We know...it’s not easy visiting a church for the first time. Sometimes you feel like a non-member visiting a private country club.
You may wonder…
” Do I belong here?”
“ Will I know what to do?”
"Will they ask me for money? "
"Will my kids like it? "
"How should I dress?”
"Can I come if I don’t believe or have never been to church?”
We do everything we can to make visiting Hope an enjoyable & stress free experience. We want people to feel comfortable attending, even if they have never been to church before. Many of the people you meet have only been attending Hope Church for a short time, so you will be in good company when you visit!
HERE'S AN OVERVIEW:
When you arrive, just follow the signs. We have parking spots reserved for visitors to help make your first visit stress free. If the parking lot is full, there is overflow parking next door in the firehouse parking lot. A greeter should be out front to give you the morning’s program and direct you to appropriate children’s ministries if necessary. You will notice that everyone is dressed comfortably, in everything from “church clothes” to “office casual” to jeans and sneakers. If you arrive early, feel free to take a seat in the sanctuary or to browse our information stand.
If you have children with you, simply note the following:
Nursery and Sunday School is available for infants, preschoolers and school age children through grade 5. Our nursery and pre-school/kindergarten classes are ready to care for your children during the entire service. Children in 1st-5th grades worship with their parents until the song before the sermon when they are released to their Sunday School classes. If you would like, when the kids are dismissed from the service, you can walk them to their class to get them settled and introduce yourself to their teacher. If your children prefer, they are welcome to remain in the worship service with you, but most kids really enjoy their Sunday School class. Parents who love their kids as much as you love yours run our children’s ministry. We strive to make sure the children’s ministry is well organized, safe, and meaningful for the participants at every age.
The service is outlined in the program you received on the way in so that it is easy to follow, even on your first visit. The program includes the day’s Scripture readings, a message outline, and announcements of upcoming events. Song lyrics are projected on two television screens in the front of the church. The worship team leads us in singing of songs along with Scripture readings, prayer and a message. The message will be based on the Bible and will relate the ancient text to our daily life in some way. You will hear solid Christian Theology made relevant to your daily life. We celebrate the Lord's Supper towards the end of our service each week.
There are welcome cards in the pockets on the backs of the seats, with space for personal information. Each week everyone in the service is invited to fill this out with any prayer requests or concerns they might have. We invite you to fill this out as well. You can drop this card in the offering plate when the ushers pass it.
Each week we include the collection of tithes and offerings as a part of the worship service. Those committed to Hope church will place their offerings in the basket as it is passed. We believe that the support of the ministry of the church is the responsibility of those committed to it. As our guest, we don’t want you to feel any obligation to give. However, if you would like further information about our ministry, you can fill out an info card and drop it in the offering basket.
Following the service, there is coffee and snacks at the refreshment table. Feel free to stick around and meet some members of Hope.
That is about it. We hope to see you Sunday!