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What should you expect when visiting us for the first time?

 

1. What is your traditional worship service like?

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Each Sunday at St. Stephens-Bethlehem you'll find a friendly atmosphere, with a traditional selection of hymns, but we have a blend of praise music. This service follows a historical liturgical (church service) format.  We also have two large video screens at the front of the sanctuary which will display various parts of the service, to help you make the most of the practical and relevant message.

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2.  What will happen when I visit for the first time?
 

If you are visiting for the first time, you will be greeted at the door by a warm and friendly greeter, who will welcome you. You will be met at one of our three entrances into the sanctuary (church) by an usher who will hand you a bulletin (program)

 

We will not embarrass you, have you stand up, or ask you to give money. We know that many people want to check out the church and "be anonymous" for a while—and that's fine with us! Come in, enjoy the reverent atmosphere, and see if this is the church for you.

Following the worship service, please join us in the cafe in the for a time of refreshments and relationship building.

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3. What do I wear to attend your traditional service?

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You'll find everything from casual clothes to business suits at our Traditional Sunday service. The traditional service is generally a little dressier, business casual or better, but come in what is comfortable for you, because St. Stephens-Bethlehem is not about what you look like or what you wear.

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4. What is the traditional worship like?

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We invite you to join us each week as we worship together. Our services begin with a traditional prelude (a piece of reflective music), followed by a hymn, then a call to worship, then more music. The music is out of a hymnal. We encourage everyone to participate. Don't worry, we didn't know the songs at first either. You'll notice that we devote a lot of time to worship. Worship isn't just a filler before the sermon, it's the reason we come together! It's a powerful and personal way to connect our hearts with God.

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This is followed by a sermon and then prayer time, an offertory, and on the first Sunday of the month communion. 

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5. Communion, what is communion, I am allowed to participate?

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In the sacrament of Holy Communion, also called the Lord's Supper or Eucharist, meaning "thanksgiving," Christians hear, taste, touch and receive the grace of God (love of God) revealed through Jesus Christ in a unique way. Communion is:

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a joyous act of thanksgiving for all God has done, is doing, and will do for the redeeming of creation;

 

a sacred memorial of the crucified and risen Christ, a living and effective sign of Christ's sacrifice in which Christ is truly and rightly present to those who eat and drink;

 

an earnest prayer for the presence of the Holy Spirit to unite those who partake with the Risen Christ and with each other, and to restore creation, making all things new;

 

an intimate experience of fellowship in which the whole church in every time and place is present and divisions are overcome;

 

a hopeful sign of the promised Realm of God marked by justice, love and peace.

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At St. Stephens-Bethlehem UCC we celebrate an open table. That means you don't need to be a member of this church or of any church. You don't need to be baptized. You don't need even to be a believer. If you desire to commune with God, through Jesus, and this community, you are welcome all are welcome. 

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6. What about the Children?

 

During our traditional service we offer our Sunday School Program for children 3-10. We offer childcare for those younger than 3 from a consistent, childcare professional, in our nursery.

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ALL CHILDREN ALWAYS WELCOME (yes the noisy ones, the happy ones, the snoring ones, the cranky ones, the ones who roam the aisles, and crawl under the pews) in church. Feel free to keep them with you if you would like. The crib room is there for families with young children who feel the need to take them there. You are by no means obligated to take your child there. We believe children are life, and we like to see, hear, and participate with them in church!!!