The First Presbyterian Church in Pitman is excited to announce our return to indoor worship on April 18th! We are beginning Phase One of our reopening plan, which involves indoor worship using strict protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Masks and safe distancing will be mandatory, but we have resumed congregational singing in the sanctuary.
Worshippers will be required to wear facemasks at all times and will be spaced sitting in every other pew and 6 feet apart. Groups from the same household who attend together may sit together.
Congregants will be directed to their seats by ushers when they arrive and dismissed by groups in order to prevent bottlenecks.
Sunday School will not be in session at this time and children who attend worship will remain in the sanctuary with their families. Children’s programs and single-use packets of crayons will be provided for the little ones.
Collection plates will not be passed during the offering but will be placed at the entrance to the sanctuary. Online giving is also encouraged and can be activated here.
We will provide hand sanitizer at key places in the building for people to use and provide cleaning supplies in restrooms for individuals to clean after use.
Our worship services will continue to be streamed online for those who are uncomfortable or unable to attend in-person worship.
Services
Worship at First Presbyterian Church calls us into relationship with God and our neighbor. In worship we hear and are nourished by the Word of God, and we respond with our gifts, sacraments, and mission work.
Sunday worship begins with the prelude, a time for us to rest in the stillness of God and prepare ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit. After the prelude, we get ready for the Word of God in praise, communal confession, prayer, and music. Then we share the peace of Christ with our neighbors. After the Peace, we read Scripture together and hear a message of hope from God. Following the sermon, we proclaim our faith and offer prayers for each other and for our world, concluding with the Lord’s prayer. We usually close our services together with song, but at this time we will be signing our concluding benediction to each other.
Music
Music is an integral part of every worship service. We believe that music is a gift from God. Our vision for music is that the congregation can join together to “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm 96:1). Realizing that we are all called to make a joyful noise, we encourage congregational singing and participation for all ages and ability levels.
Parking
We offer limited handicapped parking in the rear of the building, and there is an elevator located near the rear entrance for handicapped access. Otherwise, there is ample street parking in the area around the church.