SUNDAY SCHOOL & WORSHIP
Arrival: Please park on Stow Ave. or in the municipal lot across Stow Ave. Enter the door by the mailbox. This is our accessible entrance. From the lobby you can head to Sunday School in the Christian Ed. wing, to the left, or head up the steps to the fourth floor, to the Sanctuary for worship. There is elevator access to all floors.
Dress Code: Some folks still enjoying wearing their "Sunday Best," while others prefer jeans. There is no right or wrong way to dress for church. Come as you are. We want you to be comfortable. There are even special occasions where we might encourage you to wear costumes, or silly outfits! Sometimes church is fun...on purpose!
Sunday School: We offer classes for adults as well as nursery care. We take a break from Sunday School during the summer months to allow our teachers to have some much-deserved time away from teaching, and to enjoy traveling with their families. We host a kick-off event each year in September.
The "Prayground": This section in the back of the Sanctuary is reserved for young families with newborn-preschool age children, who need some wiggle room.
Worship: Pick up a bulletin, and a coloring board or fidget toy if you have children with you. Sit where you feel most comfortable. Our worship is a somewhat traditional order, with some contemporary flair...we call it "relaxed." We try to keep the order of worship similar every week, but occasionally we will mix things up for fun, or on purpose. Here is our typical order:
Pastor's Welcome (reminder to fill out Attendance Cards)
Call to Worship (responsive)
Gathering Song (from the Hymnal, or the Praise Binder--located in the pews, and on the screen)
Sharing in Prayer (Joys & Concerns)
Scripture Reading
Children's Moment (kids come forward)
The Message (sermon)
Invitation to Discipleship
Offering Collection & Offering Song
Communion (ALL are welcome)*
Announcements
Song of Sending
Blessing
*A note on Communion: Something special that we share with other Disciples of Christ congregations, is OPEN COMMUNION. We believe ALL are welcome at the Lord's table. We celebrate and share in the Lord's Supper each week. This is different than many other protestant congregations. Just as Jesus gathered with his disciples to share in the Passover meal, we encourage you to share in this feast, as a reminder of God's loving sacrifice, for us.
Baptisms: Please see the Pastor if you have an interest in Baptism. We acknowledge all other baptism traditions. We do offer baptism by Immersion for older children and adults, or infant Christening if that is your preference. Since we are dually affiliated with the Disciples of Christ AND the United Church of Christ traditions, we are very flexible in our approach. The Pastor will typically host a "New Members, or Pastor's class" every few years to gear up for baptisms, BUT special arrangements can be made.
What to expect...