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
04/10/26
FAITH & EVIDENCE • FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH LEESBURG
The Shroud of Turin: Physical Evidence for the Resurrection?
Based on the research of Dr. Jeremiah Johnston, Christian Thinkers Society
Dr. Jeremiah Johnston was a skeptic of the Shroud of Turin — so much so that he wrote a bestselling book on the resurrection without mentioning it. That changed when he encountered the scientific evidence firsthand. He now calls it “the only artifact outside the Bible that gives evidence to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus — all in one object.” Here is a summary of the evidence he presents:
An Image Science Cannot Explain
• The image is a 0.2-micron discoloration of surface fibers only — no paint, dye, or pigment of any kind.
• Physicists calculate replicating it would require 34,000 billion watts of energy in 12 billionths of a second. The full-body image remains impossible to reproduce.
• 102 scientists across 102 disciplines have concluded it is not man-made.
Wounds That Match the Gospel Accounts
• Nail wounds are through the wrists, not palms — unknown to medieval artists but confirmed by modern crucifixion forensics.
• Roman scourge marks, a spear wound, and crown-of-thorns injuries are all present and anatomically precise.
• Dirt on the nose, knees, and feet matches the geology of Jerusalem's stone streets.
Blood, Pollen, and the Sudarium of Oviedo
• The blood is real human blood — Type AB, Semitic in origin.
• The Sudarium of Oviedo (the face cloth of John 20:6–7) shares 120 matching bloodstain patterns and the same AB blood type.
• Pollen spores on the cloth are native to Jerusalem, not medieval Europe.
The Shroud will never replace faith — Scripture remains our authority. But for those who long for an anchor in the physical world, it offers a remarkable possibility: that God left a visible mark on history at the moment of the resurrection. “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile.” — 1 Corinthians 15:17
First Presbyterian Church of Leesburg • Leesburg, Florida
Embrace mercy: receive it fully, extend it boldly. In a harsh world, your merciful act echoes the empty tomb—life from death, dust to glory. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" (Matthew 5:7).[1]