Sunday Mornings
Sunday morning is not the only time we gather as a church, but it is at this point the largest gathering of folks for worship. We also have the Taize service on Fridays at 6:30 pm, and a host of small groups and teams that meet anywhere from weekly to monthly.
The entrance to our building is on the opposite side from the Market Street. You enter our parking lot via the side street at the stop light, Meadowcroft.
The Hospitality Team will have a cafe set up behind the sanctuary in the Parlor, and folks usually begin to gather around 9:00 am. You will be greeted and given a bulletin or program with information on today's worship service and the morning's schedule. Also, it contains information about what is going on in the mission and ministry of Fairlawn West, pieces of scripture, and articles and/or quotes to help you on your spiritual and discipling journey. The sanctuary is set up with chairs and round tables. You can sit either at a table or an individual chair, your choice. You will see on the screen some announcements and there will be music playing.
There is a nursery down the side hall off of the main front lobby for children up to age 5. About 8 minutes into the worship service, children from that age, up to grade 6, are invited to leave the service, if you as parents and they are into it, for KAT/Kids Alternative Time. There is an announcement about this and a person with a stuffed cat will lead the children to their room. There will be a classroom experience focused around scripture and the faith of Jesus Christ. The KAT children will return to the sanctuary around the time of communion or the Lord's Supper, in the worship service.
The service is totally presented by visual images on the screen at the front of the sanctuary. There is a lot of congregational singing with rock, jazz, and contemporary music styles. There is also time of reading from the Bible, the casting of a vision by our pastor, time of prayer, passing of the peace of Jesus Christ, and giving a financial offering. Toward the end of our time together communion (which is open to all people and ages) is served at settings around the sanctuary where people come to receive bread or rice cake to be dipped in a cup of grape juice. Also, there is a server who goes to serve those who are unable to come forward to the other settings. During this time you may also light candles to offer prayers, kneel in prayer and receive an anointing of oil with a prayer of healing. At the end of the service, the screen goes up to reveal the large cross hanging at the front of the sanctuary as we all say the "Go forth...", which is printed in the bulletin and is also on the pages on this site about becoming a member and vision and mission.
We hope this description might help you feel comfortable in joining us at least one Sunday morning!