Worship
Sunday Mornings
Worship is the center of our life together as a community of faith. We gather each Sunday morning in our beautiful Sanctuary to praise God in music and song, to hear God’s Word in scripture and proclamation, to offer ourselves and our gifts to God, and to pray for our needs and the needs of the world. Worship services at Overbrook are rooted in liturgical tradition, as we gather around the symbols of water and word, bread and cup. We strive to worship in a way that extends hospitality, allows room for mystery, and engages both mind and spirit alike. We observe the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, with special services on Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, and during Holy Week.
Sermons
Proclamation of the Word of God is an important part of worship. Preaching at Overbrook generally follows the Revised Common Lectionary, a three-year cycle of readings which is now used by most mainline denominations. We value thoughtful, imaginative sermons that invite us into the Scriptures, and help us to understand our stories in light of God’s Story.
Sacraments
Presbyterians observe two sacraments. Communion is usually celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, and on major feast days such as Easter and Christmas Eve. At Overbrook, all God’s people are welcome to the table, where we are nourished with the bread of life. Baptism is a sign of our incorporation into God’s family. Baptisms are celebrated several times a year during the Sunday morning service. Please contact the church if you are interested in having your child baptized.
Services of Healing and Wholeness
Services of Healing and Wholeness are offered several times each year. These include extended times of silent prayer, and the opportunity for people to come forward and kneel to receive an anointing with oil, and the laying on of hands by our ministers and deacons. This is an ancient practice, going back to the days of the New Testament, and is a powerful way of praying for and with one another.
Children and Youth in Worship
Worship is for all of God’s people, so children of any age are always welcome in the worship service. Children and youth participate in the service in a variety of ways. Older children and youth serve each week as acolytes, lighting the candles at the beginning of the service. Each Sunday, there is a “Time with Children” during the service, when children are invited to sit on the chancel steps for a short lesson led by the Director of Christian Education or Pastor. The Overbrook Junior Choir sings in the worship service about once a month during the school year. Throughout the year, special services and events are held for children and youth, such as Confirmation in the Spring, a youth-led service in the summer, a “Children’s Sabbath” in the fall, and a Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve. Special worship kits are also available each week at the entrance to the Sanctuary, to help children better engage in worship.
Childcare
If children become restless during the service, childcare for infants and toddlers is provided each week in the Nursery, located on the main floor near the front entrance to the Sanctuary. The Nursery is supervised by a staff of paid caregivers and volunteers.
Accessibility
Our Sanctuary is fully accessible to those in wheelchairs. Large-print bulletins are available to those who need them. Gluten-free communion wafers are also available as an option when Communion is celebrated. Please ask one of the ushers if you need any special accommodations.
