Connect> Newcomer's Guide> What every member wished they knew

What every member wished they knew when they first visited.

Where are you located? We are one church with two locations and several services from which you may choose to attend. We are a multi-site church which gives you a small worship feeling in a big church community. We have a Sanctuary and Chapel located at 3906 West Friendly Avenue and we worship at the Lake Brandt Campus at 4747 Lake Brandt Road.

Parking. Visitor parking at the Friendly Avenue Campus is available behind the church or along Westminster Drive. If you are attending the Lake Brandt Campus, parking is available in the back and along the side of the church.

OK, I'm out of my car, now where do I go?
Friendly Avenue Campus: Call us the "backdoor" church. Most people park in the back and enter through the back double doors near the covered area. Here is "church central" and a greeter will be there to help you in any way. To drop off children at Sunday school or the nursery, go left and stay on the ground floor.Each room is marked with the children's ages or grade level. To the right is the fellowship hall, where you go for coffee after each service. Straight ahead are the doors to the playground. To get to the Sanctuary or Chapel, go up the stairs. There is also an elevator on the ground floor that goes to the upper floor. There is a greeter at the top and bottom of the stairs to help you get where you want to go. Youth meet at the Youth House for fellowship at 10:30 and at 11 for class. The Youth House is located in a house across from the Friendly Avenue campus at 602 Westminster Drive.

Lake Brandt Campus: Enter through the doors located at the back of the church.

Handicapped or need extra help?
Friendly Avenue Campus: Handicapped parking is in the front and along side the church and directly behind the church. There is an elevator on the ground floor that will take you to the upper floor. Hearing devices are available in the narthex (the entrance way/lobby) before you walk into the Chapel or Sanctuary.

Lake Brandt Campus: The church is handicapped accessible with plenty of room for wheelchairs and ramps.

Where is the Sanctuary and where is the Chapel? These are located at the Friendly Avenue campus. If you are looking at the church with your back to West Friendly Ave, the Sanctuary has the huge window.  The building to your right is the Chapel. Both are equipped with organs for music. The Sanctuary at the Lake Brandt campus is through the doors in the back entrance and continue walking straight.

What is the most crowded service? Right now, we'd say the 9:30 a.m. Contemporary service at Friendly Avenue seems to fill up quickly, but don't let that stop you. We fit all in -- even if we have to bring extra chairs. Try the different services and see which one you like best.

Where do the kids go? Nursery rooms are available and separated by child's ages. There are full-time caregivers and volunteers that will be more than happy to rock your children while you are here.

Friendly Avenue Campus: There are Sunday School classes on the lower floor for children aged 3 through 5th grade, a youth house across the street for 6th graders and older, or children and youth can come with you to worship.

Lake Brandt Campus: All children 3 and older come to the worship service and are led to their classrooms following a Children's sermon by the minister. Youth are welcome to come to the service or they may go directly to their Sunday School class for fellowship and study.

Sunday School for children. There are Sunday school classes for 3-years-old and older at the Sunday and Saturday services. This is true for all campuses.

Sunday School for youth. There are Sunday school classes for youth at 9:30 a.m. at the Lake Brandt Campus and 11:00 a.m. at the Friendly Avenue Campus. Classes at the Friendly Avenue Campus are held at the Youth House across from the church on Westminster Drive. There is a sign in the yard and greeters available to assist you.

Are Adult classes available? Yes. They go on during the 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday services at the Friendly Avenue campus. In the Fall and Spring, there is Westminster Studies usually in the evenings and new this year are nationally acclaimed speakers via satellite, and frequently there is a noon Women's Bible Study offered. See education for more information on the different classes. Visit one or two, feel free to switch around. Westminster isn't "cliquish" so just take the plunge and join in. If you would like to discuss what would be a good class for you , contact Butch Sherrill, Director of Adult Ministries. 299-3785 ext. 118.

How can you have 2 services going on at the same time and in different parts of the city? We have several ministers and volunteers to help set up the services. Often there are 2 ministers at each service and they each participate in various parts with one minister giving the sermon. This gives you a chance to meet all of them. The 11 a.m. Sunday services are a traditional service in the Sanctuary and a contemporary service in the Chapel.

What is the Saturday night service like? This service has contemporary music just like the three other Sunday contemporary services. It is held in the sanctuary and began in response to the fact that 28% of workers have to work on Sunday morning and are unable to attend a church service on Sunday. You may meet a few Sunday golfers there as well, but we offer it as a option for everyone. Choose a service that works for you. Children attending the service, worship with everyone in the Sanctuary and, after the Children's sermon, they go downstairs for a condensed version of their age-appropriate Sunday school class.

How do you join? New members are received each Sunday at 10:45 am and 7 p.m. on Saturday in the conference room on the upper floor of the Friendly Avenue campus and the Connecting Point at the Lake Brandt Campus. We will welcome you and have people on hand to provide you with  information about the many different activities at the church or to answer questions. Any transfers of membership from other services are handled for you by the church office. No hoops, no classes to take, no barriers.

Do I have to join? No. We have had visitors who come regularly for years. You can participate in all of the services, in communion, be an usher, teach Sunday School, join classes and activities. It's your choice. A good time to join is when you feel ready and not before then. The most regretful thing that could happen is that you join and then figure out it is not a good fit. We encourage you to take all the time you need, join in a group, volunteer, participate in any activity you wish. Come explore and grow in your faith.