You can expect a friendly, welcoming congregation.  We are a Christ-centered, busy, vital, mission- minded church and we are glad you are here among us.

When you pull into the parking lot off of Lindley Avenue, the first five parking spaces on the left are reserved for visitors.  On the right, there are ten spaces reserved for handicapped parking. 

As you face our church buildings from the parking lot, we have two entrances each opening onto a patio.  The entrance on the left gives you access to the Church School Area, Chapel, Friendship Hall and kitchen.  The entrance on the right gives you access to the Sanctuary where a hospitality table holds our Visitor’s Register, name tags, our newsletter Circuit Rider and assorted booklets which you may have.  A “greeter” will help direct you through the patio to the Sanctuary entrance which is at the front corner of the church on Saticoy Street.

If you have children, you may leave them with their Sunday School teachers in rooms on the left.

            Younger Elementary Class (4-year olds – 2nd graders) Room 3

            Older Elementary Class (3rd – 5th graders) Room 2

            Childcare (Infants – 3 year-olds) Nursery/Toddler Room 1       

            Middle School -  Room 9  (Entrance from Church School Area)

            High School - Room 8 

As you reach the entrance and enter the Narthex, you’ll be greeted by friendly church members.  Ushers will have Order of Worship Bulletins and will assist you in finding a seat.  However, feel free to sit wherever you like with the exception of the first three pews which are reserved for the children and the choir.

The Order of Worship Bulletin will help you follow the service, of course.  A bible is in the rack if you like to read the scripture yourself.  Sunday morning reading is from the New Revised Standard Version.  The “United Methodist Hymnal” is used for most of the hymns as well as for liturgical moments.  The smaller hymnal, “The Faith We Sing”, is usually used once each Sunday and the page numbers begin with 2000.  For those who have a poor eyesight, large print bibles, hymnals, and worship bulletins are available. Ushers may help you get them.

As you follow the bulletin, an asterisk tells you when it is appropriate to stand.  Please remain seated if it is best for you.

Our Worship Service begins with an organ prelude and lighting of the candles, which are followed by welcome and announcements by the pastor.  During this time, everyone is asked to sign an attendance pad.  Please sign your name(s).  If you would like to leave your phone number and/or address, one of the members of the congregation will contact you to answer any questions you may have about us and offer other information about our church.

“A Time for Children” follows.  Our caring teachers have brought the children into the Sanctuary for opening worship with the congregation.  It’s a wonderful way for them to begin to feel that they are truly a part of “The Church”.  They may be told a story by the pastor, one of the teachers or a lay person.  Because they are terrific, the Children’s Choir usually sings for us once a month. Their bright, smiling faces add a new dimension to our service and we thoroughly enjoy those moments when they “raise a joyful noise unto the Lord”.  (They practice at 11:30 A.M. in the Sanctuary.)  They are then dismissed to their classes.

Other parts of the service follow.  The choir always adds a special anthem which is appropriate to the sermon or season of the year.  As the hymn before the sermon is sung, the choir joins the congregation in the pews and a large screen lowers into position.  Pastor Sam Hong uses a “Power Point Presentation” of pictures and movie clips for emphasis and clarity of thought with his sermons each week.

The choir returns to the chancel area as the final hymn is sung, the benediction is proclaimed, the choir sings a response and the organ postlude sends us out of a service which has hopefully given each participant a great start for the new week.

A gathering on the patio or in the Fireside Room follows as we have coffee/punch together.  Please join us for we wear name tags which help us all get acquainted.  This is a time when we can enjoy our Christian fellowship.

                                        A FEW EXTRA THOUGHTS

The first Sunday of each month we observe Holy Communion which is open to everyone.  The congregation remains seated as the ushers pass a plate of wafers.  Please hold your wafer until the pastor indicates it’s time to place it in your mouth.  Then the ushers pass the grape juice and it’s held until all have been served.  The Methodist Church uses grape juice rather than wine containing alcohol.

Other events, such as the introduction of new members or the Sacrament of Baptism, may take place during the service.  The United Methodist Church baptizes persons of all ages – infants, children and adults.

Small racks on the backs of the pews are filled with various kinds of information.  One tri-fold has information about the organization of United Methodist Women.  If you or someone you know has prayer needs, FRAN cards (Friends, Relatives, Associates, and Neighbors) are in the rack for you to write your concerns and then put the card in the collection plate or give to an usher.  The cards are then given to the FRAN Prayer Group which meets each Tuesday in the Chapel to spend time in intercessory prayer using the cards and other known prayer concerns. 

The pastor has copies of his sermons available each Sunday in the Narthex for those who would like to follow along during the sermon or take a copy home for further thought and/or study.

Large print bibles and “The United Methodist Hymnals” are available in the Narthex.  Please ask an usher to get one for you if it would help you enjoy the service more.

Those hard of hearing may pick up a hearing aid available in the Narthex. Since it receives a signal directly from the transmitter in the sound room, you will listen to an exceedingly clear sound during worship.