Rocky River Presbyterian Church gathers on Detroit Road just east of Clague Road in the lakeside Cleveland suburb of Rocky River, Ohio. The congregation has been rooted on this stretch of Detroit Road for generations and now describes its purpose in three short phrases: Praising God, Teaching Faith, Serving Others. Sunday worship happens at 10:30 a.m. in the main sanctuary, and a paper bulletin is given to everyone who walks in so they can follow along. Masks are optional and always welcome. Visitors may worship in a pew, slip out to a "Prayground" set up for young children in the back of the sanctuary, or take in the service online at any hour through Facebook and YouTube.
Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m.
The single Sunday worship service runs from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The order of service brings the congregation together by the Spirit to meet Jesus Christ in Word and Sacrament, and to worship God through prayer, music, sermons, offerings, and fellowship. Members and visitors sit together. A printed bulletin guides everyone through the liturgy, and printed copies of each Sunday sermon are available in the church lobby for reading along or sharing with friends.
Each Sunday's sermon is recorded and posted on the church's Facebook page and YouTube channel by Tuesday afternoon, where the full library of messages is also available. People who missed a service, or who want to revisit a particular Sunday, can watch or listen at any time. The sermon archive is searchable by book of the Bible, by preacher, and by series, and the most recent preaching rotation has been carried by Rev. Janice Fraser along with visiting ordained ministers such as Rev. Luke Choi, Rev. Kathy Hartzell, Rev. Justin Hyden, Rev. Charlotte Noble, Rev. Joel Montgomery, Rev. Missy Shiverick, and Rev. Matt Skolmak.
The Prayground, the Nursery, and Children in Worship
Rocky River Presbyterian is intentional about welcoming families with small children. In the back of the sanctuary there is a "Prayground" for children under the age of three, with comfortable chairs, rugs, books, and soft toys so that parents can attend worship without leaving the room. An unstaffed nursery is also available for diaper changes or for families who need a private space during the service; an usher can direct visitors there.
Two bright, clean nursery rooms hold a variety of toys, books, and equipment, with a changing station, a crib, and a highchair for napping and feeding. Comfortable rocking chairs are provided for nursing mothers who would like some privacy.
On the first Sunday of each month, the younger children stay in the service for Kids in Sunday Service, with classes available for children five and younger. Nursery care is provided for children under two throughout the year.
Communion and Baptism
The two sacraments that Presbyterians recognize - baptism and the Lord's Supper - are central to the congregation's life together.
Communion, also called the eucharist or the Lord's Supper, is typically served on the first Sunday of the month. Bread and grape juice are used, in keeping with this congregation's tradition. The bread symbolizes the body of Christ and the cup the blood; sharing them together reminds the congregation that Jesus was fully divine and yet also fully human, that he died and was raised to eternal life, and that the same promise of eternal life is held out to all believers. Receiving communion connects worshippers to a worldwide movement of Jesus-followers across every time and place. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) teaches that any baptized Christian, of any age, is welcome to receive communion in a Presbyterian church.
Baptism is a sign that God graciously accepts the baptized person as God's own child. The sacrament may be administered with a few drops of water on the head or by full immersion. A person is baptized only once; baptism does not wear off. People of any age may be baptized, and requests are approved by the Session, the congregation's governing board.
Chancel Choir, Bell Choir, and the Music Program
Music at Rocky River Presbyterian is shaped by Music Director and Organist Ann Gilbert and by Choir and Handbell Director Jill Hayman. Ann Gilbert is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music, The Juilliard School, and the University of Akron. Outside the church she performs with the BlueWater Chamber Orchestra, the Akron Symphony, the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, and the Lakeside Symphony, and has appeared with the Symphonic Orchestra of the State of Mexico, the Oregon Symphony, and the Symphonic Orchestra of Seville, Spain.
The Chancel Choir sings on the first and third Sundays of the month from September through May, with rehearsals held one hour before worship at 9:00 a.m. each Sunday. No auditions are required - new members are welcome at any time of year - and the choir sings a mix of traditional and contemporary choral pieces, spirituals, and hymns. Soloists and instrumentalists regularly join the choir in worship.
The Chancel Bell Choir brings together bell ringers of every experience level, from first-timers to veterans, with each person ringing one or two bells that sound a particular note when that note appears in the music. The bell choir performs on select Sundays from September through May.
The Artist Concert Series
Beyond its own worship music, the church has built a public concert series out of its sanctuary. The Artist Concert Series brings professional chamber and orchestral musicians to Rocky River several times a year for free concerts that are open to the public. Parking is free, and the building is handicapped accessible.
Recent seasons have featured the Cleveland Repertory Orchestra, including a "Meditations" program with the Astralis Chamber Ensemble, a Beethoven and Mozart program by the Thorpe Ensemble, and an evening of Baroque music by Apollo's Fire, the Grammy-winning Northeast Ohio ensemble led by Jeannette Sorrell. Violinist David McCarroll, concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, has appeared with BlueWater Chamber Orchestra in the church's sanctuary. Good-will offerings are appreciated at each concert.
Sunday School, Confirmation, and Christian Education
Christian education is a major focus for the congregation. Children ages three through grade five may participate in Sunday School during worship hours, gathering in the church's Room D-5. Sunday School teachers offer a combination of Bible stories, books, and self-directed prayer centers designed to help children learn how to work together to develop their relationships with God and one another. There is no Sunday School during the summer months, but children are always welcome in worship.
Confirmation at Rocky River Presbyterian is a mentoring-based program for seventh and eighth graders, or for unconfirmed senior high youth, who wish to confirm for themselves the baptismal vows that were made on their behalf as infants. Each youth is paired with a mature Christian adult from the congregation; together they work through a self-guided study, exploring how God has been and is at work in their lives. Confirmation classes meet twice monthly from September into late spring, and confirmation itself happens at a special Sunday service every other year. Director of Christian Education Brenda Peterson oversees the program.
Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School is held each June in cooperation with neighboring St. Christopher Church. The week of VBS includes games, crafts, music, and mission learning, and always raises money for a chosen cause. Recent summers have raised thousands of dollars for missions like WATER - One Million Wells, which brings clean drinking water to communities through training, technology, and continuing support. The program is staffed by dozens of volunteers from both congregations.
Youth Fellowship for Middle and High School
Youth Fellowship is for young people in grades six through twelve. The group meets on the second and fourth Sunday of each month throughout the school year, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the church's Youth Room, under the leadership of volunteer advisors. Activities include Bible study, mission projects, retreats, and service to the church, plus occasional off-site outings like bowling or hiking. The focus is on strengthening the bonds young people have with God and with one another. Visitors are welcome to drop in any time.
For several years, the church organized annual summer Youth Mission Trips to broaden young people's perspective on different cultures and ways of life. The trips were paused during the COVID pandemic, and the church is evaluating how they might fit back into its mission in the future.
Rocky River Presbyterian Preschool: A Half-Day Program Since 1961
Rocky River Presbyterian Preschool, founded in 1961 by the Rev. Jim Walker and Arlene Campbell, has been a fixture of the church's ministry for more than sixty years. The first classes met three mornings a week with twenty children; today the program serves more than a hundred children between the ages of two and a half and five in morning and afternoon sessions throughout the school year.
The preschool is a nonprofit licensed by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth. Class sizes are small, typically ten to twelve children with one lead teacher and one assistant, and the ratio ranges from 1:6 to 1:8, never exceeding state guidelines. Sessions run from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m., with extended hours for the four-day fours, Pre-K, and a popular optional "Lunch Bunch" that lets students stay through lunchtime.
The curriculum is play-based and aligned with the Early Learning Content Standards from the Ohio Department of Education, with classes for two-and-a-half and young three's, three-year-olds, four-year-olds, and Pre-K. Children explore sensory, art, writing, dramatic, constructive, math, science, and literacy play. There is a large indoor gym and a fenced outdoor area for gross-motor play, plus a music room and a special activity room that changes themes each month.
The preschool hosts evening play sessions at school, Halloween parades, a spring celebration, doughnuts with dad or "dudes" events, and holiday celebrations throughout the year. Parents are welcome to volunteer for holiday celebrations and fundraisers. The director is Kathleen Winters, who can be reached at the preschool office at 440-895-KIDS (5437).
Adult Education on Sunday Mornings
The Adult Education Series meets on Sundays from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. in the West Room. The most recent series, led by George Gecik and Lisa Watts, was a four-week session called "How Does Your Faith Affect Your Beliefs?" exploring how faith and beliefs grow and change over a lifetime. Future fall offerings are announced in the weekly Pulse newsletter and on the church calendar.
Mission: Serving the West Side, Cleveland, and Liberia
The mission statement reads Praising God, Teaching Faith, Serving Others. "Mission is not just an activity of the Church; it is the work of God." The Mission Committee meets on the first Sunday of each month in the Church Parlor immediately after worship, and visitors are welcome to join.
For many years the church has had a partnership with North Presbyterian Church on Superior Avenue on the east side of Cleveland, historically a sister congregation. June is the month of the North Church Partnership; volunteers prepare and serve a meal at North Church, helping with cutting, cooking, serving, and cleanup. Four to six people are needed for each shift, and accompanied children are welcome.
The church also supports the Dougbe River Presbyterian School in Liberia, a major foreign mission overseen by the Presbytery of the Western Reserve. The school is open to all children regardless of religion, age, race, gender, or ethnic group and stands for peace, unity, reconciliation, honesty, and development. Members can give a single donation or fund ongoing education for students through sponsorships; the local Presbyterian Women's Association supports DRPSL through proceeds from the annual Trash & Treasure sale.
On the first Sunday of each month, a Food Box in the church vestibule collects non-perishable items for Rocky River Assistance, with a special Harvest Sunday collection preceding Thanksgiving. Financial donations are also accepted.
The Alternative Christmas Bazaar
Each November the church hosts the Alternative Christmas Charity Bazaar, now in its eighteenth year. The bazaar gathers more than a dozen charities and a Fair Trade business under one roof so that members of the congregation can make financial contributions to nonprofit missions in honor of family and friends. Donors receive custom-designed postcards describing the gift's ministry; 100 percent of each donation goes directly to the charity.
Partner organizations have included Cuyahoga County Habitat for Humanity, the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter, The Gathering Place, Shriners Children's Hospital in Erie and Cincinnati, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Fisher House, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, the Cleveland Food Bank, the Dougbe River Liberian School, the National Association of Mental Illness, and the One World Shop.
Special Offerings Throughout the Year
Rocky River Presbyterian participates in three denominational Special Offerings each year, gathered through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): One Great Hour of Sharing during Lent, which supports Presbyterian Disaster Relief, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People; the Peace & Global Witness Offering, collected around World Communion Sunday in October, with 25 percent staying local, 25 percent going to mid-council peace initiatives in the Synod of the Covenant, and 50 percent to joint peace and justice projects; and the Christmas Joy Offering during Advent, which assists retired church workers and their families and supports Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges.
Presbyterian Women and Men's Groups
Presbyterian Women is a churchwide organization whose membership is open to all women. The local chapter supports the mission of the denomination through prayer, Bible study, and service projects, and operates the annual Trash & Treasure sale that funds the Dougbe River Presbyterian School in Liberia.
Two men's groups meet regularly. The Friday Morning Men's Group has been gathering on Fridays from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. for nearly twenty years and has met on Zoom since 2020. Six regular members and a rotating cast of visitors read and discuss books together, ranging from Biblical studies to the intersection of Buddhism and Christianity, the contemplative Christian tradition, and broader reflections on faith. All are welcome.
The Senior Men's Religious Study Group meets on the second and fourth Friday of each month at 9:00 a.m. in the West Room, with a Zoom option for those who prefer to join from home. Recent studies have included Adam Hamilton's "Luke - Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws" and the "Living the Questions" introduction to Progressive Christianity.
A Church in Pastoral Transition
After more than thirty years of service, Pastor Emeritus Dr. Jon Fancher took a well-deserved retirement, leaving a profound and positive mark on the congregation. The Rev. Dr. Peter J. Lawson then served as Transitional Pastor for more than three years before retiring, leaving the same legacy of steady preaching and pastoral care.
Today the church is being served by gap pastors as the Session searches for a permanent Called Pastor. The Rev. Janice Fraser preaches regularly, and visiting ordained ministers fill the pulpit when Rev. Fraser is unavailable. Anyone interested in the pastoral position can find the search underway on the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Church Leadership Connection.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Wider Use of the Building
The pastor of the church conducts weddings held at Rocky River Presbyterian, with the option of inviting a member of the couple's clergy to concelebrate. At least one member of the couple must be a baptized Christian, and the couple completes premarital counseling with the pastor - usually three two-hour sessions - based on a confidential online survey. A non-refundable $100 deposit reserves the date and time, applied to the total fee.
Funerals and memorial services, whether with the body present or with cremated remains, are also held in the sanctuary or chapel. Caskets are closed prior to being brought into the space. The church has no set fee schedule for funerals; an honorarium is offered as a freewill payment. The pastor will consider conducting a funeral or memorial at another location when asked.
The building hosts a year-round rhythm of seasonal services. Ash Wednesday services are held in Walker Chapel at noon and 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday worship is held at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. Easter worship is at 10:30 a.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight worship is at 5:00 p.m.
Visiting Rocky River Presbyterian Church
The church building sits at 21750 Detroit Road in Rocky River, one mile east of Clague Road, with parking available on site. Sunday worship begins at 10:30 a.m. The Coffee Hour in Fancher Hall follows every Sunday service with hot drinks, baked goods, and a chance to meet the Deacons who keep the welcome table running.
Visitors can find Sunday sermons, recordings of past services, and the Artist Concert Series on the church's Facebook page and YouTube channel. Giving is available through the Vanco online platform or the Vanco mobile app. The weekly Pulse newsletter, signed up through the church's main page, keeps the wider community informed about classes, fellowship events, and seasonal opportunities.