What to expect in our Worship Services 

First United Methodist Church, St. Petersburg, offers two opportunities for a Traditional Worship experience at 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM each Sunday. 

The 8:00 AM service offers a quieter, more contemplative approach to worship. This service includes a full sermon, singing of hymns, and abbreviated liturgical readings. It is well-suited for those who have grown up in the United Methodist Church or other mainline denominations who enjoy an early morning service.

The 11:00 AM service is a worship experience that incorporates many of the long-held traditions of the United Methodist Church, while at the same time embracing 21st Century sensibilities. The full forces of the Music Ministry are utilized in this service: Chancel Choir, Fellowship Ringers, Organ, and other instruments on festival and special days. The singing of hymns and congregational participation in liturgy are major elements. At the heart of the service is the “Word” as brought to us by the ministers each week. 

The Contemporary Worship service at 9:30 AM is most uniquely identified by its style of music and informal atmosphere. Held in our historic main sanctuary, the contemporary service combines traditional “stained glass” ambience with a message and music relevant to living in today’s world. The songs might be new or classic, but they are always led with passion by our praise team, “First Light” consisting of 8 musicians and 20 vocalists. Our pastor delivers the timeless truth of God’s "Word” in the heart-language of today’s culture, with an emphasis on practical application to your life.  The appeal of this service crosses all generations, and casual attire is welcome.

"It Is Well With My Soul"

Click here to listen to a piano-organ duet arranged and played by our organist, Rick Nay. The duet is made possible by a digital sequencer on our organ.  Rick recorded the music to the computer in the organ and stored it on a diskette similar to that of a home computer.  The disk transfers the information to the computer in the organ which, when commanded, plays the pipes exactly as Rick had previously played it. As the organ plays the recorded music, Rick plays the part he arranged for the piano.

Our organ is the world's largest 3 manual (keyboard) organ. It is a combination of pipe and electronic Allen/Austin organ with 54 pipes and 98 ranks. It has 2,948 pipes, many of them from the original 1926 organ. Organ chamber tours are given regularly.