First Presbyterian Church of Oregon City

What are services like?
The Lord Jesus Christ invites everyone to worship; and with that same spirit so do we! Still, coming into a new building and seeing people you may have never met may make you wonder what to wear or what you will experience here. So this is meant to help you out and be an encouragement for you… What should you wear to church? Wear whatever you like. There is a variety of fashions in all age groups, so be yourself! God looks at the inside, not the outside; and so do we. Park out front in the parking lot or along Williams Street. There are several spaces for guests or those needing special access nearest the main church entrance. Please feel free to park there. Worship begins @ 10 AM and concludes @ 11:30 AM. Coming in the front doors you will be greeted by someone who will provide you with a worship bulletin and answer any questions you may have. A welcome desk is located right in front of you as well. We have a free welcome gift for you there to take home and enjoy. If you have children who are still in diapers we do have a nursery. Ask the welcome desk for directions and they will help you find your way. They will enjoy a safe, clean and loving atmosphere in Christ while you are in worship. A parent will be given a silent pager too so that no matter where you are in the building you can be reached if needed. Children will not be released until their parent signs them out. There is no assigned seating during worship so please sit anywhere you wish. There are Bibles available in front of you and we publish page numbers so you can find the Scripture readings if you aren’t familiar with them. We begin by welcoming everyone, and providing a few minutes to move about and introduce ourselves or say hello again. It’s a happy and joyful time! If you are shy, do not worry. The other shy people in the church enjoy it too and you will not be overwhelmed. Then, to celebrate and enjoy the Lord in worship we are led in music by our praise team. Instrumentation varies a bit each week, but you can expect piano, drums, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, and sometimes flute, synthesizer, and violin as well. The words will be on the overhead screen and are easy to read. A children’s message for children up through 6th grade follows. Parents are welcome to come up too when we gather at the front! Afterwards the same group is invited to Sunday school until worship is finished. You are free to go with your children for a while to help them get settled and to meet their teachers. Offering plates will then be passed from side to side through the congregation. You are not expected to give anything unless the Lord prompts you to. You are our guest so relax! Remember it’s not the amount given, but the joy and love for Jesus in your heart that matters to God. After the offering the pastor will share a relevant and biblically based sermon. A sermon outline will be in your bulletin so you can review it again later in the week. Sermons vary from a series covering a book in Scripture to various topics. In every case, the good news of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be professed and celebrated with joy. If it is the first Sunday of the month we will be celebrating communion (you may know it as Eucharist, the Lord’s Table, the Lord’s Supper) together. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is invited to take communion. We come forward row by row down the center aisle, receive the bread, dip it into the cup, eat it and return to our seats around the outer aisles. It’s easier than you might think and very meaningful. Worship typically concludes with either a traditional hymn with organ or piano, or a set of praise songs followed by the Lord’s Prayer (words are provided) and a pastoral blessing. Our fellowship hall is a short walk down the hallway where we provide coffee, cookies and juice. It’s a great place to relax and get to know folks if you wish. We hope you will join us there! We hope this is helpful to you. If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you! In Christ, Pastor Bruce

What is the community like?
Really warm and friendly. Multigenerational. Over 20 children will come forward during the children's message. We see about 2-3 babies born each year. We also have a healthy and active senior population who don't let the moss grow under their feet!

What if I'm not a Christian?
We've all been where you are at now! You'll find you are very welcome here. We have an ALPHA course each year that is a great venue to ask questions and be yourself with no pressure. Worship is very relevant and biblically rooted too; a great place for discernment and thoughtful reflection. The pastor is here too to help you via email or personal conversation. We invite you to come!