Worship Services
Worship
We believe that corporate worship is a vital part of the Christian life. We were created to give glory to God, and worship is one of our highest functions. We view worship as our reasonable and grateful response to our holy and gracious God.
Our church follows a "blended" style of worship -- neither strictly traditional nor exclusively contemporary. We draw on the rich musical heritage of the Christian church in planning worship services that include both classic hymns of the faith and contemporary choruses and anthems. Of our two Sunday morning services, the 9 a.m. service features a more "up-tempo" worship style; the 10:40 a.m. service is "classic contemporary." Note: during the summer, we offer one worship service at 10:40, while holding elective classes during the 9am hour.
Our worship services are non-liturgical. Congregational singing, scripture reading, and prayer are key features of our corporate worship experience.
Pulpit Ministry
Solid biblical teaching has always been an important element of the ministry of our church. In each service, substantial time has been allocated to the pastor for the sermon. Most messages are expository in nature--that is, the pastor explains the meaning of a specific passage of Scripture and establishes specific principles of application for Christian growth and guidance. A printed outline for note-taking is often provided. Most messages are componant parts of a "series" that explores a Bible book (or other large segment) or a pertinent theme of Scripture. Yet each sermon has its own message that stands on its own as a complete entity.
Ordinances
Our church observes two ordinances -- The Lord's Supper (communion) and Baptism. We observe communion approximately once every four or five weeks as a reminder and proclamation of Christ's sacrifice for us.
We practice believer's baptism as a symbolic ritual in which an individual who has come to trust in Jesus Christ as personal Savior makes a public declaration of his/her faith through giving a personal testimony of faith and being immersed in water. We usually have a baptism service in early September and at other times through the year as necessary.
