It’s Always Hard to Know what to Expect from
a New Experience…
Here’s Some Help!
Visitors
Upon Arrival
• Wear what you want… we want you to be comfortable.
• Come from our parking lot through either door and make your way into our worship space (don’t worry you can’t get lost.)
• Ushers will greet you and offer you a bulletin (or order for worship). This will help you to follow along with the service. Participate as you feel comfortable.
In Worship
• Children: We encourage you to bring your children to services. Children are invited to join worship; we even have a family space for parents with smaller, active children.
• Christ’s Peace: This is a custom that dates back to the ancient church. Through sharing Christ’s peace (reaching out a hand to one another and saying “May the peace of Christ be with you”), we begin to enact God’s desire that all be well with all creation. Speaking peace becomes the first step of enacting peace.
• Message: The pastor offers a message related to the Scripture readings. If you want to ask questions or talk about what you heard following worship please feel free to talk to the pastor.
• Communion/Lord’s Supper: On the first Sunday of each month, we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. This meal is a remembrance of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples before his death. Participate as you feel comfortable.
•Offering: Monetary gifts are received every Sunday as a way of showing our gratitude to God and to support the work and ministries of our church. This is not an “attendance fee;” gifts should be given out of gratitude to God as each is able and not as an obligation. You are welcome to give but not expected to do so.
• Prayer: We lift up prayer concerns as well as celebrations through the use of prayer request slips. They are usually in every bulletin. These are placed in the offering plate at the time of the offering and shared during the Sharing of Joys and Concerns.
After Worship
• Food and Fellowship: At the end of the service, people file out, greeting each other and joining in a time of fellowship and what we call “the time of yumm.” (Usually more than juice and coffee.) We pretty much hang out in the hallway outside the sanctuary eating, drinking, talking, and catching up with one another. If we don’t beat you to it, please introduce yourself to us, if you are comfortable doing so. And know we always have more than enough- you’re welcome at this table too!
• Hospitality is very important to us. Know that we want you to feel welcome.
• Questions? About faith, worship, our community? Please ask! We love questions and all of us have them.