Neighborhood Church services are at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. every Sunday in the Sanctuary between September and July.
In July and August, there is one service at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday in the Sanctuary.
Worship at Neighborhood Church draws upon many faith traditions from around the world. There is recognition of a variety of holidays from Christmas to Beltane. Sunday services have roots in Judeo-Christian traditions, and include congregational singing, choral music, and inspirational words from the ministers. Sermon topics range from life's big questions to current events. The hope is to inspire poeple to lead lives of greater service, integrity, and joy.
ArtsMusic and the arts are very important to worship services at Neighborhood Church. Our choir performs songs that are relevant and uplifting. The bell choir also provides regular performances that complement the choral and organ music. There are occasionally guest performers such as jazz musicians, African drummers, and spatialized electronic music synthesizers. Visually, there are a few services a year held in the round or feature tapestries to provide a special feel to the service.
Order of ServiceThe Order of Service (OOS) serves as a guide to Sunday's service. It also provides a place for the congregation to share joys and sorrows, altar flower dedication messages, and brief announcements about events that day or in the near future. Ushers hand out hymnals and Orders of Service as you enter the Sanctuary. While people are welcome to take the OOS with them after the service, we ask that they return the preprinted cover with their hymnal to the ushers after the service so that we may reuse them. Large print Orders of Service and Hymnals are available upon request.
Below are some descriptions of some staples of services at Neighborhood Church:
- Ringing the Bowl or Chime
- Prelude and Postlude
- Anthems
- Hymns
- Offertory
This sound signals the start of the worship service. Rev. Dr. Jim Nelson begins with a poem and rings a singing bowl to create a meditative space.
The music that begins and ends the service are usually organ pieces played by our Music Director, Stephen Grimm.
The Neighborhood Church Choir stands to sing these pieces, which often keep with the sermon themes.
The congregation stands together and sings hymns, both traditional and modern, from the Unitarian Universalist Hymnal "Singing the Living Tradition." The Hymnal also contains readings from various world religious and spiritual traditions.
During the offertory music, ushers pass collection plates through the rows. Visitors and those new to Neighborhood Church are considered guests and are therefore urged to let the plate pass them by. Members and friends of the Church are welcome to be as generous as they are able.