We understand that visiting a new church is less intimidating when you know what to expect. This is especially true for parents of younger children. Here are some brief descriptions to help you and your kids prepare to worship with us.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sunday school for all ages begins at 9:45 a.m. in the main auditorium with a hymn and prayer. Then we disperse to various classes. Children three and under are taught Bible stories in the nursery downstairs. Older children are divided into classes with age-appropriate lessons in Bible, catechism, or practical Christian books like J. C. Ryle’s Thoughts for Young Men. Adults study subjects that are valuable for Christians, but not necessarily suitable for preaching from the pulpit: church history, systematic theology, discipleship strategies, etc.
WORSHIP SERVICES
Sunday worship services start at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (These are two distinct services and we encourage attendance at both.) Each one lasts about an hour and a quarter.
Our worship has a well-defined structure based on biblical principles. You’ll hear lots of Scripture reading and mostly “free” (i.e., unscripted) prayers led by the pastor. Using piano accompaniment, we'll sing a mix of biblical psalms and older hymns from various Christian traditions. Expect the sermon to be quite substantial. And at least once per month we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, inviting visitors to participate along with us after explaining a few simple conditions.
Usually the evening worship service will get under way only after we've shared a few hymn requests informally.
WHAT ABOUT MY KIDS?
We encourage families to worship together, and we welcome kids in the actual services, so we do not have a “children’s church.” However, we realize that little ones sometimes get restless. With this in mind, we provide a training room behind glass at the back of the auditorium. And downstairs we have a nursery (staffed by church members during morning worship) for little ones through age three, and a quiet room available for nursing mothers and napping infants.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
Sometimes visitors are anxious about what to wear. We do encourage a general sense of modesty and reverence, but there’s quite a mix of styles. You don’t have to dress formally to fit in here. Please don’t let concerns about clothes stop you from worshiping God!
SUNDAY SERVICES
We currently have two services.