On behalf of the congregation, I thank you for taking some time to get to know us, and I invite you to join us for worship or other activities. We are eager to meet you.
One way to meet us is to join us for worship at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays. We believe that God gathers us for worship, so if you join us that will mean God himself is at work in you by his Holy Spirit and is calling you into loving fellowship with Jesus Christ.
In our worship services, we: begin with a time of praise to God through music and song. We typically include also a time of reconciliation to God through the confession of our sins and the assurance of God’s forgiveness. We emphasize the preaching of God’s word, and we respond to the sermon with prayers and other expressions of our dedication to God’s service. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper monthly and on major holidays.
On most Sundays, after the opening time of praise and after a children’s sermon, we provide an age appropriate worship service for younger children. This service is called Children in Worship, and it is one of the strong points of our congregational life. Children are led from the sanctuary to a nearby room, where they actually worship God. At least two trained worship leaders stay with them until the service ends.
After the service, we spend time visiting one another. This is a time we highly value because we highly value each other. We provide refreshments and encourage people to use this time to build loving relationships. Sometimes people who have not seen each other all week will use this time to arrange to go out to coffee or lunch so that they can extend this important time of conversation.
At 11:30 a.m. we provide Sunday School for all ages. Children from Kindergarten through 12th grade meet in three or four separate classes and study excellent material provided by the Faith-Alive publishing arm of the Christian Reformed denomination. Teachers are able to get to know their students personally, and they are able to model their faith as well as teach it.
Adult Sunday School is typically led by the pastor and covers a variety of topics. No matter what the topic is, however, the session always includes biblical instruction and a time for prayer. These sessions, which last from 11:30 to 12:15 have become one of the livelier times in our congregation’s life.
We also have midweek activities, such as Baraka-Youth Ministries, Third Thursdays, Seniors’ Luncheons, and various Bible Studies. You can find out more about these ministries by consulting the proper sections on our website.
I could write much more, but, as the biblical writer John says, “I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.”
Your Friend in Christ, Pastor Joel Kok