Visit our sister church Grace Lutheran

St. Paul Lutheran Church

What to Expect at Worship

There are really only three things you need to know if you are visiting us for the first time:

  1. You are our welcome guest. Jesus died for people of every age, class, ethnicity, and background. We want all people to hear about him. One or more greeters will greet you and hand you a service folder as you enter. You can then enter the sanctuary and find a seat that suits you. As far as dress goes, a general rule of thumb is to wear what you would wear in public for some other occasion/event (high school musical performance, dinner at a sit-down restaurant, etc.).

  2. You can participate as much or as little as you like. Worship is not difficult to follow. We usually follow one of four orders of service that are either printed out in the front of our red hymnal or in the service folder itself. The pastor helps worshipers to follow along and indicates when to stand, sit, etc. You are asked to sit and stand with everyone else (unless you are physically unable), but as far as speaking, singing, or praying goes, do what you’re comfortable doing. If you are completely unfamiliar with what we teach or believe, we actually encourage you not to participate, but just to watch, listen, and learn.

  3. We practice close Communion. We celebrate what is called Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, toward the end of some of our services. We would like to participate in Holy Communion with everyone who attends our services, but we’re not the ones who came up with it. Jesus did. So we want to follow his instructions about who should participate. Jesus has some serious things to say about those who participate without fully recognizing what they’re participating in, and about the unity that should exist between those who participate. So we kindly ask that you remain in your seat and refrain from participating unless you are a member of our church or one of our sister churches. (If you are unsure, the pastor will be happy to talk with you before or after worship.) Please note: If you are a member of another Christian church, our Communion practice is not a judgment of your personal faith in Jesus.

If you know these three things, visiting our church should prove to be an enjoyable experience. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.