Special Services

Our annual Lovefeast is presented by the Youth of Westminster on the afternoon of the first Sunday of Advent. Thanks to the participation of singers from our Chancel Choir and the wider church community, the Lovefeast holds special meaning and deep joy for all participants.

Our Chancel Choir presents special Advent Lessons & Carols programs during Sunday morning worship on the second or third Sunday of Advent. These programs include choral anthems as well as favorite Advent/Christmas hymns, drawing the congregation into a beautiful musical world during this very special time of year. For singers who don’t have time to join the Chancel Choir on a regular basis, Lovefeast and Advent Lessons & Carols offer wonderful seasonal opportunities to participate in Westminster’s music program.

Ash Wednesday at Westminster is a richly symbolic event, marking the beginning of our Lenten journey. After a church-wide pancake supper, worshipers move to the sanctuary for a touching, multi-dimensional service filled with music, scripture, and prayer.

Westminster’s somber Maundy Thursday service is one of our most profoundly meaningful worship events of the year. Through a progressive and unforgettable series of readings, anthems, and hymns, worshipers are made ever more aware of the darkness of Christ’s suffering and death as lights are dimmed and candles are extinguished. Leaving the Sanctuary in rare silence and darkness, sorrowful hearts wait for the hope and joy of Easter morning.

Easter services at Westminster are spectacular events filled with exuberant music for brass, choir, and congregation. Brass players and choral singers graciously and joyfully participate in both morning worship services as the community rejoices in the resurrection of our Lord!

Our Chancel Choir’s interactive spring program is held in the Music Room on the first Sunday evening in May. Our themed programs are designed to delight, inform, and inspire. The beautifully resonant Music Room fills everyone present with remarkable life and energy, welcoming audiences into the choir’s home space. Our audiences interact with the choir throughout, joining in making a joyful noise through hymns and anthems and fostering a beautiful sense of community and fellowship.

Weddings, memorial services, and baptisms are available for members. Our wedding policy is to celebrate with members only. Couples should contact the pastor to begin making plans and pick up a copy of the wedding handbook. Baptisms are also reserved for Westminster families; contact the pastor about the opportunity to baptize a family member at Westminster.

Weddings and memorial services at Westminster provide many opportunities to demonstrate just how varied and meaningful our rich traditions of sacred music can be. In weddings and memorial services, as in all services at Westminster, the focus is on worship. To that end, we always aim to include music that is uplifting, comforting, and appropriate for the worship of God, both in times of joy and in times of sorrow.