ABOUT US

The church is located at 501 Second Street, at the intersection with East Brady Street, just two blocks from Butler Memorial Hospital. Our parking lot is on East Brady Street between the church and the hospital on the hospital side. Street parking is also available. Several handicapped spaces are located on Second Street directly in front of the church.

The church has two handicap accessible entrances.

The first is found on the street level of Second Street. Inside this entrance is a lift which will bring you right up into the sanctuary.

The second accessible entrance is a drop-off area in the alley (McCarren Way) which runs along the north side of the church. This entrance is adjacent to the sanctuary.

Both entrances have electronic push-button door openers.

Accessible bathrooms are available on both levels of the church.

We strive to make sure that all feel welcome in our building, so if there is anything we can do to help make your visit more accessible, please contact our church office prior to your visit.

Worship is held at 10:30 am both in-person and online. All are welcome to come physically or join virtually on Facebook Live or on Zoom by video or telephone. We cherish every member of our church family and strive to make our services available to all. Contact the church office for more information.

We enjoy a heritage of traditional worship celebrating liturgy, music, and the Word. Our service includes an organ prelude beginning at 10:15, with the service starting at 10:30 and lasting about one hour.

On the Hill, you will find people dressed in various ways for worship, from a suit and tie to jeans and casual wear. You are invited to wear whatever will allow you to feel comfortable and focus on worshiping God. We will be glad to see you no matter how you dress.

You will find a warm welcome when you join us on the Hill. All are welcome to worship with us.

When you enter the sanctuary you will be met by a greeter who can assist you as needed. You will find bulletins, offering plates, and other materials on the entrance tables.

Restrooms, including an all-gender, accessible restroom, are located in the hallway directly behind the sanctuary.

Pre-service music begins at 10:15 am, and you are invited to listen as you prepare your heart for worship.

Feel free to sit wherever the Spirit is leading you, and do not worry about “taking someone’s pew.”

Children of all ages are welcome in worship. We understand the importance of families attending worship together, and we will embrace all children, whether they are quiet or noisy, still or wiggly.

Each worship service includes a special message for the young and young at heart.

Families are welcome to sit anywhere in the sanctuary. If little ones need space to move, we offer a "Prayground" area in the sanctuary with children's activities, quiet toys, and a rocking chair . We also offer a family room, with a changing table and a crib, on the balcony level immediately above the Prayground.

At this time we are not offering a staffed nursery. Please ask the greeter if you have any questions or if we can provide any assistance to your family.

The Lord's Supper is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month as well as on other special occasions. We have an open table, meaning that anyone is welcome to take communion, including children.

At this time, individual, pre-packaged elements (grape juice and homemade shortbread or gluten-free crackers) are provided and available on the entrance tables, or you may bring your own communion elements if you prefer.

While we do not take time to collect an offering during the worship service, we do take time to dedicate the gifts we offer to God through the church. To financially support the mission and ministry of Hill Church, you are invited to place your offerings in the gold plates on the entrance tables, drop them off during the week, mail them to the church, or give electronically by clicking the "Give Online" button above.

RIP MEDICAL DEBT
On the fourth Sunday of each month, we celebrate everyone who has a birthday that month by taking a special collection for RIP Medical Debt, a national organization which purchases medical debt portfolios at pennies on the dollar to relieve the strain of our most vulnerable neighbors. To date, Hill Church has cleared nearly $500,000 in medical debt.

PRESBYTERIAN DISASTER ASSISTANCE
When disaster strikes, we often collect relief funds for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, which ensures that 100% of the money given for a particular cause goes to the affected area.

PC(USA) SPECIAL OFFERINGS
Hill Church participates in four special PC(USA) denominational offerings each year:

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING Typically received on Palm Sunday, each gift to OGHS supports efforts to relieve hunger through the Presbyterian Hunger Program, promote development through the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People, and assist in areas of disaster through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.

PENTECOST OFFERING
This offering helps the church encourage, develop, and support young people, and also address the needs of at-risk children. Of everything collected, 40% remains with each congregation to support local organizations which care for children and youth in the community.

PEACE & GLOBAL WITNESS OFFERING
This offering enables the church to promote the Peace of Christ by addressing systems of conflict and injustice across the world. Individual congregations are able to utilize 25% of this offering to support local organizations working toward peace and justice.

CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING
This has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the PC(USA) Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage.

After our Sunday morning services, we typically have coffee, tea, lemonade, and snacks in our fellowship hall. We hope you will stay and visit with us for a while!

Special interest groups, such as book club and yarn group, are held monthly following the service.

Sunday School for elementary-aged-children meets during the school year, and educational offerings for various ages are also available seasonally.

The Presbyterian system of governance is democratic, meaning that all leadership, including the Pastor, is elected by the congregation. Dedicated members serve our church as Elders and Deacons.

Our church Session, comprised of 15 Ruling Elders and moderated by the Pastor, is responsible for governing and spiritual oversight of the congregation. In partnership with the Minister of Word and Sacrament (Pastor), Elders exercise leadership, government, spiritual discernment, and discipline, and have responsibilities for the life of the congregation as well as the whole church, including ecumenical and interfaith relationships.

Our Board of Deacons is dedicated to serving those in need, promising to show the love and compassion of Jesus in their ministry. This includes caring for our college students, those serving in the military, members-at-home, and anyone with needs, both in the congregation and community at large. Our Deacons coordinate meals for families with newborns, for members in need and for funeral services, and also host fellowship gatherings on the 5th Sunday of any month.

We strive to make sure that absolutely everyone feels welcome and included at Hill Church. We are LGBTQ+ affirming, and are proud to have ordained leaders with various sexual orientations as well as many members and friends along the gender and sexuality spectrum in our pews.

We take very seriously Jesus’ call to love our neighbors, and recognize that everyone is our neighbor. We hope that each person who walks through our doors, regardless of their age, gender, orientation, marital status, race, ethnicity, socio-economic standing, political affiliation, educational attainment, or faith background, feels at home on the hill.