"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
-Romans 1:16
Showing up someplace new for the first time can be intimidating. We want everyone who comes to our service to feel comfortable and welcome. We invite you to meet with us no matter where you are in your spiritual journey. Our building is located on South 288th Street, just east of the I-5 overpass.
As you enter the parking lot, there’s parking all around the building, but the main entrance is to the left (on the uphill side of the building). As you approach the front doors, there are some friendly greeters welcoming everyone into the service. These kind folks can help answer any questions you may have and will give you an outline of the service so that you can have an idea of what’s going on and what’s coming next. As you enter the building, you’ll see
our coffee shop straight ahead. People tend to hang out at the tables or on the sofas and talk before the service starts. Feel free to grab a cup of coffee and chat with others or simply choose a seat in the sanctuary and get settled in for the service.
Why do we meet together on Sundays? We’re not perfect, but we have experienced God’s love for us. His love transforms the way we think and the way we act. And we want God to continue working in us and through us by learning what God says to us in the Bible. We think Christianity is primarily about a relationship with God and we want our relationship with God to continue growing stronger and more vibrant. Gathering together to worship God and learn about God by studying the Bible helps us grow in our relationship with him.
And we want others to experience the restoration, peace and hope that we’re experiencing through Jesus Christ. Many of us became followers of Jesus Christ, or Christians, later in life. You may have questions and reservations like we did before we called ourselves Christians. We get it. Our motto is, “belong, then believe.” We invite you to hang out with us for a while as you get to know what the Bible says about God and human life. We welcome you to hang out to understand why Jesus Christ is such a big deal. We think that as you get to know what the Bible actually teaches us and as you see and hear how other Christians are applying that knowledge in their lives that you’ll want to follow Jesus Christ too. But we won’t try to pressure you or shame you if you don’t. Our service is an easy way for people who are curious about God to safely explore Christianity.
What happens in the service? Service starts at 10 am, typically with a welcome, some brief announcements, and an opening prayer. Then we sing a few worship songs together. You can sing along if you'd like. We project the words on the front screen and the worship team helps lead the singing. If you feel more comfortable not singing, that’s cool too. The sermon is expository, which is a fancy way of saying that the pastor focuses on teaching what the Bible says to help understand the Bible and God better. God speaks to us through the Bible and we want to understand what God is saying to us as clearly as possible. We don’t want anyone to feel “preached at” during the sermon, but “encouraged and challenged by” what God says to us through the Bible. The pastor loves studying and talking about the Bible, so if you have any questions about the Bible passage, please feel free to chat with him after the service.
After the service (typically around 11:15), some people need to head out right away and you might need to do the same. However, we want to invite you to grab some coffee and a snack and get to know some of the other people hanging out. This is also a great time to meet and chat with our senior pastor. We'd love to talk about any questions you may have and get to know you so that you're a familiar face when you come back.
What about kids? We love having kids come to church! If you have children, we want you and your kids to be comfortable. You h
ave a couple of options for where your kids go during the service. For pre-elementary school-aged children, we have a fun and engaging nursery. If you’d like, one of our greeters can give you a quick tour and show you the nursery area. You can check your child(ren) in before the service starts or you can take them into the service with you. If you’d like to check them into the nursery at any time during the service, you’re welcome to do that too. Elementary school-aged children begin the service with the adults in the main sanctuary. Kids are invited to step out for children’s Sunday school after the worship singing, before the sermon starts. However, you are welcome to keep your kids with you during the service if you (or they) prefer. If your kid(s) get a little squirmy during the service, please don’t worry – we love having kids come to church. By the way, our child-care providers have all passed a background check and many of our children’s workers are trained professional educators, so your children will be safe and be well cared for.
What about clothes? We don’t have a formal or an informal dress code, so people come wearing the clothes they’re comfortable in. On a typical Sunday, you’ll see everything from business casual to jeans and a tee or sports jersey.
What if I arrive late? Don’t stress! Just come in and find a seat.
