Unprogrammed worship — (9:30am)
We gather in the worship center, sitting together in a circle. The Friend leading unprogrammed worship will have a quote or Scripture verse to help us center—something for us to think about as we invite God to lead our thoughts and speak to us.
During this time of extended silence, we are invited to become attentive to the presence of Christ in our midst. In the silence, we open ourselves to God and let God guide our thoughts. As a participant, you may spend the whole time "centered" in silence; or as you listen, the Spirit may direct you to share what you have received, whether it be a song, prayer, or spoken message. Usually, 45 minutes is set aside for this time of quiet.
At the end of that time, the leader may ask, "Are all hearts clear?" ("Does anyone have something they need to share?") He or she then shakes the hand of the person on either side, and they in turn shake the hands of the people next to them.
We often voice prayer requests and pray for each other before departing.
Programmed worship — (10:45am)
Our programmed worship is similar to many other protestant churches, with time for announcements, singing, and a message. The message may come from a pastor or another member of the congregation.
One distinctive is that we incorporate "open worship," which is a shortened version of unprogrammed worship. During this time of open worship, we encourage you to listen to God, and share aloud with us if God is urging you to do so. Open worship may last only a few minutes, or longer if the Spirit prompts a message or messages to arise from the silence.
Children in worship —
We always welcome children in our worship services, and even have paper and crayons if they like. After our time of singing, we dismiss children (preschool – 5th grade) to their classes. Children are welcome to remain in the sanctuary if their parents prefer.
