Gatherings
We do not come, primarily to get what we need. We gather because God calls us into the Assembly. You have an appointment with God. You are expected! You come to offer your gift, and that gift is you. You come to be healed from the toxicity of the world. You come to be reminded of who you genuinely are. You come to do your thanks, knowing that there is no emptier thanks than a 'do-less' thanks.
Sunday Morning
What you can expect on a Sunday Morning Assembly!
When you get here, you can expect a friendly welcome from most anyone you meet! You’ll see people from all walks of life: health professionals, students, stay at home moms, shift workers, engineers, farmers, business men and women, you know…people like you. You will meet people from all walks of life, dressed in everything from jeans to business casual attire.
We have worship in what we call our Worship Center. Come in and sit anywhere you'd like. Participate in as much as you want or feel free to just observe. We want to be friendly, but won't point you out or embarrass you in any way. Follow along in your program (the Worship Guide). It lists the order of what we will do and provides information about what is happening at 4thand Elm! You'll find our worship refreshingly simple, relaxed, and down to earth.
Our songs are led by a "worship leader." You will see the words on the screen and they are also found in a song book in your pew. While you might hear instrumental music in the background of a movie clip or illustrative song, you'll notice that our congregational singing is acappella (without instrumental accompaniment).
During what we call the "Lord's Supper," plates with crackers and small cups of grape juice are passed down the rows. When Christians eat and drink this, it reminds them what Jesus did for them and the implications for us, that we are participating in the body of Jesus and the covenant love of God. You're welcome to break off a small piece of cracker and drink the juice from one of the small cups or just pass the tray on to the next person. Everyone is welcome to the Lord’s table. There will be an offering. You are welcome to give, but you are not expected to give!
You'll hear a word from our preacher that addresses the big questions of life.
The only other thing you can expect from us is to be invited back.
Seasons of Sunday Evening
Sunday evening is not a repeat of Sunday morning! We think it is important for you to be connected to people. How do you develop spiritual friendships that will help you walk in the Jesus Way? We have designed several seasons through the year that provide everyone with a variety of opportunities to connect.
The Blend - This season begins in September. All ages gather to sing together and to be reminded about an important idea from the day. Then, we break out for age appropriate conversations!
Family On the Porch - In the summer, we gather in each other's backyards on Sunday evenings for food and fun!
Season of Celebration - In December we celebrate the season with Pancakes and Pjs, with Christmas Caroling, and our OpCamp Celebration Dinner!
Life Together - We begin this season in January! This is our small group ministry. These are not study groups. This is about food and sharing "Life Together."
Leadership Training / Sunday Evening Gathering. - This is our study season! Our students are learning ways to inhabit Scripture. Our adults are also gathering for time of reading and thinking through the same subject matter that the children are inhabiting. This is often in March and April.
