What to Expect

What to Expect When Attending First Presbyterian Church of Kalispell

Our worship service is a place where our congregation can live, learn, love, and share the power of Christ. Each week our service is lead by either our Senior Pastor, Glenn Burfeind, our Associate Pastor Miriam Mauritzen, or our Commissioned Lay Pastor, Patsy Lympus. A typical worship service focuses on elements which center on the Word and Sacraments: calling the community into worship, recognizing our sinfulness and unworthiness, declaring God’s forgiveness, singing God’s praises, reading scripture, collecting the offering, saying prayers of thanksgiving, and celebrating the sacraments.

All of God’s children are welcome at First Presbyterian Church. For families attending worship, we have a Children’s Moment during the service where the children come forward for a special message before being led to Sunday School. For those children who would prefer to remain with their parents during the worship service, an activity bag is available at the back of the sanctuary, which may be picked up as you enter that morning. We also have a soundproofed cry room above the sanctuary where mothers and babies can have some privacy, yet still see and hear the service. For those with special needs, we provide large print bulletins and hymnals, and enhanced listening devices. Our church is also handicapped accessible. We have an elevator, and handicapped parking is located both in front of the church on the street, as well as in the parking lot to the side. For those who need rides to church, drivers are available, and for those who are homebound, our worship service is broadcast at 10:00 AM Sunday morning (delayed by one week) over radio station KALS.

All of our Sunday worship services are from 10:00 – 11:00 AM, followed by a friendly coffee time in the parlor. When we gather for worship on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, or 5th Sunday, we follow a more traditional style of worship with a special anthem sung by our Chancel Choir and the hymns of faith played on our pipe organ. On the 3rd Sunday of every month, Praise Sunday, we offer a more blended type of service - i.e. communion is by Intinction, more contemporary music is sung using guitars and piano, and the Praise Team helps lead the service.

With these two styles of worship, we seek to reach and acknowledge the diversity of our faith community.

At First Presbyterian Church, we celebrate two sacraments: Baptism and Communion (serving of the Lord’s Supper). We receive both infants and adults into baptism. We use the sprinkling of water to symbolize and seal our covenant with God. It is a time when we welcome the infant or adult into a new life with Christ, and a time when both the family and we, as a congregation, are charged with the responsibility of guiding, teaching, nurturing, and acting as Christian role models for those being baptized.

The serving of the Lord’s Supper is open to all who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is celebrated on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. On the first Sunday, we follow a more traditional style of communion. The elements of bread and juice, symbolizing Christ’s body and blood shed for us, are passed from one to another along the rows. On the third Sunday, Praise Sunday, communion is given by the ancient tradition of Intinction whereby the congregation comes forward to receive the elements. Anyone who is unable to come forward will be served at their seat, and any child who comes forward, but is too small to handle the elements on their own, will receive a special blessing by the pastor.

For information about special services, click here.

For information on how to become involved, click here.