What to Expect
Overview
Our worship services are traditional in style and follow an order of worship in line with the Reformed tradition. Dress is casual. Worship is typically held on Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m, but moves to 10:00 a.m for Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Communion is served on the first Sunday of each month. Following the worship service, all are invited for coffee and fellowship in our Fellowship Hall.
All Are Welcome
We welcome all people regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, marital status, social class, ability, or religious affiliation. When we come to worship, we are gathering with other believers and entering into the presence of God.
We are blessed to have neurodiversity in our congregation, so you may see someone get up, move around, or shout out during the service. We encourage you to bring your whole selves to worship and welcome one another the way God welcomes us.
Sundays | In-Person & Streaming
Sermons
Presbyterian worship centers on the proclamation of God’s word in scripture. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the reading of scripture and preaching of a sermon is where the timeless truths of God’s word speak again into our lives today.
A sermon is a conversation between God and the church. It is designed to inspire, encourage, and invite hearers to think critically about how their faith informs who they are and how they live. In this way a sermon is an event in time intended for the community gathered together. This makes a sermon different than an essay or article in that it is meant to be heard and experienced within the context of worship.
Children in Worship
Engaging
Children of all ages are welcome in the Sanctuary for worship service, and CHPC is blessed to have many young families in our multi-generational church. Each service includes a “Time with Children,” where the minister shares a message and prayer with the children.
Children who are seven or older can serve as Acolytes (lighting the candles at the beginning of Worship) and we have numerous special services where there are opportunities for children to take an active part, including Christmas Pageants and Lenten/Advent readings.
During the school year, we also hold youth Sunday school classes and choir from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Extra, Kid-Friendly Resources
Kids Kits are available just outside the Sanctuary and contain a variety of quiet activities to keep young ones occupied. Families are welcome to grab one of these kits for use during the service and are asked to return them to their place afterward.
For families who prefer, we also have a family room that hosts fun activities and provides other support to parents during Sunday worship. This room is located on the third level of the church, with windows overlooking the Sanctuary and speakers that pipe in the service. It features not only a wide variety of toys for children, but also chairs and hymnals for anyone who still wants to listen in on the service.
Child Protection Policy
Above all, we are committed to providing a safe, secure, and nurturing environment for children participating in the activities of the church. To that end, our staff who interact with children are experienced and fully vetted according to child protection requirements of the District of Columbia.
You can access a copy of CHPC’s child protection policy here.
Special Services
Weddings, Funerals, and Memorial Services
Throughout the year, CHPC is available for weddings, funerals, and memorial services. These are generally scheduled for times other than Sunday mornings, but are still included in the worshiping life of the church. As such, all follow an order for worship where praise, prayer, and the preaching of God word are included.
We welcome inquiries from both members and non-members.
Baptisms
Both children and adults are welcome to be baptized following a meeting with the minister. Because Presbyterians believe Baptism is a sacrament by which we are claimed by God’s grace and named as God’s own, it is a public act that takes place within the Sunday morning worship service through both a personal profession of faith (or profession of faith by the parents, in the case of infant baptism) and communal promise on behalf of the church to support the baptized in their faith journey.
Volunteers Needed
Want to help out with worship on any given week(s)?
Volunteers play an active, vital role in worship, and we would be thrilled for you to consider joining in on either a one-time or recurring basis.
You can sign-up via the links below if you are interested in:
Providing AV support (no prior experience necessary!)
Welcoming all as a greeter (organized by Jennifer Newton)
Additional opportunities to get involved in the life of our church—including in choir and other Sunday programming—can also be found on our “Get Involved” page.