Worship
We want you to feel welcome, not overwhelmed.
Sunday Morning Worship at 9:30
In-person and online
In addition to gathering for in-person worship on Sunday at 9:30, we will also continue to livestream the service via Zoom and Facebook. The online service will be followed by Virtual Coffee Hour at 10:30 a.m., with breakout rooms for Children’s Fellowship and Adult Small Group around 10:45 a.m. The invitation and link appear below.
Meeting ID: 84356449795
Passcode: 074921
Worship at the New Ark UCC
We are a caring, diverse and exploring community of faith.
We seek to nurture and give expression to this spirit in many and diverse ways including our times of corporate worship and the way we worship through our everyday and actions.
As God is all-embracing, we are an “Open and Affirming” congregation that welcomes all worshippers regardless of age, race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or physical or mental challenges. In worship, we strive to use inclusive language and to be intergenerational.
We are a Just Peace congregation. Taking care of the earth is also important to us, so we are an Earthwise congregation and Energy Stewards.
We provide faith formation education for all age groups. Learning >
Worship doesn’t just take place on Sunday morning in the building or online. We also worship by how we live our faith. In actively practicing our faith, we use our resources and talents to aid and assist those in need in our local community and to seek social justice wherever we see opportunities do so. We also commit resources to wider ministries, thus providing stewardship to much broader communities.
We strive to encourage and maintain an atmosphere of worship that allows a theologically liberal and diverse congregation to come together to develop and follow independent paths to spiritual growth. Thus we are theologically alive and well, but non-creedal.
We encourage congregation members to give expression to their faith through participation in worship planning with the pastor.
Music Ministry at the New Ark
At the New Ark we strive to make music an integral part of the worship plan for each service, choosing music that speaks to the message each Sunday. Music is used as a way to move the Sunday morning experience through the different aspects of the worship service. We believe that the voice of the choir is an important musical communicator of meaning in worship that can’t quite be matched by instruments—piano, organ or other—alone. Occasionally, instrumentalists from the congregation or the community add to the service.
We are fortunate to have our choir and congregation supported on a regular basis by a piano student from the UD Music School. By policy and practice we consciously resist ways of using the choir as a performance in the service. Two symbolic practices support this philosophy: the choir is usually placed and sings from the back of the congregation rather than up front, and there are no robes to set the choir members apart from the rest of the congregation.
Typically, the choir sings a rather short introduction to worship (the Introit) as a centering and preparation for worship, a short meditation response after the Prayers of the People and Lord’s Prayer, and an Anthem during receipt of the offering.
Although the choir though small (18 or so is about the maximum), we’re fortunate that our singers have vocal quality and proficiency in learning and preparing music. We rehearse one hour prior to the service each Sunday with an occasional one-hour Sunday afternoon rehearsal to prepare ahead. There is room in every voice part for additional singers, and we welcome short-term and intermittent commitment to the choir for those who can’t be regulars.
Childcare
Childcare is provided from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. during the worship service, Fellowship Hour, and adult and youth Christian Education, so that adults may attend any or all of these events. Childcare is also provided from 8:30-9:30 a.m. during choir practice for the children of choir members.
There are two children’s rooms located right off the main fellowship hall next to the Sanctuary.
We have an infant/toddler room for ages 0 to 3 years. Early in the worship service, there is a Children’s Time which gives children 4-8 years of age an opportunity to experience a portion of the service. They can then go into the Kinderkirk room for play and structured activities.
Our Sunday School program is offered for preschool-aged children through adults from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Please note: There is no Sunday School during the summer months.
For Persons with Disabilities
There are large print copies of the bulletin and hymns available from the greeters at the Sanctuary doors. Just let the greeters know what you need.
We have wheelchairs available in the church building for emergencies. If one is needed, please ask for assistance. Handicapped parking spaces are available in front of the church.