Acts of Worship

Probably the most noticeable thing that many will see is that our worship in song is without instrumental accompaniment.  That means in the style of the church.  It means we praise God and edify one another through a cappella (non-instrumental) singing (Colossians 3:16). We sing to praise God and to exhort and encourage one another. (Ephesians 5:19). And, everyone is invited to sing!  God is more interested in hearing praise than the quality of your voice.  We believe that a cappella congregational singing both enhances our personal involvement in the worship, and conforms to the New Testament example.
You’ll also notice that on every Sunday we assemble to observe the Lord’s Supper, a memorial established by Jesus Himself to commemorate His death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). We celebrate the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. This is a focal point of our services as we worship the Lord and show our thanks to Him.  The first century church celebrated this observance on the first day of every week (Acts 20:7). During this memorial, plates containing pieces of unleavened bread will be passed throughout the congregation. The bread symbolizes the body of Jesus. Each participating person will break off a piece of the bread and eat it. Next, trays filled with small cups will contain “fruit of the vine,” usually grape juice, symbolizing the blood of Jesus. Each participant will drink the contents of one of the cups. We leave to each person the decision to participate in the Supper. If you choose not to participate, don’t be embarrassed. Feel free to just pass the plate or tray to the person next to you
In our Sunday assembly, our members give. This is the means by which our members make their weekly contributions in support of our ministries. Occasionally, we will also take a collection for special needs in our community or throughout the world. As our guest you are welcome but not expected to make a donation (I Corinthians 16:1-2; II Corinthians 9:7).
We are a praying people.  There will be several prayers offered in every service as we depend on and truth and want to thank God.  We offer prayers of supplication and thanksgiving (1 Timothy 2:1-8; Acts 2:42; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). If you have a specific prayer request let us know and we will try to include it.
You will notice that the preacher doesn’t have a title such as Pastor or Reverend. He will probably be referred to as brother, mister, or, just called by his first name. He won’t be wearing any ecclesiastical vestments (special robes), which set him apart. The reason for this is our belief in the priesthood of all believers. We affirm that all believers are equal in God’s sight. The sermon is the time when the “good news” of God’s love and Jesus’ redemptive life is proclaimed and applied to our lives today. We want our preachers/speakers to work hard at applying the ancient Word to our lives today.  It is his job to preach the Word (2 Timothy 4). We believe you will find it encouraging, relevant and Bible-centered.
  • Invitation: At the close of some sermons, the preacher will “extend an invitation.” This is simply a time to invite those who are moved to do so to make a commitment or request prayer support. The preacher will encourage those who wish to “respond” to come to the front of the auditorium, while the congregation sings a hymn. This is not a time to feel uncomfortable; no one will be singled out in any way. There may be several who respond, or there may be none. Some may respond for baptism. Some may confess sins. Some may ask for prayer for a specific need. Some may want to “identify” or “place membership” with this church. If anyone responds for baptism, you will witness the baptism during this service. The baptism will be by immersion and for the remission of sin.