WHAT TO EXPECT

WHEN YOU ARRIVE

We love to have new people join with us whenever we gather in Christ’s name. When you enter our building, you will be greeted and offered a bulletin.  If you do need help finding your way around, just ask anyone. Our people will be happy to help you.

Once you’re seated, you’ll notice that we come together as one church family for worship. We believe it is very important for children to learn to worship together with their families. We do have a nursery available for parents to take their infants if a need arises.  This room is located across from the sanctuary, on the left side of the building as you face the sanctuary. The service is streamed into this room on a TV monitor.  We also have a common area just outside of the sanctuary where the service is streamed. This is a good place to take toddlers and older children who may be having a tough morning.

Though we take worship seriously, our gathering time will be anything but solemn. There is usually a rumble of joy to be heard as the saints are gathering.  We aim to magnify the Name of Christ, to remember his redemptive work, and to stir one another up to love and good works as we await his return.  We hope that you will be encouraged by our Christ-centered, word-saturated, God-glorifying, Spirit-filled Lord’s Day service.

DURING WORSHIP SERVICE

Announcements: At about 10:30 someone will call us together and share a few announcements.  Most of these announcements can also be found inside the bulletin.

Call to Worship: Immediately after the announcements are read, someone will “call us to worship.” The goal of our gathering is to consciously acknowledge and respond to the God of all grace as He makes Himself known through the word of Christ. The call to worship is intended to remind us of this goal and to prepare our hearts to worship God in spirit and truth. We try not to do anything in the service that would be a distraction from our goal of seeing each of us draw near to Christ in word and song.

Singing: Our singing is first and foremost unto the Lord, honoring and praising the Triune God whom we worship. The songs we use for corporate worship will focus on God and His Gospel, be rich in theological truth, and serve to teach, edify, and move believers to greater trust in Jesus Christ and gratitude for their salvation. The songs we sing may reflect any number of musical styles (though style is not the issue, truth is).

Prayer: At some point during the service, the congregation will be led in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer. We worship a sovereign God who has purposed to work through the prayers of His people. Short or long, eloquent or simple, the prayers of God’s people are powerful and effective. For this reason, we devote ourselves each Sunday (and every day in our families and individually) to thanking God, confessing our sins, interceding for one another, and offering praise through prayer.

Scripture reading: At various times in the service, we will hear from God through the reading of Scripture. We believe that the Bible is God’s inspired word written for our endurance and encouragement. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the Bible’s central message, is the power of God unto salvation. So, in a dry and arid land, where Man’s opinions reign and God’s Word is neglected, our gatherings are an oasis of truth, flowing with the words of life that our souls long for.

The Lord’s Supper: We share the Lord’s Supper together each week. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial, a proclamation of the atoning death of Christ for the forgiveness of sins. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act, whereby the bread and wine recruit all of our senses to remember the substitutionary, atoning death of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus instructed his people to practice the Lord’s Supper until he returns.  Therefore, it is not only a memorial; it is also a meal that anticipates Jesus’ return.  And for these reasons, it is a means of grace, teaching us to cling to Christ and to trust in His finished work on the cross as we eagerly await his second advent. We invite all who trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation, and who have evidenced their profession of faith by repenting of their sins, to participate in the Lord’s Supper with us.

Preaching: We are committed to Biblical, expositional preaching. Usually, our pastor will be leading a series through a book of the Bible. Our commitment to you is that the message you hear will always be anchored in the truth of God’s Word. We will not waste your time with mere opinion. Pastor Geoff preaches most Sundays, though we have other faithful men who can and do bring the word occasionally.  Those who preach are committed to the Reformation principle of “Sola Scriptura” (or “Scripture Alone”) as the source of all Christian faith and practice.

AFTER THE WORSHIP SERVICE

Though we gladly invite men, women and children to repent and believe the Gospel of Christ for salvation, we do not use man-centered manipulation techniques to do so. Instead, you’ll be exhorted to look to Christ, and given an opportunity to speak to one of our elders after the service if you so desire. If you need prayer, or anything at all, please feel free to take advantage of this time.

Also, plan on sticking around when the service is over. Most of our congregation enjoys this time after the last “amen” for sharing in each other’s lives. This is when many friendships are formed. On the first and third Sunday of every month, we enjoy a fellowship meal together after the service. Help yourself to the yummy food that our various members bring to share with all. (And FYI, we have some very gifted cooks in our fellowship.)

DURING THE WEEK

We also gather each Wednesday at 6:30pm for fellowship and prayer. We would love for you to join us.

That’s what to expect. I believe we have a warm, loving family in Christ who would love to get to know you better. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you.