What Can I Expect?

What Can I Expect When I Visit?

When you join us for Sunday morning worship at our 1333 South Carrollton Ave campus, you enter through the double doors to the right of the sanctuary. If you need ramp or ground level access, you may enter through the courtyard off Willow Street or further down the sidewalk through the fence gate.

What to wear? You’ll see folks wearing suits and shorts, hats (“Crowns”) and button downs. What’s your “Sunday best?”

Our worship service is a blend of contemporary and traditional liturgy and music. Our choir sings classical anthems and spirituals. Our hymns come from four different hymnals, reflecting the blending of our traditions: The Hymnal (Evangelical & Reformed Church), The African American Heritage Hymnal, The Faith We Sing, and the UCC’s New Century Hymnal.

We’ll sing, say a few prayers, listen to a sermon or message, and celebrate together. The printed bulletin will help guide you through the service. Next to some hymns and prayers, you will notice an asterisk (*).   If you are able, we invite you to stand for this portion of the service.

Following the sermon, we share our gifts through the offering. This free will offering, or “Open Plate,” is an expression of gratitude and support for the work of the church. Sometimes offerings will go toward specific funds or causes. Most Sundays, the offering goes toward our general funds, which include expenses such as mission and outreach, personnel, buildings and grounds, education, music - - all of the myriad things that keep our doors open and fulfill the mission and ministry of this church.

Communion is served on the first and third Sunday of the month. On the first Sunday, deacons serve the elements (bread and juice or wine) to the congregation sitting in the pews (seats.) This is accompanied by a more traditional, or “high” liturgy. On the third Sunday, communion is served at the altar by intinction - - AKA “Rip and Dip” - - where you come forward and take a piece of bread and dip it into the cup.

Anyone who seeks to know Christ is welcome at our communion table. Children are invited to take communion at the family’s discretion. Nothing and no one should keep you from sharing in the blessing of this sacrament.

At the close of the service, we form a Circle of Fellowship around the sanctuary and join in singing “Bind Us Together.”   This is a very moving tradition that testifies to the ongoing unification of our congregation.

You are invited to join us in the lobby following the service for refreshments and conversation.

What About the Kids?

Children have a few options here, depending on their age. First, children are welcome to remain in the sanctuary for the duration of the service. A children’s message is delivered early in the service, and children are then invited to go to our Sunday School class. For infants and toddlers, we have a nursery on the balcony level of the sanctuary. A large window provides a view of the sanctuary and audio from the service is broadcast into the room. The nursery has toys and a changing table as well. We have a paid nursery attendant to care for your little ones. She is CPR and First Aid certified, and has cleared an extensive background check through AmeriCorps.