WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY ALL ABOUT?
The Christian faith is highlighted in the Apostles’ Creed which can be summed up in this way:
In the beginning God the Father created the world perfectly and set Adam and Eve and their descendants to rule over it and enjoy it in fellowship with him forever. Adam and Eve sinned against God by disobeying him and as a result brought sin and death into the world for everyone. Rather than leaving them and their descendants in their own self destruction, God promised to send his Son into the world to pay the price for their sin and to conquer the curse of death. Jesus Christ was sent by God into the world at the appointed time by the power of the Spirit through the virgin birth of Mary as true man and true God. With these two natures he could not only properly represent mankind to pay their debt but also was able to carry the weight of that debt by his perfect innocence and divine power. He suffered under the judgement of Pontius Pilate and was declared innocent of any guilt of his own. He died on the cross in the place of sinful mankind. He was buried, which was proof that he really died. He experienced hellish agony on the cross as he was forsaken by God the Father in the place of sinful mankind. He rose from the dead after three days, so conquering death and the grave. He left earth in his glorified body by rising into heaven and taking his place at the right hand of God his Father, where he now continually intercedes for all who believe in him. He will come again to judge the living and the dead at the end of time. He has sent his Holy Spirit to comfort and encourage those who put their faith in him as they await his return. He gathers his people into a church set apart from the world where they can find true communion with each other in faith and share in the forgiveness of their sins and the hope of the resurrection of their bodies and of eternal life with God.
For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
— John 3:16 (ESV)
our worship services – what to expect
Each Sunday we enjoy gathering for worship at 10 am and 3 pm. The services are generally an hour to an hour and a half in length. Families are encouraged to worship together, but nursery services and children’s lessons are provided for those too young to be able to sit and listen.
The liturgy in these services is based on biblical principle and practice and presents a dialogue between God and his people. The songs that are sung by the congregation are either from the Psalms or are hymns adapted from other parts of Scripture to music in the Book of Praise. The prayers contain praise to God, confession of sin, pleas for pardon and blessing, as well as requests for help, healing and guidance. The Ten Commandments are read as the expression of how God wants us to live in thankfulness for the salvation obtained for us by Jesus Christ. The heart of the service centers around the reading and proclamation of God’s Word (the sermon). A thank offering (collection) is held and is either for the work done by the deacons among the needy or for some other chosen cause in the service of God in the community. The service opens with words from Scripture, including a call to worship, and a greeting from God, and ends with a closing benediction. Usually a time of fellowship with coffee and juice takes place in the fellowship area or outdoors in good weather.
Typically, in the afternoon service, the Heidelberg Catechism is used as a guideline for the preaching. This means that the minister also reads the appropriate Lord’s Day and has a sermon on the particular point of Scriptural teaching summarized in the Catechism. This helps ensure that all the main points of doctrine in the Bible are reviewed and taught each year.
The sacraments of baptism and Lord’s Supper are administered in the worship services. As soon as it is feasible, parents request to have their newborn child baptized. Those entering the church as adults are baptized upon making public profession of their faith. As for the Lord’s Supper, it is celebrated every two months on a set schedule. Those who have been baptized and have made public profession of faith are invited to attend. Our church practices a supervised Lord’s Supper table, which means that the elders see it as their biblical responsibility to “know” the members and guests who are attending. This is not meant as a judgement on any one but the elders consider it their biblical responsibility. Feel free to discuss this with an elder if you wish to participate.
Still have questions?
The best way to learn more about belief in Christ is to join a Bible study. Our church has study groups for all different ages and at different times.