Visitiing for the first time

Weekend Worship

People connect with God in different ways. For some, a liturgy including responsive readings and traditional hymns are best. Others feel connected to God through praise songs. Still others connect with God best in silence. We like to talk about those different ways as "love languages". Since people of common faith can have differing love languages, our goal is to offer worship which, in one way or another, invites everyone to serve God in a worship style that works best for them.

Three Worship Times & Styles:

Saturday Blended Worship 5:30 PM - Traditional liturgy with contemporary music.

Sunday 9:00 AM - Traditional - A more formal approach with great hymns and liturgy.

Sunday 10:30 AM - Contemporary - More informal, with praise songs.

All worship experiences center around the Word of God and focus our attention on Him.

Each week the service is printed in the worship folder and /or displayed in a powerpoint presentation.

Dress

Sometimes people wonder how they are expected to dress at a church they've never visited before.

Since the Bible presents no dress code, aside from simple decency and Christian humility, Royal Redeemer doesn't make any rules either.

Like most people, our members try to make their worship time at church a special time. This is often reflected in the way they dress.

But dress is a personal matter of worship before God. One may dress casually and rejoice that we have a God who accepts us as we are. Another may dress to reflect the awe and reverence we have for our Savior King.

On any Sunday at our church you may see running shoes and high heels, jeans and suits, or open collars and ties. When a person dresses out of love for God, the choice of dress (casual or more formal) is acceptable to God . . . and us.

Offerings

"When will they take the offering?" "How will it be collected?" "How much am I expected to give?" "Do they want visitors to contribute too?" These are typical worries about church offerings.

The Bible teaches that our offerings to God should reflect our belief that all we have is his gift to us. It teaches us that with our offerings we worship and honor God.

Like most Christians, our members bring offerings to God through their church. Since offerings are gifts of love for God, no one dictates what each person is to give.

We pass an offering plate during the service so that our worship may include bringing gifts to God. (Offering envelopes are available and keep our gifts a private matter known only to God who sees what we do in private.)

The first Sunday of each month we pass a second offering basket. This is an opportunity to give to a ministry we believe is effectively making a difference for God's kingdom. Completely voluntary. 100% of what you place in this basket goes to the designated ministry.

A child may bring the quarters and dimes his parents give him. Someone older may write a check. Both are remembering Jesus and giving their gift out of love for him.

You may wish at first to learn more about our ministry before bringing your offerings to God through our church. But you are welcome to participate as your heart leads you to give.

The Worst That Can Happen

Attending church somewhere for the first time can be intimidating. Here are some common worries:

"I would just die if they made me stand up and say something." I assure you, we won't embarrass you in this or any other way. We want you to feel comfortable and at home with us. Church should be an enjoyable and uplifting experience. We promise to do all we can so you can learn about your Savior.

"I know my child is going to be too noisy." We welcome your children to attend our services, but if you feel uncomfortable with their noise level we do offer a "cry room", a play area/ nursery where you can sit with your child. For older children, there is an area just outside of our sanctuary (narthex) with speakers, where you can bring older children and still be connected with worship.

"I know I will feel out of place." I hope that this visitor's guide will ease your mind, but if you have a question, please ask someone for help. Don't hesitate to say, "I am new. What is this about?"

"I am afraid I will say or do something wrong." All of us have felt this way when in a new situation. But if you take the time to find out who we are, you will discover that the people of Royal Redeemer to be ordinary people just like yourself.

"I just want to watch at first and I know that they will try to involve me or sign me up." At Royal Redeemer, our priority is growth in relationship with God. We encourage people to attend for a time and become involved in the community before considering membership. And that happens at a pace that is comfortable for you. So you will be invited, but not pressured.

"I don't know that much about the Bible." Church and Bible Study are opportunities to grow in knowledge of the Bible and faith in Jesus. You won't have to answer any questions you don't want to answer. And remember, sometimes the wisest words we say are, "I don't know."

A Final Thought

We hope this helps answer some of your questions and alleviate your fears. Our goals as a congregation are quite simple. We want to grow in faith and share that faith with people like you. Everything we do is meant to accomplish these two goals. We pray that there is nothing that stands in your way from learning more about your Savior.

Please do not hesitate to call or email our pastor, Joel Morgan if you have any questions or if there is anything we can do for you.

God's blessings to you, and we look forward to seeing you in church.

(513) 779-4740