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We
are a non-denominational body of believers whose goal is to be
“Christians only”, united not by creed or institution, but by
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and our common salvation. All
are welcome, and our congregation is made up of people from many
different backgrounds. This common faith keeps us together as
a church family.
Jesus
said, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in
spirit and truth” (John 4:24). We seek to obey this
principle of scripture in all our worship, and believe that we
should look at the practices of those early Christians who walked
and talked with the Apostles (who themselves walked with and were
taught by Jesus himself) as a guide to worship that honors God.
Through study of the Apostles’ teachings found in the New
Testament, we believe that the worship of the early church was
expressed in their gatherings through prayer, singing, study of the
scriptures and preaching, giving, participating in the Lord’s
Supper (also known as Communion), and encouraging one another in the
faith.
A
worship practice that sets churches of Christ apart from many other
groups is that of congregational a cappella singing. This
again goes back to our desire to sing as the early church and
Apostles sang, and the result is a blending of all voices, seeking
to praise and glorify God in spirit and truth. (Matthew 26:30,
Acts 16:25, Romans 15:9, 1 Corinthians 14:15, Ephesians 5:18-19,
Colossians 3:16, Hebrews 2:12, James 5:13)
Another
practice you will notice is the weekly observance of the Lord’s
Supper. This practice was instituted by Jesus himself during
his last meal with His disciples before going to the cross, and has
been eaten together in His honor on the first day of the week by
Christians for nearly 2,000 years. The Supper is a reminder of
the sacrifice He made for us, the covenant we have with God, and our
common relationship with each other because of our faith.
(Matthew 26:17-30, Acts 2:42-47, Acts 20:7)
You
will find that we are a people who value the Bible very highly.
In our assemblies there will be scriptures read, and there
will be a message of encouragement from the Bible as well.
We hope you will find the messages enlightening, challenging,
convicting, and encouraging. Sometimes after the
message people will respond by asking for prayers of the church, or
there may be a baptism. After study, prayer, and
meditation, an individual may desire to be baptized as a means of
remission of sins and salvation (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16,
John 3:5, 1 Peter 3:21). When a person is
baptized into Christ for these reasons, he or she becomes a
Christian and is added to the church by the Lord. We
practice, as did the early church, baptism by immersion in water in
the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for the
forgiveness of sins and to receive the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit.
Since Christ died
to save the whole world and the invitation to share in the saving
grace is open to everyone (Acts 10:34-35, Revelation 22:17)
we do not believe that anyone is predestined for salvation or
condemnation. To accept or reject Christ is an important
choice. Wherever you are at this moment, we hope you will
decide to accept the love and salvation offered by Christ. May
God bless you richly as you diligently seek Him.
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