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First Church of the Brethren
What to expect on a first visit
Visiting a new church for the first time can feel like a lot, especially if it's been a while, or if church hasn't always been a safe place. Here's what an ordinary Sunday looks like at First Church of the Brethren, so there aren't any surprises.
The Basics:
Sunday School: 9:30 AM - During the school year we have classes for kids through High School youth. Adults meet for a discussion-based Bible reading and study time in the conference room along with a centering prayer group that meets in a room near the sanctuary.
Worship: People often meet to visit and have coffee in the foyer about 10:15 or so. The service starts at 10:45 AM - usually lasting about an hour and fifteen minutes.
Where to park and enter: Our building is at 1103 Jefferson St., Wichita KS. GPS will take you to our official entrance on the east side of the church, but most people park in the parking lot on the west side and enter through the car-port door. There will be someone there to help you find your way in the building.
What people wear: Come as you are - you'll see everything from casual clothes to dressier attire. There's no dress code.
During the Service
Our worship service includes making music together through congregational singing of a variety of styles, most often hymns but also bluegrass, classical, contemporary worship music and others. We also make music together through our choir, instrumental pieces, and other stand alone music. There are times for children to hear a message for them, for prayer, scripture reading, a sermon, reflecting on the sermon and the service, and sharing important parts of our lives together.
If you're bringing kids
Children are a wonderful and wanted part of our worship times. We have an area in the sanctuary where kids of any age can worship through play, coloring, or find a bean bag to read in. We do have a nursery space available with a video feed of the service, but please know that you, your children and all of the life that they bring are valued and wanted in worship.
Accessibility
Our sanctuary, fellowship hall, and main floor of our education wing are all wheelchair accessible via a lift. It is not a full size elevator but fits two people comfortably. Unfortunately, the second level of our education wing is accessible only by stairs. ADA bathrooms are available in the fellowship hall and the foyer that leads into the sanctuary. The sanctuary bathroom is also an all gender bathroom.
About communion and Love Feast
Communion is a ritual that we incorporate into our service several times a year. Communion is a reminder of what Jesus has done for all of us and is an expression of his presence made real in us as we gather with each other. Because of the way that it connects us to each other we use grape juice instead of wine to help those who are in recovery and we try to have a gluten free option for those who have sensitivities.
Love Feast is a special service that we hold on the Thursday evening before Easter. It is a time where we remember and re-create the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples. Love Feast involves communion, but also includes a shared meal and a time where we wash each other's feet. It is an odd, yet very powerful experience.
Want to talk before you visit?
If you have questions, or you'd simply feel more comfortable meeting someone from our church before showing up on a Sunday, reach out any time —Pastor Alan would be glad to grab coffee or talk on the phone first.
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