Worship at the United Church
Sunday Worship Begins at 10:00 a.m. (9:30 a.m. in the summer months)
Sunday Worship
Worship is when we gather together, as a community of believers and explorers, to hear God speaking to us today. Worship reminds us that God is in charge, not us. We gather both in person and online. Wherever we are, we trust that God is with us through:
the prayers we offer
the music we sing, sign, play and hear
the visual arts of stained glass, flowers, fabric, wood, pottery and architecture
Scripture and reflection
The Sacraments or Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’ s Supper
Stories of service and struggle.
We draw on tradition and experience to strengthen our understanding of how we love God and our neighbors. We are then sent into the world, blessed to be God’s hands and feet in our communities.
We worship at 10:00 a.m. from the Sunday after Labor Day through the third Sunday in June, and at 9:30 a.m. in the summer months. We are led in worship by musicians, liturgists, and the pastor. Our welcoming service is supported by the Worship and Spiritual Life Committee and by those who usher, care for the building, and serve as greeters.
Children are always welcome in worship and activity kits are available for them at each entrance to the sanctuary and we run monthly experiences for young people concurrently with worship. Parents of energetic children have the option of listening to the service in Beard Lounge, adjacent to the sanctuary.
Communion
Baptists and Presbyterians both recognize Holy Communion, also known as the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper, as a sign of God’s love for the world and as a way to offer our thanks in return. Communion reminds us that we are one community, part of the created world, made by a loving God. At UCF, the Lord’s table is open to all who seek Him.
We gather together on the first Sunday of every month to share bread and juice. These simple foods were customarily used by Jews, and thus by Jesus and his disciples, whenever they gathered for a meal. Bread and juice symbolize Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, the bread of life and the cup of salvation, the covenant promise of God’s love. As we gather at the communion table and share this heavenly feast, we remember Jesus’ gathering that Passover evening and our own gatherings around tables with family and friends.
Fellowship
Sunday worship services are usually followed by a time of fellowship. We gather as friends and family to share each other’s lives and joys, as well as a good cup of coffee and tasty treats from the gifted chefs and bakers among us. Visitors are warmly welcomed to join fellowship so we can spend time getting to know each other in an informal setting.
Baptism and Dedication
Reflective of our heritage in both the American Baptist Churches USA and the Presbyterian Church USA, we practice both infant baptism and confirmation as well as dedication and believer’s baptism. We have available means to offer baptism by sprinkling or immersion.
Baptisms, dedications, and confirmations are celebrated in services of public worship and are scheduled by the Pastor with the concurrence of the Board. If you or someone in your household is interested in being baptized or dedicated, please contact the Pastor.
