Sunday Service At Grace Church

Grace Church

Pastor Jerry and Jane were very clear with us, “dress casually.”  So we did.  Not in jeans, but we didn’t wear the sports coats we had each brought with us for just such an occasion. We had agreed the evening before (see post: Breaking Bread with Jane and Pastor Jerry) that we’d meet “at the information desk” at 9:20.  Dave and I arrived early so we could take in the energy level and morning ritual of members arriving. 

Early Birds

Ariel View -- plenty of parking, sanctuary on right, classrooms on left

The campus is expansive with nearly endless parking (we say this from the perspective of our neighborhood church in Redwood City with no off street parking).  We park out of the way given our Sprinter RV needs a little extra space.  We enter the south entrance and find a circular “information” desk like you might find in an airport or convention center.  Arrayed upon it are informational brochures and inside are two women who are greeting arriving parishioners.  The central hall is probably 25 yards long. To the far left tables are set up and an informal continental breakfast buffet set up.  On either side are a series of rooms.  I find classrooms -- one for most ages -- and teachers are preparing for their children.  No doubt there are meeting rooms and offices, but they are not obvious.  Back near the central info center are some couches.  So we sit and take in the scene.  Soon three young, blond boys come plowing into the couch across from us.  They appear very much at home and rough house a little in a “king of the couch” manner.  Their father appears and settles them down. Greetings among the attendees are warm, energetic. 

Into the Sanctuary

Sanctuary Seating - on a full house Christmas service

Jerry and Jane arrive and greet us.  We move toward the right, together in the direction of the sanctuary. A man is talking with Jerry. He is wearing a “security” badge on a lanyard around his neck.  In the hallway outside the sanctuary are photographs and labels for the twelve or so US missionaries and the 10 or so international missionaries. Each looks cheerful. One photo is of a family of five with young children.  Jane, David and I walk upstairs to the balcony.  Pastor Jerry and Jane choose to sit up in the balcony on the far right and out of view of the orchestra seats.  This is to “stay out of the way” now that Jerry is the retired pastor.

The space is modern, comfortable. We sit in upholstered pews.  The balcony is filling up. Jerry and Jane greet most of the people sitting near us.  At the front, the “stage” is low and open.  There are layers of curtains, pleasant purple and warm white lighting.  There is a white cross, but not one mounted on the wall.  No windows -- stained glass or otherwise.  There are hanging sound amplifier speakers and a simple, movable podium at the front.

We have been issued a carefully designed and printed Order of Service by the usher when we arrived.  The title is “Acts: Part One, The Church is Made.”  Inside “today’s worship service” is laid out in four sections: Praise, Renewal, Proclamation and Response. 

The Music

Our Live Band - Words to the songs projected

The service begins promptly at 9:30 with electric, soft Christian rock. On the chancel are eight musicians.  Each standing apart from the others, two singers, two guitars, a base, a drummer a keyboard and a violin. The music is not complex and the words are clearly important.  Jerry has informed us that the integration of the words to the music and the them and sermon (“preaching the word”) are carefully planned each week.

For first timers it is a little hard to understand what each line represents.  The songs we are supposed to sing are in quotation marks, and there are five.  For each of these we are asked to stand and the words are on the two hanging screens on either side of the stage.  We clap enthusiastically after each of these songs and the pieces played for us by the band.  One of the female singers and some in the congregation raise their hands and wave them gracefully in the air as they sing the crescendo of the song.

Welcome and Prayer

After the welcome we are asked to greet the people around us. The Director of Student Ministries  leads us in the Welcome and Prayer of Confession.  He also reminds us of upcoming programs:

• Membership classes called “Lay down roots”
  
• Baptism: We are reminded that if we are Christian we need to be baptised -- and there are dates upcoming.
  
• Evangelism Training - One is scheduled for Sunday 11/5 from 3-5pm, we are reassured that there is not a Packers Game.
  

At another point in the service we are asked to confess our sins including making an idol of something other than God.

Kids off to Sunday School

The children are excused to their classrooms prior to the testimony.  Last week our Order of Service tells us that there were 103 children in attendance and 515 sanctuary attendees.

Testimonial

A couple walks up to the podium.  In our Order of Service we see that they are the Tetzaffs, a young couple.  They are interviewed by Pastor Mike.  They tell the story of finding their way to faith in Jesus.  And add a bonus that they seem to be making headway in evangelising his mother.

The Sermon

“Preaching the Word” is performed by Pastor Mike Matheson. The passage is Acts 4: 5-22.  He walks us through this scene.  Peter has just said to a lame beggar on the steps of the temple: “I have no gold or silver, but I give you what I have, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!”  And miraculously, the well known lame man jumps up and dances his way into the temple to everyone's wonder.  We are told that this is a turning point in which Peter and John show courage and faith in the divinity of Jesus.  Pastor Mike emphasizes that this is the first time “the church experienced opposition” (as Peter and John are jailed in the temple overnight).

Standing and Singing Away

On reflection the priest notes the boldness of  Peter, an “uneducated, common man.” And concludes that the miracle must have been accomplished by none other that Jesus. Peter explains to the Priests that the stone of Jesus which they have discarded, has now become the cornerstone of their church.  Furthermore, Peter says, “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Pastor Mike uses this to remind us first of the “only one way” to be saved foundation stone of Evangelical Christianity.  And second that what Peter is doing, sharing the word in the name of Jesus Christ is exactly what we are each called to do. (Thus the evangelism training).  He tells us we must not be shy and we must be ready for the challenges that our friends, neighbors, bosses may throw in our way.

Take Home Study Questions

Conveniently in the Order of Service are a set of Questions and Reflection points which can be used for Life Groups, one-on-one discipleship, or personal reflection and application.”

Some of the questions are:

1. If you were asked to be silent about your faith with the threat of losing your job, property, family, and life, what do you think you would do?
   
2. How vigilant are you in looking for opportunities to speak about Jesus in your everyday life?
   
3. Do you ever find yourself apprehensive in explaining to people that Jesus is the only way to salvation?
   
4. In your life, has the pressure to keep silent about Jesus been primarily external pressure, from others telling you to be silent, or has it been internal pressure, something inside you that tells you not to say anything?  Why do you think that is?
   
5. In this passage Peter clearly states that he must obey God rather than men.  And yet, for many of us, our fear of man might lead us to obey men rather than God.  Why do you think this is?

Offering and Progress Against Budget

The offering baskets are passed.  I see that the weekly collection last week was $23,333.  Year to date giving is $1.271,236 which is $40,328 over budget.

Other Programming at Grace

On the back of the Order of Service are listed various programs.

• CareNet: a program needing volunteers to “serve women who are discerning next steps during unplanned pregnancies.”
  
• Guatemala Service Trip Meeting
  
• Thank yous to the volunteers who put on the Grace Block Party
  
• Celebrate Recovery (CR) “A safe place to find support if you are struggling with a difficult season of life.  CR is not just for addiction.  It is for all of us who need to go deeper in Christ when life gets hard.  Don’t struggle alone.”

Post Service Conversations

The service lasts 90 minutes.  After it is over, Jane turns to me in the pew.  She says “Thank you for being here and open to listen to our beliefs.  So few are.”  

I than have a five minute conversation with the woman next to me who is very pleasant.  She tells me that the hospital where she works has recently been taken over.  The new management skips over the “Lord” in the morning readings.  The sermon reminded her, she needs to speak up.  Her husband is a hunter and was up and out at 4am this morning to go duck hunting.

We return to the lobby and debrief with Pastor Jerry and Jane before leaving.

-- Peter