Many people notice our building on Hwy. 3 but haven’t got a clue what goes on inside. Many, it seems, never dare venture in to a worship service. We have the reputation of being too Dutch and too strict and that makes a lot of people nervous. Some have the impression that they are not welcome among us and so they stay away. Is this really the case? What kind of a church are we?
Perhaps I can answer that by describing what goes on inside the building. Each Sunday morning we meet to worship our God. You’ll notice that most of us are dressed-up – that’s not because we are snobby but because we want to honour God even with our clothing. Our focus is on the Almighty. We’ve come to praise and glorify the LORD first of all. People – and especially guests - are warmly welcomed at the door by ushers.
We take our seats with our families in the pews. A worship service goes like this: we confess (in English only!) our help to be in the LORD’s name and He responds (via the minister) by greeting us with His peace. Then we sing a song praising God. Next, the LORD instructs us how to live with Him through His law, the Ten Commandments. We respond with a song of confession and thanksgiving. The minister then reads a portion of Scripture in preparation for the sermon and again the congregation responds in song. Public prayer is then offered, confessing our sins, seeking forgiveness and renewal. The work of the Holy Spirit is also prayed for that our faith may be strengthened by the preaching.
The main event is next: the preaching of God’s Word, the proclamation of the gospel of grace! For 35 minutes, a portion of the Bible is explained and applied for God’s people and once more the people respond in song. The service is rounded out by an offering for the poor, a prayer of thankfulness, a song of praise and lastly God’s parting blessing. We exit the building thankful to God and refreshed in our spirit.
Singing, prayer, preaching, offering for the poor, blessing – does that sound scary? Did I mention we don’t use Dutch anymore? We are a serious-minded people, that’s true. But we’re not a closed group! We take the Bible seriously, as God’s inerrant Word, but we welcome all who do the same, regardless of their background. As church we welcome all who come searching for the truth.
We’re not a social club, but we are a fellowship of believers. In our worship and life, we follow God’s will, not human whim. We live lives fully integrated into society and yet always focussed on eternity. We care about our country, our province, our town. We’re far from perfect but every day we strive for perfection.
Now you know a little about us. Come on in and find out more for yourself! We’ve got nothing to hide.
