Worship Style
We fall within the tradition of historic, Reformed worship. We follow the regulative principle of worship, which means that we believe God reveals how to worship him in his Word. The only elements we include in worship are those we are commanded to observe in Scripture. Our music is primarily older hymns and psalms set to more contemporary arrangements. We typically have an acoustic guitar, keyboard, some kind of percussion, and a vocalist or two. Much of our worship music can be found at Indelible Grace.
Dress
At University Pres, you will find a real mix of clothing styles in worship. Some will wear suits or dresses, while others will wear t-shirts and shorts. Overall, we lean a little bit casual and would encourage you to come as you are.
Children
We believe in what is commonly referred to as family-integrated or covenant worship. Following what we see in the Bible (Joshua 8:35, Joel 2:15-16, Ephesians 6:1, Mark 10:14), we encourage children to be present and participate in worship at an early age. If you want more information you can look at our document on covenant worship here, talk to Pastor Wright, or contact us if you have questions. We do offer a nursery with volunteers who have undergone background checks and MinistrySafe training for children 0 to 2 years old on the east side of the parish hall. We also provide children's bulletins to help our children focus in worship. These usually include an activity designed to teach children to start listening to the sermon.
Giving
We believe that giving is an element of worship. The Bible tells us that everything we have is ultimately the Lord's (Psalm 24:1) and encourages us to give generously and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:6-7) and sacrificially (Mark 12:41-44). Although many numerical percentages have been suggested based on all of the various Old Testament offerings, we suggest that giving 10% of your income to the church is a healthy place to start.
Fellowship After Worship
We encourage you to join us in the parish hall after worship for coffee, snacks, and fellowship. This is a great time to get to know more people at UPC.