Sunday Worship Service

Olivet’s worship service is traditional, comfortable, and inspiring. We are a family church and truly believe there are no strangers in God’s house.

At about 9:45 AM, smiles, handshakes, and visiting take place in the vestibule and sanctuary. Our service starts at 10:00 AM.

Our service format varies slightly from week to week to accommodate special events such as Baptism, Dedication, Communion, or special musical presentation.

June through September, weather permitting, our worship service will take place in the picnic shelter at normal time. Sunday School will follow as usual. Attire is casual and bring a lawn chair!

However, in general, our service goes as follows:

Our pianist, Eloise, prepares us for worship with a beautiful version of her choice.

Prelude

Welcome and sharing of news

• We are a family here at Olivet, and everyone is welcome. Before the formal service starts, any news or announcements that didn’t make it into the bulletin are mentioned now.

Call to Worship

Invocation and Lord’s Prayer

• The invocation is a brief, welcoming prayer followed by a congregational recitation of the Lord’s Prayer.

Hymn of Praise

• After the Lord’s Prayer, we stand and sing our opening hymn. Lee selects hymns each week which highlight the central message of the week’s sermon. Our hymns are selected from one of two hymnals.

Apostles’ Creed

• Printed in the bulletin

Gloria Patri

• After the Assurance of Pardon, our congregation sings the words to Gloria Patri:

“Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.”

Choir Anthem/Quiet Meditation

• A brief musical interlude lasting a couple of minutes giving us time to privately reflect and prepare ourselves for today’s Word.

Old Testament Reading

• Lee’s choice of an Old Testament passage

Pastoral Prayer and Choral Response

• Prayer with a quiet time to pray silently and reflect

Tithes and Offerings

• Church elders travel down the isles to collect tithes and offerings while Eloise plays hymns and the choir sings.

• Your gifts allow Olivet to continue to do God’s work of spreading His message.

Doxology and Prayer of Dedication

Hymn of Preparation

• We stand and sing a hymn preparing our hearts for the sermon.

Gospel Reading

• Each week, Lee will read selected passages that set the theme for today’s sermon. Lee reads from the NIV Bible Version.

Sermon

• Lee’s sermon always supports the chosen scripture reading and the message while being down-to-earth with bits of history, personal experience, and biblical wisdom. 

Hymn of Response

• We stand and sing our closing hymn.

Benediction

• Lee gives us our closing prayer.

Congregational Response

• As Lee leaves the pulpit to move to the vestibule, we sing our response to the Benediction:

“Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia”

Postlude

• Our pianist will play another beautiful selection as we leave the sanctuary. If you like, please take this opportunity to meet Lee, who will be in the vestibule during this time. When the service is over, look for a friendly face and introduce yourself. We love meeting new people.