Planning a Sunday morning visit
We appreciate that some people might want to know more about what happens in one of our church services before they visit.
You may have lots of questions or be worried about being asked to do something you weren't expecting.
We all have different impressions or experiences of church - not all of them are positive!
Below is a rough outline of what happens if you visited us on a Sunday. If you still have questions then arrange a meet up with our minister, James!
If you would like to let us know that you are planning on visiting then please fill in the form at the bottom of this page and one of our Welcome Team will be ready to welcome you personally on the day.
A typical Sunday Service
Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are accessible toilets just to the left of the main foyer.
Children: Your children and babies are most welcome in our services. We are not concerned about the noise they might make! We have baby changing facilities in our accessible toilet.
Dress code: We don't have one! Dress however you feel comfortable.
Our service starts at 10:30am each Sunday.
We recommend you arrive 10-15 minutes early so you can park in our car park, be welcomed, and find a seat.
You will find someone from our Welcome Team meet you at our main entrance. They will hand you a Bible for you to use during the service which you can return at the end.
A service will include a mixture of different elements, led either by our minister, one of the deacons, or a member of the church. These are usually prepared in advance by the person leading.
It is important to realise that people will not be judging you based on what you may or may not take part in. There is nothing wrong with you coming as a visitor and not taking an active part in things and simply just listening and observing what happens.
Prayers
Prayers of different types might be read or spoken out. People who agree with the prayers will often say 'Amen' at the end. There is no expectation for people to say Amen to a prayer if they don't agree with it or they don't understand it.
Sometimes, the person leading the prayer time might say there will be a time of 'open prayer'. This creates space for people to either silently pray to God or to speak a prayer out loud from where they are sitting.
We will also recite the Lord's Prayer together.
Singing songs/hymns
We will sing together as one way of worshipping God. The songs usually have a simple tune and pattern so you can join in if you want to. You may want to just listen and read the words however. It is important to realise that for Christians, worship is more than just singing a song.
A talk given from the Bible
Someone will come and give a talk they have prepared that covers a topic of life and faith. This will always involve passages of the Bible being read and explained. The talk will include a focus on how these teachings are relevant to us - for us in the 21st Century in the city of Birmingham - and how they can be applied to our lives. We sometimes call this talk a 'sermon' and the act of giving the talk 'preaching'.
Communion
Typically on the third Sunday of the month we share communion together. You may know this as the Lord's Supper or Eucharist. We eat bread and drink non-alcoholic wine together. The basis for this is Jesus' last meal he had with his followers where he told them to "do this in remembrance of me". This is a time where we think specifically about Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross and its meaning to us. It is both a solemn time but also a joyous one as we consider that God forgives us and wants to have a relationship with us!
An offering
A plate is passed round for people to give a gift of money. While there is some practicality in meeting the costs of the church, people give first as an act of worship to God. As a church we seek to use what we have to be a blessing to our community. As a visitor you can feel free to let the plate pass by.
I would like to visit on a Sunday morning
If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.
Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit. |