Sharing stories

Read stories from congregations

• Taking cues from Calvin
  Submitted by Stephen Williams, First Presbyterian Church, Savannah, Georgia
• Easter renewal of baptism
  Submitted by Greg Bostrom, Co-Pastor, Wildwood Presbyterian Church, Grayslake, Illinois
• Face to Face around the Table
  Submitted by Jim Caprell, First Presbyterian Church in Simpsonville, S.C.
• When do you say the Words of Institution?
  There are three options for the Words of Institution in the eucharistic liturgy of the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship: at the Invitation to the Lord's Table, during the Great Thanksgiving and at the Breaking of the Bread. Several Presbyterian pastors share their practices.
• Speech and action in the Eucharist
  Submitted by Rebecca Prichard, Pastor of Tustin Presbyterian Church, Tustin, California and Adjunct Professor of Theology and Worship at SFTS/So Cal
• Weekly and monthly communion
  Submitted by Marty Shelton-Jenck, Pastor/Head of Staff at Community of Grace Presbyterian in Sandy, Utah
• Family business at the family table
  Submitted by The Rev. David Roquemore, pastor at the Camp Hill Presbyterian Church in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
• A tangible reminder of baptism
  Submitted by the Rev. Becky Balestri Killion, pastor at Underwood Hills Church in Omaha, Nebraska
• In Jesus' name we are loved and we are forgiven
  Submitted by the Rev. Kennedy McGowan, First Church in Hollywood, Florida
• The font is always open
  Submitted by the Rev. Paul H. Lang of Peace Presbyterian Church in Winterville, North Carolina
• Seek fullness of life for all
  Submitted by the Rev. Bruce Gillette, Limestone Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, Delaware
• In the way of the world
  Submitted by Forrest Krummel, First Federated Church, Peoria, Illinois
• Words of welcome from the font
  Submitted by Ken Evers-Hood, Tualatin Presbyterian Church, Tualatin, Oregon.
• Reflecting the 'eighth day' of Creation
  Submitted by Alan Barthel, executive director of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians
• Water from the rock
  Submitted by Alan Barthel, executive director of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians
• Move towards weekly communion
  Submitted by Dave Lewis, pastor, United Presbyterian Church of Shawnee, Oklahoma
• An audible sign of God's grace
  Submitted by Raymond Meester, pastor, Heritage Presbyterian Church, Lincoln, Nebraska
• Give the assurance of pardon from the font
  Submitted by Christina Berry, pastor, Faith Presbyterian Church, Silver Lake, Minnesota
• Involve the congregation after baptism
  Submitted by Ralph Hawkins, pastor, Altavista Presbyterian Church, Altavista, Virginia
• Celebrating eucharist more often
  Submitted by Pat Berger, pastor, Covenant  Presbyterian Church, Gresham, Oregon
• Lead prayers of confession from the font
  Submitted by David Roquemore, pastor, The Camp Hill Presbyterian Church, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
• Confirmation class at Faith Presbyterian Church, Louisville, Kentucky
  Submitted by Keri Shelton, Louisville Seminary senior
• Seeking the open arms of Christ
  Submitted by Darcy Metcalfe, youth director, Calvary Presbyterian Church, Logansport, Indiana
• Now we’re more about Christ
  Submitted by the Rev. Heidi Worthen Gamble, minister member of Pacific Presbytery, Culver City, California

Tell your story

Tell us your story so that we might share it with other congregations who could benefit from your experience.

• What has your congregation discovered through living out these practices?
• Have you engaged your children or youth in an interesting way?
• How has your awareness of baptism deepened and changed?
• How have you used Invitation to Christ in your church — with your session, with your confirmation class, at retreats?
• What difference have the font and table made in your church’s worship?  In your life of discipleship?

Please send your story by email to David Gambrell at david.gambrell@pcusa.org. Each contributor agrees to permit the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to publish or otherwise use his or her story. Selected stories will appear in edited form on the Invitation to Christ Web site. Please include the following in your contribution:

• Contributor’s contact information
• Church name, address, phone number and email and Web address if available

Share your photos

Share photographs of your worship space — including the arrangement of font, table and pulpit — by joining the Font and Table flickr group. Through this online photo gallery of liturgical space we hope you'll find inspiration and ideas for the arrangement of your own place of worship. We also plan to draw on this repository of images in future issues of the Invitation to Christ e-newsletter.

Note: You must be a flickr member to join the group. Find out how to sign up. Once you have a flickr account and are a member of the group you may add photos, view other photos and comment on them.