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"God is surely with us.
How awesome is this place." (Genesis 28)
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Sunday Worship:
Contemporary Service - 8:45 a.m.
Christian Education
for all ages - 9:45 a.m.
Traditional Service - 11:00 a.m.
(Summer Schedule:
June through August
no
Christian Ed)
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Our beautiful sanctuary, dedicated to the
glory of God in April 1993, expresses the joy we have in God's unconditional love, a love
which knows no bounds. At First Church, Willoughby, we attempt to live out the first great
end of the church in the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession. "[Humanity's]
chief end is to glorify God and enjoy God forever." The sanctuary is
handicapped accessible and children are always welcome. Crib and toddler rooms for young
children are available during the worship hour, staffed by paid adults. The narthex with
its windows looking into the sanctuary is designed for parents who wish to view worship
while caring for their own infants.
Paraments:
What
are the banners in the sanctuary and why are they different colors at
times during the year? Read more ...
Shepherds:
Our
goal is to make sure that anyone considering joining our church family is
made welcome. To help accomplish this, our Deacons have instituted a
Shepherds Group to make you comfortable in your new surroundings. Read
more about this group ...
Year
of the Bible:
This
coming year will be an exciting time for our congregation.
We plan to make the Bible the theme for special emphasis during the
entire year.
Read
more about this program ...
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The Lord's Supper is celebrated the first Sunday of each
month and on special days. Each service of the sacrament of Communion is
all-inclusive with all ages welcome to share in the sacrament of love.
The Choir helps lead the congregation in worship each
Sunday, September through May. The choir rehearses weekly on Thursday evenings under the
leadership of Ginny Roedig.
Interested ... we're looking for new members.
The Handbell Choir rings for worship on special days. The
choir rehearses weekly on Sunday evenings, October through May. The choir
is
under the direction of Shanti Blatnik.
Interested ... we're looking for new members.
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Join us in Worship
First Presbyterian Church Willoughby offers two
services each Sunday, a contemporary early service and a traditional
mid-morning service, to allow you to join us at the time and in the
setting where you are most comfortable.
Contemporary Service
- 8:45 a.m:
Although centered around the pastor's sermon and relevant
scriptural readings, this service replaces other more traditional
activities with praise music, projected unto a large screen so everyone
can easily follow along. Our worship services are "Family
Friendly" and children are encouraged to join us. A children's sermon
is a part of our weekly service. If you prefer, child care is provided for
infants and toddlers. As in our traditional service, we celebrate
communion the first Sunday of every month.
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Traditional Service
- 11:00 a.m:
This service is structured in a traditional format
including participatory scripture readings and prayers. Hymn singing uses
our traditional Presbyterian hymn book. We celebrate communion the first
Sunday of every month and the elements are brought to the pews by Elders.
Our traditional worship service is also "Family Friendly" and
children are encouraged to join us. A children's sermon is a part of our
weekly service. If you prefer, child care is provided for infants and
toddlers.
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Church School 9:45 -
10:45 a.m:
First Presbyterian Church Willoughby offers a full
Sunday School program for all ages, toddler to adult. Often we have more
than one adult study to choose from. Dedicated teachers and classrooms
ensure that your time with us will be worthwhile.
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Click here to read our Brief Statement of
Faith (1991)
How
we interpret the Bible and Other Issues:
(click
here) 
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 Prayer
Request
You
may leave a prayer request on our voice mail system or via this web site. To
submit a prayer request through our voice mail system, please contact our
church office at 440-946-0070.
To
submit a prayer request via this web site, CLICK
HERE.
NOTE:
Please type "Prayer Request" in the email subject
line to ensure we address your concern promptly.
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 Coffee Fellowship
8:30 and 10:30-11:00 a.m:
The Deacons invite you to join us in the WPG
Community Room for coffee and fellowship prior to each of our services.
Coffee and "treats" are available from
8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. and from 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. every Sunday.
Your free-will offerings go to the Willoughby Food Pantry.
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 WORSHIP
IN THE WOODS
Please
look for our upcoming announcement on our Worship in the Woods schedule
for the fall 2008. We will have one outing in the spring and one in the
fall. If you missed the spring outing, don't miss the fall one. This is an
outstanding opportunity to take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the
beautiful scenery we are blessed to have in this area.
Watch the website and
your newsletter for more details as good weather finally arrives.
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SHEPHERDS – Designated Caregivers
Offering
Friendly Guidance to New Members
Choosing a new church is an important
step in an individual’s and family’s life. It is rarely taken without careful consideration of many variables.
First Presbyterian Church in Willoughby is blessed
with new members who join at regular intervals after attending orientation sessions. The first few weeks and months are critical times
for these fledgling members as they seek to find a comfortable niche in an ongoing faith
community. They know a little about us, and
unless we are church officers or in some other way active in their orientation process, we
may know next to nothing about them. The Deacon sponsored Shepherd Committee is an
attempt to make new member transition easy and pleasant. Committee Members do not have to have great amounts of information about
anything. Information can be obtained. What members do need to have is a friendly
attitude toward newcomers and a willingness to get acquainted. It is a gift that established members who are too
busy with their careers, families, or other demands to take on time consuming church
assignments, can offer. Time demands are
minimal. The first contact is apt to be
by phone, and it is possible that most shepherd/new member conversations may also. The Shepherd serves as a bridge between the
interests and/or needs of the new member unit and the congregation. The resources of the Deacon’s committee,
professional staff and other members are his or hers to utilize.
This project is one way in which members of
Willoughby Presbyterian Church can heed Christ’s admonition to “...Love one another.”
[John 13:24] It is also a practical means of
assuring that new members have a positive experience in our midst.
Please say “Yes,” if you are asked to
participate.
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 FLOWERS
FOR THE SANCTUARY
If you wish to provide flowers
for the sanctuary, you may do so in one of two ways. First, purchase
the flowers yourself and deliver them to the church prior to the 8:45 a.m.
service. Second, you can have the church office order
the flowers for you at a minimal cost of $30, $35, or $40. Payment
must be received by the Monday before the date you wish to have the
flowers in the sanctuary. In both cases, your dedication for the
flowers will be listed in the church bulletin. Any questions,
please give the office a call at 946-0070. The sign-up poster for
flowers is located on the bulletin board in the main entranceway of the
church.
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Do you notice the changing of the
colors of the paraments? What
is a parament, you ask? The paraments are the
three satin banners that stand in front of the sanctuary. One is on the communion table, one hangs from the pulpit, and the third one
hangs from the lectern.
As
God created and appointed days, he created a rhythm of time and seasons for worship.
We use the traditional liturgical colors of the
church seasons to note the significant occasions in the life of Jesus and of the people of
God. The Church has come to observe the
following days and seasons:
1.
White – signifying purity, is used
for Christmas and Easter.
2.
Purple – represents repentance,
royalty, and suffering. It is used during
Lent and Advent.
3.
Red – often used during Holy Week
to symbolize the blood of the crucified Christ. Red
symbolizes the Pentecostal fire of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost.
4.
Green – Signifies spiritual growth
and is used for those times of the year that are not in any specific season.
BET
YOU DIDN’T KNOW!
Board of Worship
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