Walking in the doors of a new church can be intimidating. Jesse North, pastor of Wrightsville Presbyterian Church, is hoping to change that. The church, located at 205 N. Second St., will hold a Rally Day event on Sunday, Sept. 12.

"I'm hoping Rally Day is like putting out a big welcome mat," North said. "It can be hard to break into a new church, even if you've been wanting to. We want everyone to know they are welcome here."

Rally Day will kick off with a 10 a.m. church service, followed by a church picnic. "This is an opportunity for us to preview our Christian education programs for kids and adults," North noted.

The picnic will provide an opportunity for fellowship and a fresh start after a difficult year for everyone, he said. "It's a chance to sort of restart," he explained. "We've worked really hard during the pandemic to be safe, sometimes having services in person, sometimes livestreaming, and we're still going to be livestreaming. But this is about getting people together to connect in person."

North said Rally Day will provide an opportunity to see what Wrightsville Presbyterian is all about. "If you're thinking, 'I'd really like to get back to church,' or even, 'I've never really been a part of a church, but my kids and I could use something positive in our lives,' this is the place for you," he said.

He's quick to point out that he doesn't have all the answers, but he's willing to help people who are questioning their faith. "We try to be a place where it's OK if you have questions, it's OK if you have doubts," he said. "We don't think we have it all figured out either. This is a place where we encourage conversations and questions and we want to support everybody, no matter where they are in their faith journey."

The church members have spent the past year trying to be not only safe as the pandemic impacted the community, but also responsive to the community's needs, he noted. "The church is about being together, which has been hard this past year," North stated. "We've been working really hard to figure out a way to keep people safe, but also keep people together. We hope Wrightsville Presbyterian can be a place where people can connect with God, grow and figure out how to love their neighbors better."

For more information on Wrightsville Presbyterian Church, visit http://www.wpcpa.org.