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Whitney Church of Christ |
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What to Expect When You Visit !
That is our message to you as we want
you to visit us at the We want you to feel entirely comfortable on your first
visit to us, so let us tell you what awaits you when you honor us with your visit. Background. A brief description of our background
may help you understand us. We are people who hold the Bible as God's word and as the
only source of our faith and practice. Our objective is to "restore" the New Testament church in our time-to determine from
the Bible what the church was like in the beginning, and to be like that. We believe this is a worthy and reverent goal. As you can see, we want to be a Bible centered church.
And we try to be. Yet we are also human, and as such realize that our practices are sometimes colored by habit, preference,
tradition, or convenience. Now let us walk you through a worship service. The Setting. Some churches of Christ meet
in homes or rented facilities. However, most, for the sake of convenience, have erected a church building. You will find our facilities simple and functional; not
"high church," but more of a family gathering. You may not know anyone in the auditorium, but make yourself at home, sit where
and with whom you please. We'll be glad to see you. Please be sure and let us know if you need help finding the nursery, classes, etc. Singing. How
is this for a refreshing change: no choirs or musical instruments, just the unmatched melody of the human voice. Our singing,
you see is "a cappella." That is, no instruments; and it is congregational, with everyone participating fully as we worship
the Lord. This is a conviction with us, not just a preference.
Since the New Testament directs that we make "melody with your heart to the Lord" (Eph. Prayer. There
will be several prayers during the service. And there may be prayers for specific needs and requests (1 Tim. 2:1,2). Preaching. You will notice that the preacher doesn't have a title. He won't be referred
to as Pastor or Reverend. He will probably be referred to as brother. Or Mister. Or, even
better, just called by his first name. He won't be wearing any special
clothing or robes which set him apart. The reason for this is our belief in the priesthood of
all believers. That all are equal (I Pet. 2:5, 9). The sermon will likely be from 20 to 30 minutes. We think
you will find it refreshingly Bible-centered (2 Tim. 4:1-5) Invitation. At the close of the sermon,
the preacher will "extend an invitation". This is simply an expedient
time to invite those who are moved to do so to make a spiritual commitment or request prayer support. He will encourage those who wish to "respond" to come to the front of the auditorium while the congregation
sings a hymn. Don't feel ill-at-ease during the invitation. You will
not be singled out in any way. There may be several who respond. Or none Some may respond for baptism. Some
to confess sins and request prayers for strength. Some to ask for prayer for
a specific need. Some to "identify" or "place membership" with
this church. If anyone responds for baptism, you will witness the baptism
during the service. The baptism will be by immersion (Co!. Lord's Supper. If you visit on a Sunday morning, the Lord's Supper will be included in the
worship proceedings-because churches of Christ observe this memorial every Sunday. Again, the reason for this is our desire to follow New
Testament teaching. The first century church celebrated this observance on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). We assume from this that they did it the first day of every
week. And we know from respected historians that in early centuries the Lord's Supper was an every Sunday commemoration. 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 be distributed.
The 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 (l Cor. 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. Offering. Also, if you visit on a Sunday
morning, containers will be passed to collect the weekly financial offering (I Cor. 16: 1-2). As our guest, you are not expected to make a donation.
Feel perfectly comfortable in just passing the collection plate on down the row. What will be expected
of you. Nothing at all! You are welcome to participate
or you might simply observe. You may be asked to fill out a Visitor's Card. This simply
provides information so, the church can write or call to thank you for your visit.
Supply the information if you are comfortable doing so. But feel free to decline this request if you prefer. The people. We're a diverse group, coming from varied
backgrounds, and at different stages of knowledge and spiritual growth. We do have a mutual commitment; that is, to practice the
truth we have learned from scripture. You see, we were not brought together by any illusion of
our perfection or righteousness. We were brought together by our recognition that we are sinners in need of the cleansing
blood of Jesus ( That's the reason we can worship together, stick together,
and, with God's help, accomplish what scripture says in our lives and the lives of others. Bottom line, you will find people who love Jesus and love
the Bible. So why don 't you join us for worship
this Sunday or on any Sunday, to give us an opportunity to show you what we are all about. We think you will find us to be
a warm, caring group and we would love to have you visit. See you Sunday' |
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