Union Presbyterian Church

Worship Space

When UPC was built at the turn of the last century, the understanding of worship was much different from what it is now.  Then the main event in worship was the sermon.  Typical sermons lasted thirty to forty-five minutes, some much longer.  Those were the days before television and a seven-minute attention span.

It is not a surprise then to see that the church’s worship space originally laid out like an auditorium.  The pulpit was massive and placed in the focal center of the room.  There was no space for the sacraments.  Original drawings revealed a pew arrangement such that if you sat in the very front pew you could touch the pulpit with your foot.  There was no place to put a communion table.  In fact, we did not have a table used solely for communion until the early 1960’s.  Baptisms were only occasional, and there was no baptismal font until around 1950 – a silver dish was produced to hold the baptismal water when needed.

In the late 1960’s, a liturgical reformation began that changed worship radically by the 1990’s.  In many denominations, the sacraments resumed a prominence more like it was in the early church, and preaching returned to a traditional exposition of Scripture, rather than orations or lectures.

The choir was originally intended to be just about where they are now.  Original drawings and plans showed a change made to accommodate large organ pipes in the apse – the choir was placed off to the right side in a stage-like area, which was originally intended to be a music room for the choir.  The choir is now seated so as to complete the circle of the worshiping family around the table (for more on the “circle-in-the-round” form of worship, see Our History: Sanctuary).

The pews are arranged around the font-table-pulpit, making it possible for us to see one another as we worship. This enhances our sense of community as the people of God, gathered together to listen to God’s Word, and celebrate God’s love in mutual commitment.

The organ went through several reincarnations until the most recent organ, a 32-rank Wicks, was built and installed in 1969. The organ now occupies the apse area (above the choir) and also areas on either side that were formerly the minister’s study and the old choir loft. It has been renovated and rebuilt over the years, and its capabilities expanded by the recent addition of electronic options under the expert eye of Avery Tunningley, our organist. The organ offers a wide variety of musical sounds to enrich congregational worship. The organ is well designed to help us lift our praises heavenward.

For more information on the symbolism of the sanctuary design, click here.

 Back to Worship