    |
Frequent Questions
 The basic question: What is the purpose of the church?
To follow Jesus
To make disciples
To transform the world
How do I become a Christian?
Respond to the love of God by accepting Christ as the Son of God, the Savior
of the world, the Lord of all. His life, death and resurrection are the means
of God's forgiveness, love and promise of eternal life. By following Jesus, we
are able to live life with purpose, love and service to others. In a worship
service of the church, you can make a profession of faith to indicate your
desire to be a Christian and a member of the Church.
Other questions:
1) Where do we meet?
2) How long does a service last?
Most will be no longer than an hour. The service usually follows a basic pattern that includes welcoming/announcements, congregational singing, children's message (11:00), choral and/or instrumental music, prayers, a Bible reading, the pastor's message, and other acts of worship like baptism or communion. 3) Will I be pressured to become a member if I attend? While we are happy for persons to unite with the church through a profession of faith or transfer of membership from another church, we would rather have a person feel "at home" and involved before deciding on membership. Our goal is to help one another experience the worship of God, personal faith, and meaningful participation in the congregation's life so that we are Christian disciples in the community and world. When you are ready to talk about making a profession of faith during worship (through your baptism or confirmation) the pastor will be happy to meet with you. Persons who are already members of other congregations are welcome to discuss the possibility of a transfer of membership. You may also choose to publicly reaffirm your faith.
4) What happens to the money that is given as an offering during worship? Our governing body, called the 'Administrative Board,' establishes a general budget for each calendar year. Cash or checks given to the church support the essential ministries and expenses of the congregation. A finance committee supervises our management of offerings so that our gifts will be carefully spent. In addition to the regular offerings that support our general ministries, people also give to our 'building fund,' which pays for the debt on our fellowship center. Other gifts are also received for mission projects and other appeals (like world hunger).
5) What does it mean to be a United Methodist?
United Methodist congregations and members are guided by The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church. Published and updated every four years, it is a summary of the beliefs, principles, ministries and structure of our Church. Each congregation in United Methodism is part of a connection of churches, pastors and ministries spanning the world. More information is available at www.umc.org.
Most people experience "church" in their home congregation. We guide our ministries through leaders and participants working together to help us worship, learn, serve and welcome people into the family of Christ. Through the leadership of our Administrative Board, representatives of various ministries and committees enable us to support our congregation's priorities and provide administrative oversight. We are thankful for all who participate and lead in our church!
|
