Sunday Worship at First United Methodist
First United Methodist Church enjoys a wonderful and varied life of worship, incorporating three services with their own distinct worship styles. Ranging from high liturgical to very contemporary, First Methodist offers a worship style, liturgy and music that most people feel is right for their own personal spiritual journey.
The 8:45 Traditional Service takes place in our chapel, and the music and hymns are led using the newly installed Virginia Lea Ferebee Memorial Organ installed in 2009, which also serves as the antiphonal division for the sanctuary organ. While the style of worship is traditional, it is a very intimate and personal service usually consisting of no more than 70-80 congregants. Instrumental and vocal soloists provide special music for the chapel service. The service usually concludes with the congregation joining hands and sharing in a benediction, showing love and support of one another, and unity of purpose in proclaiming the good news of Christ to the world.
The 9:00 Contemporary Service takes place in the fellowship hall. This contemporary worship experience was originally designed as an outreach to young people who may not have a lot of experience in a traditional church setting, or may not find that traditional worship meets their needs for an emotional or personal connection to Christ and His Word. This service is led by a very talented worship leader, and a group of dedicated and talented instrumentalists and singers who lead worship each week in an energetic and unique way. During the 9:00 service we use the latest technologies and music to present Christ and His love in a very contemporary setting.
The 11:00 Traditional Service takes place in our sanctuary. The clergy, choir, instrumental and vocal soloists, children’s choir, and occasionally our church orchestra and adult handbells lead hymns, liturgies, anthems and other acts of worship. The hymns and service music are led using our 1996 Goulding and Wood pipe organ, as well as other instruments. We consider our 11:00 service “high” worship, which means that our robed choir processes with our robed clergy each week led by the crucifer. Anthems and hymns follow the liturgical season and are generally based on one or more of the scriptures from the lectionary reading for that Sunday. Twice yearly, a major choral work is presented by our choir with orchestra, and quite often in services instruments are used to enhance the anthem or special music.
A nursery is provided for infants and children under 5 during all three worship services.
