COVID Guidelines

Garwood Church is now fully open and functional. Moreover, we believe that weekly physically gathered worship is vital to our spiritual health.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Sunday services like?

We believe worship needs to be accessible and reverent. Our services last about an hour and half and incorporate many aspects of worship including music, prayer, confession of sin, Scripture readings, expositional preaching, and the sacraments of baptism and communion. Our musical style could be described as acoustic rock, finding value in both venerable hymns as well as contemporary praise songs. Having said that, the last Sunday of every month, we hold special traditional services (organ, choir, and congregational led) meant to inspire a love for Gospel-rich hymns and for the continual faithfulness of God over his church in all ages.

Do I need to dress up?

Absolutely not. In fact, we are a very relaxed environment. You will find our community ranges every week from suits and dresses to jeans and flip-flops. All are welcome. 

What is there for kids on Sundays?

While children of all ages are always welcome to worship with us for the entirety of our service, we also believe in the task of disciple-making at the hands of the local church. At Garwood Church, children worship with us during the musical portion of our service and then transition into their classrooms, during a short break before the sermon. We pray for them and bless them as they go and learn about Jesus in community. Our youth stays in the service to listen to God’s Word with their parents but meets two Fridays a month in their own gathering on Friday nights.

What is your demographic?

We are local Church of about 60-80 in weekly attendance with 25+ youth and kids. We are made of up mostly families with kids, singles, and retired servants, who encourage the next generation for Christ. We are ethnically diverse (Brazilians, hispanic, white, etc.) with members from South Plainfield, Linden, Clark, Cranford, Westfield, and even Nutley! We really are a beautiful mosaic of Christ’s Church!

Can I participate in communion?

All who profess faith in Jesus Christ and dependence on him for eternal salvation and are a member at a gospel-believing church are welcome to take communion.

Are you Presbyterian?

Yes, we are Garwood Presbyterian Church (GPC). The term “Presbyterian” (from the greek presbyteros which means Elder/Pastor) refers to the form of leadership that provides oversight in the Church. We are not led by a solo Pastor but by qualified Elders (Presbyters) who provide spiritual vision for the life of our Church.

However, we also realize that for many, religious affiliations (as Presbyterian would communicate) may distract from the purity of the message of the Gospel, so we call ourselves Garwood Church because Garwood is our home base for ministry and we are an assembled body of Christian believers (a local church). We pray that as you visit us, you’ll feel the love of Jesus and presence of God over and above anything else.

How do I get connected?

If you are ready to learn more about Garwood Church, connect with our Pastor and Elders. We have various ways to build relationships and grow a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures.   We also have weekly groups to help you start your discipleship journey, click below for more information!