injury. In ancient Near Eastern thought, the hip/groin symbolized generative power and fruitfulness. God disables Jacob’s self-reliance in the very place he produced his own "blessings," forcing dependence. Dawn breaks, and Jacob clings: "I will not let you go unless you bless me." He prevails not by strength, but by persistent faith. His new name, Israel, likely means "God strives" or "he struggles with God"—a shift from deceiver to covenant bearer.
Jacob limped away, forever marked, yet blessed and renamed. He had seen God face to face and lived. This encounter pivots his story: no longer the lone schemer, but the father of a nation forged through divine struggle.
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?