The Setting When you enter the building there will be rows of
seats for the worshipers. There are no reserved seats, so feel free to sit
anywhere you choose.
Our worship service may be a little different
from what you are accustomed to. Please feel free to find your own level of
participation. If you are comfortable in doing so, join right in. If not,
that's fine too.
Our services usually do not begin in quiet
meditation. What you hear is the joyful chatter of our families enjoying
greeting one another. Connecting with people is important to our church, and we
cherish every opportunity of coming together.
Singing You
will notice that the whole congregation is our choir and that we sing "a
cappella." In our assembly, music is something we all participate in, not just
observe. We value the sincerity of praise much more than the perfection of
performance. Our music, like that of the early church, is accompanied by the
orchestra of joyful hearts. Feel free to lift your voice to the Lord with us.
You may follow along when the song leader announces a number, you can
turn to that number in the hymnbook to find the words and music. Hymnbooks are
located in a bookrack near you.
This is a conviction with us, not just
a preference. We are seeking to worship according to the New Testament
pattern. (1 Corinthians 14:15, Ephesians 5:18-19, Colossians 3:16, Hebrews
2:12)
Prayers There will be several prayers during the
service. They may be prayers for specific needs and or requests. You will
notice that our prayers are not from prayer books, but from hearts that know the
Lord. They are sincere conversations with our Father in heaven.
Lord's Supper If you visit on a Sunday, the Lord's Supper
will be included in the worship proceedings because we observe this memorial
every Sunday, as was the example of the first century church which celebrated
this observance on the first day of the week. (Acts 20:7) The emblems, the
unleavened bread and the cup, remind us of the central facts of the Christian
faith -- the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the
Christ. Sharing the Lord's Supper together is an expression of oneness with the
Lord and each other.
During this memorial, plates containing pieces of
unleavened bread will be passed throughout the congregation. The bread
symbolizes the body of Jesus. (1Corinthians 11:23-25) Each participating person
will break off a piece of the bread and eat it.
Next, trays filled
with small cups containing "fruit of the vine", usually grape juice, symbolizing
the blood of Jesus. (1Corinthians 11:23-25) Each participant will drink the
contents of one of the cups.
If you choose not to participate, don't
be embarrassed. Feel free to just pass the plate or tray to the person next to
you.
Offering Apart from the Lord's Supper, and usually
following it, there will be a freewill offering. This is a voluntary
contribution of our members and our only source of support for the church.
Containers will be passed to collect the weekly financial offering.
(1Corinthians 16:1-2)
As our honored guest, you are not expected to
make a donation or offering. Please do not feel obligated to give.
Preaching The sermon will likely be from 20 to 30
minutes. We think you will find it refreshingly Bible-centered. The sermon will
reflect the fact that we believe the Bible is God's inspired Word. It will be a
practical message from the scriptures intended to be applied to daily life.
Follow along in your Bible or take notes if you like. By all means, feel free
to ask any questions after the service. Our interest is in discovering and
applying Biblical truth to our lives.
Invitation Most
sermons call for some kind of response. This is known as the "Invitation." At
the close of the sermon, the preacher will "extend an invitation". This is
simply an expedient time to invite those who are moved to respond.
Don't feel ill-at-ease during this invitation. You will not be singled out
in any way. There may be several who respond to the invitation or none at all.
Usually the response will simply be between the hearer and God.
We
traditionally stand and sing an "Invitation Song" at the close of the sermon to
facilitate those who want to make a public response according to their various
and individual needs. Some may respond for baptism, some to confess sins, some
to ask for prayer for a specific need, and some to "identify" or "place
membership" with this congregation. What ever the need, anyone is welcome to
respond.
If anyone responds for baptism, you may witness the baptism
the same hour of the day or night. The baptism will be by immersion. (Acts
8:35-39, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12) And, it will be for the remission of
sins. (Acts 2:38)
What Will Be Expected of You Nothing at
all! You are welcome to participate. But, please don't feel obligated to do so
if you don't feel comfortable. Just observe if that is your choice.
You may be asked to fill out a Visitor's Card. This simply provides
information so the church can write or call to thank you for your visit. Supply
the information if you are comfortable doing so. Feel free to decline this
request if that is your preference.
The People What kind
of people can you expect to find? You will find happy people and grouchy
people; Friendly people and unfriendly people; Loving people and cantankerous
people; People who are learning and people who think they already know
everything.
We're a diverse group, coming from varied backgrounds, and
at different stages of knowledge and spiritual growth. We don't know
everything. We don't do everything right. We don't always treat each other as
we should. We haven't arrived - we're just on the journey.
We were
not brought together by any illusion of our perfection or righteousness. We were
brought together by our recognition that we are sinners in need of the cleansing
blood of Jesus. (Mark 2:17, Romans 5:6-9, Ephesians 1:7, John 1:7)
That is the reason we can worship together, stick together, and, with God's
help, accomplish some things that make a difference. Bottom line, you will find
people who love Jesus and love the Bible.