Welcome!  Thanks for visiting!  We hope you find what you are looking for.  Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to get you started.

Q: My religious background is fairly limited.  Will I feel comfortable in your church?

A:  We are all seeking a deeper understanding of  our lives and our spiritual needs. God’s teachings and love are available to all who seek him, and we respect that each of us is traveling a personal path that needs to be meaningful and comfortable.  Our church family includes those at many life stages as well as phases in their faith formation.  All our welcome.

Q: There seems to be a nice mix of ages at PCWS, am I right?

A: You are right. About a third of our members are under 35, a third are between 35 and 55 and the remaining third are over fifty-five.

Q:  I am seeking a contemporary worship experience.  How would you describe PCWS’ worship service?

A:  We have one worship service to assure that we continue to be one community of believers.  We’re keenly aware of the wonderful presence of children in our midst for the beginning part of the service, and always keep in mind worship that will stir the hearts of people of all ages. We strive to have  variety in our order of worship while preserving certain foundational aspects of worship including prayers of gratitude and for forgiveness, learning and reflection from the Bible and the sermons, and commitments to service and financial stewardship.  Surrounding these elements, we continue to innovate through music (choral and instrumental from many cultures and many genres), dramatic readings and performance, and dance–all directed at making the worship of God more meaningful. In addition, we have a strong commitment to an intergenerational service with people of all ages participating regularly as leaders or  in groups. Every week, we hope you’ll find a sincere, authentic expression of our prayer and praise in worship here.

Q: I’m (Lutheran, Methodist, some other Protestant religion) and my spouse is Catholic. Will we feel welcome at PCWS?

A: We hope so! Quite a few of our members have spouses who are Catholic. Either or both of you are invited to consider membership and we welcome non-member spouses in every activity of the life of the church.

Q: What’s distinctive about Presbyterianism? Aren’t all Protestant churches alike?

A:  We like to think about our common ground, and there’s a lot of it. We claim our ties to the Reformed Tradition and folks like Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Knox. We think it’s kind of cool that the majority of the signers of the US Declaration of Independence  were Presbyterian, and that’s why civic government resembles our form of church government. We’re both connectional and congregational, in that we have ties to higher governing bodies within the Presbyterian denomination, while electing our own leaders. Finally, our commitment to learning and mission is central to what it means to be Presbyterian. We think you’ll pick up on that right away!

Q:  How is your church involved with issues of social justice?

A:  Our denomination and our church have a strong commitment to mission at the local, national, and global levels.  Through our financial gifts and our volunteer efforts, we seek to address hunger, poverty, shelter, and other basic needs through a variety of channels.  Similarly, Presbyterians are committed to recognizing and honoring diversity in its many forms.  Our church is a large “tent” that embraces many views and seeks mutual appreciation and understanding.

Q: Tell me about your programs for children and youth.

A: PCWS offers a robust set of educational, social and mission activities for our children and youth throughout the year.

Preschoolers stay in worship with their parents through our “Words for Children” and then they may attend Preschool Sunday School (9:45am-10:30am).  Parents of babies and toddlers, please know that we provide childcare for infants and toddlers in our nursery during worship.

Children in Kindergarten through 6th grade stay in worship through our “Words for Children” and then they attend Sunday School from 9:45am-10:30am.  After Sunday School, children in grades K-6 can attend Activity Center where they do fun activities, crafts and games to build on that morning’s Sunday School message.

We have active groups for both Junior High (grades 6-8) and Senior High (grades 9-12) youth. Meetings and special events are held on Sunday afternoon and evenings. Please visit the Youth Section of our website for more details, calendars, and contact information.

Youth in grades 7-12 worship with their families and then go directly to Sunday School until 11:30 AM. Senior high youth meet in the youth room (Room 303) and junior high meet in Room 301.

In addition to the regular Sunday schedule, we offer special classes, activities and mission projects throughout the year for children, youth and their families.  A sampling of these activities includes our Vacation Bible School, Music and Drama Camp, Communion Preparation Class, our Advent Fair, the Bunny Brunch, mission trips and service projects, Family Camps and more.  For more information about how your family can be involved and activities targeted to your children’s ages and interests, contact our Director of Lay Ministries.

Q:  How do I plug in to PCWS activities?

A:  PCWS is a warm and welcoming family of faith and you are invited to join us for any of our educational programs, mission and service projects and social activities.  Join us for worship Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and check our calendar for other opportunities to connect during the week. All are welcome.

Q:  I’m struggling.  How can I access support?

A. PCWS makes a priority of caring for one another and for those beyond our congregation.  We have strong ties to several support groups and agencies that provide care and support for people in challenging life situations.  Please contact the church office  to be connected with one of our pastors if you have questions or concerns.

Q:  This is a beautiful church!  May I have my wedding at PCWS?

A:  Thank you and we’d be happy to talk with you about having your wedding ceremony at PCWS.  Please contact the church office with your request and to learn more.

Q:  We just moved to the area and would like to have our baby baptized.  We’re not yet members of PCWS.  Can we do our baptism at PCWS?

A:  Congratulations!  A new baby and a new home!  Please contact the church office  to learn more and we can answer your specific questions.

Did we miss anything?  We look forward to seeing you in worship and hope you will contact us with any questions.