Worship and Music
Worship is central to the life of Forked River Presbyterian Church. As a PC(USA) church, we worship in a style that would be familiar to those who have worshipped in a Presbyterian or Reformed church in the past and would be similar to those who have attended other traditions like Methodist, UCC, or Lutheran churches with some differences. Our worship is traditionally Presbyterian with the elements of worship listed below.
We love music at FRPC and are grateful that our choir can gather once again and we can sing together at church. Our bell choir has also resumed to enhance our worship. We missed them very much during the COVID season.
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Our choir rehearses in the Sanctuary on Thursdays at 6:30 pm and the bell choir rehearses in the Sanctuary on Wednesdays at 7 pm during the regular season, which runs from September to June. All who would like to join in these ministries are welcome.
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We currently offer our worship services via lifestream on our Facebook page.
What Happens in our Worship
The below description was written in 2019 and reflected worship as we did it before COVID. Things have been a bit more flexible in recent years as we have navigated these strange times, but this is still a good description generally of worship at FRPC.
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Christian Worship at Forked River Presbyterian
​The following is an example of a typical Sunday worship liturgy with explanations:
Gathering Around the Word (Our Humble Preparation) ​Worship begins with God. God takes the initiative in calling us to be part of the body of Christ. We answer this call as we gather today for worship, prayer and praise. Our attitude is reverent and our goal is to prepare ourselves to experience God’s presence in our midst.
Prelude ​Music is played before we begin worship as a time to listen, pray, and prepare for worshipping God together. We have not had a Prelude most of the time since we returned to in-person worship in October of 2020.
Welcome and Announcements is ​the time we share what is going on in the life of the church during the week and in the months ahead.
Call to Worship ​Words are spoken, proclaiming who God is and what God has done. We are reminded that our worship centers in God and not ourselves, and remember why we are here.
The Children’s Time ​A worship leader or Christian Educator presents a message designed specifically for the younger children in worship. It usually relates to the Bible story but is sometimes about a relevant topic that is not directly a part of the Bible story. During the pandemic we have not done Children's Time in our in-person services, the children gather from the beginning in our Hall building for their class.
Opening Hymn ​The congregation sings a song together. Singing together binds us together, offers prayer to God, and gives us a chance to reflect on the words of the song and how they relate to the day’s worship service. We are not singing together right now and until the pandemic concludes.
Prayer of Confession ​We are invited to confess the reality of sin in our private as well as our common lives. Confession, or acknowledging that we fall short of God’s standards, is the first step toward claiming the forgiveness that is ours in Christ.
Words of Forgiveness ​Having confessed our sins, we are assured of God’s forgiving grace declared in the name of Christ. We accept God’s forgiveness, confident that God’s power in Jesus Christ is stronger than the power of sin. During Covid we have had this refrain by The Many:
There is mercy enough
There is grace enough
There is love enough
For all of us.
It is sung as our reminder that God's forgiveness is always available and it is there for everyone.
Scripture Lessons ​The stories in the Bible are how we know about God and about how God relates to us as people. We trust in God’s Spirit to make us receptive to the life-giving, life-changing Word, which comes through the Bible and in Jesus Christ.
Sermon ​The Bible story is explored in a new way by the pastor or leader(s) who preach the sermon. The sermon helps us connect the scripture to our lives.
Affirmation of Faith ​We express our faith by a creed or an affirmation which declares the faith tradition of the whole church, the faith into which we were baptized. We most often say the Apostle's Creed at FRPC, but will sometimes use other passages from our Book of Confessions or from the Bible to affirm our faith together.
Hymn When we are able we sing a second hymn together.
Anthem ​A song sung by a choir or soloist or played on instruments. The choir or musicians sing or play something that relates to the themes of worship and give us a different way to hear and experience the presence of God.
Prayers of the People and The Lord’s Prayer ​The pastor prays with the congregation for its own life and ministry, for worldwide and local concerns, and for all those in need​. The prayer concludes with everyone saying the Lord's Prayer together.
Offering ​In response to God’s love in Christ we offer our lives, our gifts, our material goods and our money for God’s service.
Prayer of Dedication ​The gifts are dedicated to God’s work in the world through prayer.
Closing Hymn When it is possible, we sing a final song.
Blessing and Sending Since God's blessings are with us always, the pastor offers those blessings and sends us into the world to do God's work, renewed by being together as a community and offering our praise to God.
Words for Worship
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
The Apostle's Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
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Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.
