Visitors

You—yes, you—are welcome here.

Because we follow Christ, absolutely everyone is welcome. We don’t assume or presume you to be Christian; we only hope to follow Christ’s example of welcome and love to all. In our culture, there’s a lot of public misuse of Christian and religious language. We hope that won’t discourage you from joining us.

You don’t need to know anything before you visit—simply come and join us. If you would like to know more in advance of visiting, you’ll find information below on our beliefs, our Worship Style, our Children’s Ministries, our Accessibility Information, and where to find Additional Assistance once you’re here!

We also encourage you to fill out the sidebar to the right to receive a personal welcome from a member.

You say “everyone is welcome,” but am I really welcome here?

Emphatically Yes.

No matter who you are or what you carry with you through the door, we want to welcome you as we ourselves have felt welcomed. We strive to serve all people, including you, with Christ-like love, humility, and integrity.

We strive to provide a safe place

We advocate for all who worship with us to have a safe and welcoming place to worship. This includes all genders, races, sexual orientations, lifestyles, and backgrounds. Westminster is a place where we hope people can be free from fear. 

We warmly and emphatically welcome members of the LGBTQ community, many of whom are longtime members at Westminster. If you’d like to know the scriptural and theological reasons behind our affirmation of LGBTQ members, you can read “A Visible Sign of New Humanity” which affirms God’s love for all and the welcome for all to participate in church leadership.

Where to find us

Find information about location and parking on our Contact Us page!

We'd Love to
Welcome You!

We would love to be able to greet you, show you around, and be available to answer any questions. Fill out the form below to schedule your visit with us!

Westminster began in 1861 as new church development by the Grand Valley Presbytery. Twenty-five members from the First Presbyterian Church on the other side of the river were our founders.

What if I’m not sure what I believe?

You have doubts or uncertainty about faith? So do we. Questioning and skepticism are welcome here. We believe that doubt is part of having faith. You don’t have to believe everything—or anything—we talk about and teach to be part of Westminster.

So do you take the Bible or faith seriously?

Absolutely. We see the Bible as proof of God’s love for us and the inspired Word of God. Westminster takes Scripture, theology, and the history of the church very seriously as we journey through difficult issues and times together. We don’t put Scripture aside when it is in conflict with our views; rather, we read, struggle, and study it through every turn, question, and doubt. 

Our style of worship

The audience of worship is God. Worship is a serene and captivating experience with a traditional structure—but it is not a performance, nor is it designed to overload or bombard you. The order of each worship service is printed in the bulletin.

Music is a foundational part of worship at Westminster. From our Sanctuary Choir and Westminster Winds ensemble to symphonic orchestras and solos, Westminster is a congregation united in praising God through music and song.

Every service at Westminster includes hymns from the purple hymnal in the pew. The numbers of these are printed in the bulletin, and you’re invited to sing along.

Learn more on our Music page!

Seating in the sanctuary pews is open, so please sit wherever you feel most comfortable! Seating is available on both the main level and in the balcony, which is accessible via stairs at the back of the Sanctuary. If you’re unable to locate a seat, an usher would be delighted to assist you.

On occasion, a few rows of pews may be marked with a braided rope; this indicates those pews are reserved. This is typically for families during baptisms, for children’s choir seating, or for other participants in worship.

Our worship services include a few minutes where we take time to greet each other. We call this time the Passing of the Peace. Although we have a few prominently used greetings, feel free to pass the peace however you feel comfortable. The point isn’t the words, but rather blessing and being blessed by each other’s company.

Passing the Peace often includes shaking hands and saying phrases like “Peace of Christ,” “Peace be with you,” or just “Peace,” to which the usual response is to repeat the saying back or to reply with “And also with you.” 

Children are welcome!

Children are an important part of our worship community! 

All children are welcome to stay through the entire worship service and worship aids are available. There are worship notebooks for third through fifth-graders and worship bags for younger children located in the Narthex on the bookshelf and in the basket. If you can’t find them, feel free to ask a greeter to help you!

For more information about education and worship for children at Westminster, see our Children’s Ministries page.

Children being read to in Sunday school

Accessibility

Westminster Presbyterian Church is a handicap accessible facility. Handicap parking spaces can be found in our parking lot. Large print hymnals and Bibles are available from the ushers. We also provide a T-coil-compatible hearing loop system in the Sanctuary; ask any usher for assistance.

Additional Assistance

If you have questions or need help during your visit, look for anybody with a name tag or stop by the greeter’s desk inside the Lobby. There is also a welcome center located in the Gathering Place where you can find additional information about the life and ministries of Westminster.