Worship
Who may attend worship services?
What is worship like?
What is the sermon going to be like?
How long is the worship service?
Are you going to call attention to me as
a visitor?
How much is it going to cost me?
Weddings
Membership
What does it mean to be a "member"?
Do I have to be a member to attend
worship or other events?
How can I become a member of Faith
Lutheran?
How do I transfer my membership
to Faith Lutheran from another LCMS congregation?
Who
may attend worship services? [top]
You may! You'll find a wonderful group of fun, caring people.
We come from all backgrounds and all walks of life. You'll
fit in just fine!
What
is worship like? [top]
At Faith Lutheran we plan our worship around a biblical theme
for the day. The songs we sing (mostly hymns) and the portions
of the Bible that we read are selected to reinforce that theme.
We have opportunity to listen to God speaking to us, and we
have the opportunity to praise him, pray to him, and sing
to him in return.
God is a majestic and transcendent God. In our worship service we want to approach him in reverence, awe and humility—but at the same time with joy and celebration. Our service is carefully planned, and it's either printed out or found in the hymnal, so you'll know what's coming next.
What
is the sermon going to be like? [top]
God's word has relevant and personal things to say to people
in the 21st century. More than anything, we hope that the
sermon relates God's timeless truths to the challenges you're
confronting in your life today. We hope that the sermon reinforces
things you already knew, teaches you something you didn't
know, challenges you in your walk with Jesus, and leaves you
with the peace and assurance of God's embracing love and complete
forgiveness in Christ.
How
long is the worship service? [top]
A typical worship service lasts about an hour.
Are
you going to call attention to me as a visitor? [top]
Not at all! We want you to feel welcome—and we hope
you're warmly greeted by other Faith Lutheran worshipers—but
we won't single you out or put you on the spot. You won't
be asked to stand up and introduce yourself. There won't be
a quiz later on the names of people you met. You can worship
as anonymously as you choose. We're just very glad when you
can join us to praise God along with us!
How
much is it going to cost me? [top]
We gather an offering of thanks during the service—usually
after the sermon. We collect an offering, because it gives
our worshipers another chance to praise God with their gift,
and to support the work of the church here and abroad. The
offering is completely voluntary—you don't have to participate
at all, if you don't care to. When the plate comes by, you
may simply pass it along. Nobody will think badly of you or
look at you funny if you do so. Quite frankly, our goal is
to give something to you, not to take something away from
you. We desire to give you the good news of forgiveness of
sins, and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Weddings [top]
Many
weddings today try to be trendy; with contemporary love songs
instead of sacred hymns, cute vows instead of serious commitments,
and standing in a park instead of in front of an altar. However,
a Christian wedding is actually a worship service. It is a
time to reflect on God's love for the Church through Jesus
Christ, and how that love is to be a model for the selfless
love which is to exist between husband and wife (Ephesians
5:21-33). The wedding ceremonies at Faith Lutheran are reverent,
Christ-centered; and use historic, solemn marriage vows. The
wedding is not just a "prelude to the party" (the
sometimes raucous reception), it is the beginning of a life-long
partnership between a husband and wife who look to Christ
for forgiveness and strength in this life, and an eternal
celebration at the marriage feast of the Lamb in heaven (Revelation
19:6-9).
What
does it mean to be a "member"? [top]
Infants and children become members of the congregation when
they are baptized. This means that the congregation and the
pastor assume responsibility for their spiritual care. As
Christians grow and mature in our faith, we reach the point
where we are ready to receive Holy Communion. Youth and adults
become communicant members after they have completed a course
of instruction in the basic teachings of the Bible (Catechism
instruction or Adult Membership Class). Once instructed, they
are able to declare publicly that they are in complete agreement
with God's Word (the Bible), and they are ready to receive
the Sacrament. All Christians desire to be part of a fellowship
of believers and to regularly receive the gifts that God has
given to his church.
Do
I have to be a member to attend worship or other events? [top]
We welcome everyone to worship, to activities, to outings.
You'll find a welcoming group of friendly people. Baptism
is for everyone who desires it, and the pastor will be happy
to explain to you the meaning and significance of Baptism
for you and your children. Since Holy Communion requires some
important knowledge of the Bible, we respectfully ask that
people receive Communion only after they have been instructed
and declare their agreement with our church's teachings.
How
can I become a member of Faith Lutheran? [top]
Start worshiping with us! Find out the wonderful things God
has to say to your heart. That's the first step. Periodically,
the pastor offers membership classes. The series, entitled
God for Us, takes about 12 weeks to complete. You'll enjoy
a lively discussion with other participants about basic teachings
of the Bible applied to real life today. Feeling a bit apprehensive?
Don't worry—we're all there to learn, and the pastor
will do everything he can to help you feel comfortable. You
just might find some solid friends for life!
How
do I transfer my membership to Faith Lutheran from another
LCMS congregation? [top]
If you're a member in good standing at a sister congregation
of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, you don't need
to take the membership class all over. (On the other hand...if
it's been a while, you might find that God for Us is a refreshing
review for you and a faith-building experience!) To transfer,
please speak to our pastor about your desire to become a member.
Then, contact the pastor at your home church and ask that
your membership be transferred to Faith Lutheran.
Faith is a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.