ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
Glorify and enjoy God, reflect Christ,
love and serve others through
the power and guidance of
the Holy Spirit.
OUR COMMUNITY
Bringing people of all backgrounds together. Our church family is made up of parents, career-driven individuals and middle-aged adults, retirees, and an abundance of children.
OUR CHURCH
Located in Central Arkansas, about an hour outside of Little Rock, FPC Malvern has a rich history in the community for over 140 years.
UNDERSTANDING OUR
WORSHIP SERVICE
Our worship is of the Reformed Tradition in the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. In this tradition, we emphasize doctrines such as: God's love and unmerited grace and favor. We believe God's ultimate plan and purpose for humans is to know and enjoy God. We affirm that God is ultimately sovereign, although human free will allows suffering in our world. Our overriding assumption is that God is always at work redeeming and transforming our lives and the world around
In our Bulletin: Bold-faced type words that are not titles, are typically words the congregation speak together.
The Invites you to stand in body or spirit.
We welcome children in the service, recalling Jesus’ words: “Let the little children come to me.” There is nursery care available, if you prefer, for those up to Kindergarten age.
1. PRELUDE
The prelude is transitional space. We come from noisy and turbulent lives and need to prepare out hearts and minds for worship—being fully attentive to God and to one another.
2. CALL TO WORSHIP
The Call to Worship is often based off scripture, usually from the Psalms. God’s voice and out response gather us in communal worship with joy and gratitude.
3. MUSIC
Music is a form of prayer. As we sing hymns or worship songs, we engage in a theological task of speaking to, about, and for God. The words we sing matter as does the posture of our hearts as we sing.
4. CONFESSION
Confession is an essential part of the Reformed Tradition. We are all in need of God’s mercy and constantly invite God’s reforming Spirit into our lives. Our prayers of confession are prayed corporately because we recognize that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace.
5. ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Even as we confess, we are constantly reminded of God’s love and forgiveness—which is not earned but freely given by God. The minister’s words can remind us of the truth that in Jesus Christ’s death, on behalf of our sins, we have peace, forgiveness of sins, and the right relationship with God.
6. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
We pray for many reasons, one of which is to attune our minds to God and ask help to interpret Gods word as God intends for us.
7. SERMON
The center of Reformed Worship is the Word of God. We listen to God’s Word as we seek to follow in the way of Jesus. We believe we encounter the Word in worship through the scripture and preaching.
8. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Prayers of intercession ask God’s healing, protection, and guidance for God’s creation. We form that prayer from the expressed prayer of the people in worship. This prayer is really the work of the people. We also include prayers of intercession for the world beyond our local church.
9. APOSTLES’ CREED
The Reformed Tradition is a Confessional tradition in that we confess our sin, but also our faith. Using creeds, we proclaim the gospel in historic moments as God has revealed them to us.
10. OFFERTORY
We respond to God’s grace and God’s Word by offering our lives, our energy, and our resources toward the work of God’s Kingdom.
11. DOXOLOGY
“Doxo” means glory, and we sing praise to God in gratitude for God’s gifts to us, joining all creation in song.
12. SACRAMENTS
On occasion in our services we celebrate two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion).
BAPTISM
Baptism is a sign that God claims us and seals us, to show that we belong to God. The water of baptism represents new life, a new beginning, and a cleansing from all that separates us from God. We baptize infants and adults. In infant baptism, we recognize that God calls us before we can ever respond to God. In adult baptism, we voluntarily respond to God’s clam on our lives.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
We celebrate the Lord’s Supper (communion) the first Sunday of every month and on special occasions. In this sacrament we are mindful of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf through his death, and we acknowledge that through faith in Christ we have forgiveness of sins. All who profess faith in Christ, whether members or visitors, are welcome to partake of this sacrament together.
13. CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
We transition out of worship charged to carry the Word we have heard proclaimed out into the world—to live the message, confirmed by the blessing and grace of God’s presence.