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 Welcome to the First Presbyterian Church here in Vernon, Texas. Our prayer is that in our worship together that all will be both comforted and challenged by the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. Together, we intend to glorify and enjoy God today and forever. To visitors, our style of worship may seem unfamiliar. Perhaps the hymns we sing or the liturgy we share may be new to you. We hope that this information provided here will enhance your time with us. Our worship can best be described as Scriptural, Reformed and Ecumenical. Scriptural Scripture shapes and forms every worship service at First Presbyterian Church. Often the words of the praise, the prayers, and the hymns come directly from Bible. The central act of our worship is the reading of the Scriptures and the preaching of the Word. Even the flow of worship itself comes from the Scriptures. In Isaiah 6, we find a pattern of worship. First, we enter God’s presence with praise. Realizing the greatness of God and our unworthiness, we confess our sin. God offers us forgiveness, and then God speaks the Word to us. Finally, we respond, personally and corporately, to God’s Word. Reformed Our worship is informed by the insights of Church Reformers such as John Calvin, John Knox, and their heirs. Already we have discussed the need for worship to be shaped and formed according to the Scriptures. This was a central teaching of the Reformation. Moreover, worship must be Christ-centered. We are baptized in the name of Jesus, we pray in the name of Jesus, and we find our hope alone in Jesus Christ. Likewise, a word that dominates our understanding of worship is grace--a gift that is unmerited. Our worship is initiated by God in the Holy Spirit. Praying (Rom 8:15), preaching (1 Cor 12:8), and singing (Eph 5:19) are all spiritual gifts of grace. Finally, the result of our worship must be changed lives. Rather than creating images of God for worship, we are to be the image of God in the world. Ecumenical The word “ecumenical” has its origin in the Greek word “oikos” meaning household. We believe that all who proclaim the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are part of the same household of faith. As a result, we are comfortable with the traditions of other Christians. We recognize the contributions of different cultures, different denominations, and different times. The words of our liturgy may reflect the world-wide faith of other Christians. Our music may include hymns both ancient and modern. We are part of the Christian community, and our worship must witness that the body of Christ is not divided. |
