Week 26 - Crossroads Community Church

crossroadschurch.net

This week found us in the world of megachurches. There are only a handful of such churches in our county and it was inevitable that we would end up in at least one. Crossroads Community Church is one of the largest, and probably the largest single-campus church in our area. It is the church that seems like everyone you know has gone to at some time in their life, if they have lived here for any length of time. As you might expect they have a large multi-million dollar facility, which is also home to Cornerstone Christian Academy. The multi-use site is also often used to host larger regional events, like Mission Connexion as recently as 2014.

CCC's building, where the weekend services take place, includes a large foyer, they call it the Family Room, with a complete cafe, adequate seating to visit with friends, and a water feature that serves as the baptismal font. The auditorium seats around 1000 and at the service we attended was at least 75% full. Lighting is provided solely by artificial lighting and was dimmed during the music performance which helped to accentuate the stage lighting. Dual side screens were used to project announcements, song lyrics and the speaker during the message. Music was provided by six instrumentalists, including two vocalists. Song selection was primarily contemporary praise songs and while well performed with lots of energy, but not overdone, we strained to hear the voices of several hundred congregants over the band. 

One thing that was unique about the service at CCC is that they live simulcast the service online. On the whole this didn't really affect much other than there were three large video cameras with operators located close to the stage. Several references were made of off-site viewers and a countdown clock was displayed during the five minute meet-n-greet so that people got back to their seats promptly. Loren does have to admit that he did find himself frequently trying to figure out when each camera was being used throughout the service. The drummer definitely received plenty of camera time during the band's performances. In keeping with the social media age the Creative Arts Pastor even encouraged people to pull out their smartphones and do a "check in" on Facebook and then tweet the service to their friends.

Did we mention that CCC has been around for awhile? About 40 years actually. Bill Richie was the founding pastor and served as their senior pastor until he retired about four years ago, handing the job over to a young, 30 something, upstart from California named Daniel Fusco. 

Pastor Fusco's style would best be described as "smooth like Jazz," fitting given his background as a professional Jazz musician. His message this week was a continuation of a series entitled Little is the new Big: Huge lessons from the Bible's smallest books. The specific talk drew from Jude 1-11 and was called The Struggle is Real. Working through this small, and often overlooked, book we were reminded that there is blessing for those who have been called, sanctified, and preserved in Christ (vs. 1-2). Then we were admonished to remember to fight for the right things (vs. 3-4) and learn from the past (vs. 5-11). Finally, we were challenged to view this recounting of past actions as a testimony that tells a story of how real the struggle is to be faithful to the life we have been called too. The service ended with a brief call to respond to the message and come forward for prayer.

Crossroads is big, no getting around that. We were fortunate that we knew a couple of the greeters as we came in. If you go as an unaccompanied visitor don't expect too much in the way of spontaneous connection. This is typical in megachurch settings so they do provide plenty of options to connect with a small group at other times. There is something for everyone and every age. In all likelihood you will eventually run into someone you know.

Week 24 - Glenwood Community Church

glenwoodcc.org

Expanded our radius just a bit this week and ventured out near our old church stomping grounds. Glenwood Community Church is located on the way to rural Clark County, on the edge of cow pastures and tree farms. GCC is one of the larger churches we have visited, offering two services with seating for about 500. We went to the later service and the auditorium was filled to capacity and, from what we saw, GCC has a broad cross-section of ages represented. It was evident that they have a robust children's and youth ministry, however the emphasis this week was on the upcoming Vacation Bible School where they expected several hundred children to be involved.

The auditorium was well lit and had some indirect natural light from above. An overhead screen was used for song lyrics, announcements, and bible passages during the message. Music was provided by five instrumentalists, including two vocalists. One thing we noticed immediately with the music was that the volume of the band was well balanced to allow the voices of the congregants to be heard easily heard throughout the auditorium. In addition they lead us through a selection contemporary praise songs without over performing. 

The message was based on Luke 5:27-32 and entitled Following Jesus Changes Everything. One thing we appreciated was the pastor gave a brief recap of the previous week's message, something we have always appreciated from our old church and noticed is not that common. Leading us through an expository study of the passage the pastor focused on how Jesus' calling of Levi the Tax Collector (Matthew) lead to significant changes in Levi's life: he left everything and introduced Jesus to everyone. Bringing us to the part of the story where Jesus is accused of hanging out with the socially undesirable. Through the actions of Levi and Jesus we were left with several takeaways: First, following Jesus unmasks the motives and loves of our heart. Second, following Jesus changes everything that we have. Third, following Jesus changes the way we look at who we are. Fourth, following Jesus changes what we do. Last, following Jesus changes how we look at others. In light of this interaction between Jesus and Levi we discover that Jesus' deceptively simple sounding "follow me" encompasses every aspect of our lives.

The people of GCC showed a lot of energy throughout our visit. While our interactions were brief and perfunctory it felt that there is a high level of personal connection between regular attenders.

Week 22 - Bethesda Church

www.bethesdanw.com

Tucked away in former state social services office space Bethesda Church holds their weekly "celebration service" and celebration is a good way to describe their gathering. The first 60 minutes was high energy music and singing, and, yes, even a little "dancing in the Spirit." 

As re-purposed office space the meeting room is utilitarian and functional. Black curtain screens are set up around the perimeter to create a little more intimate setting. Lighting is provided by strings of light bulbs hung from the ceiling around the room. Seating is for about 350 people and this week it was near capacity. The sound system was surprisingly well balanced for the space and a projection screen was used solely during the music time. Music was provided by five instrumentalists, including 2 vocalists. During the opening music hour people were invited and encouraged to come to the front and join in, easily over a hundred did so. 

All age groups were well represented, with plenty of families and young children. Children were encouraged to stay during the music hour and then given the opportunity to leave for the children's class time. Our direct interaction with others was pretty limited, said "hi" to a greeter at the door and visited briefly with one person sitting near us. No printed material was provided so it was difficult as a visitor to know what was going on and what Bethesda is about.

As the music hour came to a close two young people came forward to give testimony on how they saw God working through them; at a laundry mat and a local coffee stand. In addition an elderly congregant came forward to speak a "word from God" that she had been given. In preparation for the offering the congregation read aloud an offertory proclamation about God's greatness.

The message, by the husband and wife pastor team, was a topical study of "Blessing" delivered in a two-way conversation, coffee shop, format. Drawing from Genesis 1:28 and Galatians 3:5-9, 26-29 they took us through a discussion of what "Blessing" is and what this means for an individual. Some of their key takeaways included "sometimes we embrace things as normal when they're not," "the Blessing assures success in all areas of  life," "I'm not waiting on a move of God, I am a move of God," and "we are walking in the Blessing right now."

At the end of the service people were invited forward who needed additional prayer and ministering, many went forward. The rest of us were free to go and enjoy a potato feed fundraiser for the youth summer camp program. 

Week 21 - Rhapsody Church

rhapsodychurch.com

We've all seen them, sandwich boards placed all around the city on Sunday mornings, advertising churches located in schools, strip malls, community centers, etc. This week we went to Rhapsody Church that Laurie had seen advertised at our local YMCA. The fact that they are located at the "Y" is not really that surprising, small start-up churches often need space that will accommodate early growth without the burden of purchasing a permanent location. What was a little bit unexpected was the level of connection YMCA still has with its "christian" roots. Of course, like the Salvation Army, it is easy to only associate them with the great social services they provide and assume they may have drifted from their origins.

As you might expect the Y does not have a chapel or church auditorium so the gym is converted into a meeting place. Having spent close to three years on the set-up team for one of the temporary satellite locations of our former home church we can appreciate the time and effort it takes to prepare this space to meet each week. 

As a gymnasium it is light on decorations but they use black room dividers around the perimeter to create a more intimate space. Lighting was provided solely by large windows located high up on the exterior wall, fluorescent lighting was available but not used. Seating, in folding chairs, was set up for about 200 and this week it was about two thirds full. The sound system was surprisingly well balanced for the space. And while the music was energetic and robust we didn't feel like we were being blasted out by the volume. Music was provided by a band of five instrumentalists, including two as vocalists. A single video monitor was used throughout the service for lyrics, video interviews, and message notes.

We were warmly welcomed by a couple of people and as first-time visitors received a gift of The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. While there was a range of ages represented there definitely was the vibe of a younger age set. This was also evidenced by the fact that the children's ministry was growing and in need of additional volunteers. In fact the lead pastor was taking a break from teaching for two weeks to work with the children and highlight the need for additional help. We were both struck by the fact that the pastor would take time out of his teaching ministry to serve the children. It was also evident that RC is involved in several community ministries including Share, Open House, Vida's Ark, Freedom House, serving members of the Y, and reaching out to the residents of a large apartment complex nearby. In addition they are currently raising funds to provide the materials necessary to build a home for a family in Mexico.

As the pastor was away on assignment in the children's ministry the Y chaplain, Roger Button, gave the message. Drawing from personal stories, bible narrative, and a book he wrote, Dancing with God, he lead us through a talk entitled Paint Happens. Beginning with an anecdote of how he shook a can of paint without properly closing the lid (hence the title), to the narrative of Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar, and finishing with a chapter from his book, about a motorcycle trip to the Great Lakes gone awry, he gave a thought provoking, and relatable, devotional talk on the topic that "it's not the challenge that defines you, it's how you handle it." 

RC's setting at the Y is fitting for their very informal format and culture. How often do you expect to hear the message on Sunday morning from a guy dressed in a hoodie sweatshirt? The service flowed but didn't come across as highly orchestrated. As Laurie put it, we "felt a good, relaxing, peaceful vibe from the visit.

Week 17 - Heritage Church

heritagenorthwest.org

This week found us visiting a church that is in temporary housing for the near future. It was mentioned that they had recently placed an offer on a permanent facility so stay tuned. For now Heritage Church is meeting in the Home of God building located on the east side of town.

The facility they are using is comfortable, seating about 350, with a stage large enough to easily handle six instruments and two vocalists. A large screen provided the backdrop and was used extensively throughout the meeting for video announcements and song lyrics. Congregants numbered about 150 and all ages were represented. Music was contemporary with one classic hymn and lead by a talented, and very energetic, member of the staff. In fact energy is how best to describe the morning, lots of energy. In addition we were warmly greeted by a number of people as we sat waiting for the service to start.

The lead pastor was on a trip to Nigeria, the purpose of which wasn't really made clear, so the message was provided by the associate pastor, Jeremy, who had recently joined staff. Since he is relatively new to the church this gave him an opportunity to share his personal story and faith journey. 

And quite a story it was. Raised, and active, in the Latter Day Saints until late high school when he had a crisis of faith and rebelled against everything. After dropping out of high school and leaving his parents home he moved in with other family, finished high school and joined the Marines. In the Marines he served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and worked on developing his alcohol consumption skills in his free time. After being transferred to Portland, OR he was honorably discharged from the Marines, struggled to settle into civilian life, and eventually ended up in jail. While in jail he became acquainted with the pastor of HC and began his journey back to faith. Upon being discharged from jail he enrolled at Northwest University in Salem OR. Shortly after completing his studies he joined HC part-time on staff.

More than just a great story of a torturous journey of faith, Jeremy's story exemplifies what appears to be at the heart of the mission and ministry of Heritage Church. Meeting people where they are and walking with them on the path into a life of faith. 

To close out the service people were invited to come forward for prayer or encouragement. Having sat through many an extended altar call it was greatly appreciated when people were also invited to leave and fellowship rather than wait. Not something we had encountered before but certainly made sense.

Did we mention, visitors get a mug? 
The collection grows.

Week 15 - Peoples Church

www.peopleschurchvancouver.org

Some of our church visits we have been able to slip in relatively unnoticed, others not so much. This week at Peoples Church was a "not so much" visit. There was no slipping in unnoticed. We were warmly greeted by several people as we came in, including a hearty hug from one lady, and then again in the extended meet-n-greet during the service. Not the creepy "we haven't seen a new face in years" greeting, but a genuine "glad to have you and hope you enjoy your time with us" sort of greeting.

PCs auditorium seats approximately 200 (not including the balcony) and this week there were about 100 in attendance, of all ages. As we are discovering with modest sized churches, like PC, this auditorium size allows even a back row seat to be within a comfortable distance from the stage or podium. PC has a fairly large stage that they made good use of with six instruments and five vocalists to lead the music, including an accordion and bongo drums. The lighting was comfortable with plenty of filtered natural light on both sides. Visual technology was used minimally, primarily during the singing time.

After a lengthy opening (about 40 minutes) of very energetic music, during which several people came forward and shared a word of thanksgiving, we were lead in an offertory prayer which everyone read aloud together. This was followed by a time of announcements where the husband and wife pastor team traded playful banter between themselves and with members of the congregation. Definitely a level of comfortable familiarity not commonly found in many churches. Just prior to the beginning of the message children were invited to leave and join a class specifically for them.

Interspersed with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, and a few inside jokes, the pastor's topical message explored what it means to "Have faith in God" as stated in Mark 11:22. This was the beginning of a multi-week study and this week focused on the personal aspect of faith in God manifested in healing, forgiveness, and salvation. Using a visual aid of money (faith) and bread (salvation) he demonstrated how faith = a noun and belief = a verb. Faith (money) is the currency by which salvation (bread) is purchased and belief is the transaction (action) when salvation is purchased. In the visual aid he showed how you can have all the money you need, and really want the bread, but until you hand the money over you can't enjoy the bread. Or as James chapter 2 states: "Faith without works is dead."

One thing we have enjoyed in many of the more liturgical services is how the congregation actively participates in the service. PCs service format is much too informal and free-flowing to be considered liturgical but there was plenty of participation through corporate reading of bible passages and prayers, individuals standing and giving words of thanks, and the occasional unprompted "amen" from a congregant. There is something to be said about seeing active engagement of congregants throughout a service.

Week 13 - East Woods Presbyterian Church

eastwoodspres.org/home

First off, it is hard to believe that we are one quarter of the way done with this year, 25% done with our church visit project. Just Saturday we were saying to each other "can you believe we have made it 13 weeks?" Then it hit us, we used to do it every week, year in and year out, without even thinking about it. Nothing momentous, no accolades, just did it. We had a good chuckle over that. Maybe when we settle back in as "regular attenders" somewhere we should take a handful of weekends each year and continue our visitations.

So it was Easter Sunday this weekend and in honor of that we thought we would get outside of our normal and try East Woods Presbyterian. Both of us grew up in churches that put on quite an Easter production each year, complete with a full choral cantata. Laurie in particular attended Rose City Presbyterian as a child and has fond memories of their Easter services. Well a lot has changed over the last 35-40 years and, of course, no two churches are exactly alike. Now, as a rule, on are our visitations we make an effort not to have any expectations of what we will experience. This week we did build up a little bit of an expectation and in all fairness to EWP it was based primarily on childhood memories. To be clear, EWP is a vibrant community with a multi-talented pastor. Our unmet expectation is no reflection of their ministry.

The service was a blend of traditional and contemporary. The corporate music was lead by six instrumentalist and 2-3 vocalists. Scripture reading was provided by one of the women of the congregation, an original Easter poem, "Three Days," was read by another lady, and an 11 voice, eight instrument, group performed the song "Glory" with the pastor as lead vocalist. Definitely a change from what we have become accustomed to.

The auditorium seats about 175 and is well lit, with plenty of natural light. Like with other churches this size even the back row is not too far from the speaker. We were at the second of three Easter services, and while lightly attended, it was a mix of ages with mostly middle-age and up. As is typical on Easter the 11 o'clock service was probably the more heavily attended. We were welcomed by several people but didn't have the opportunity for any extended conversations. Throughout the service attention was drawn to several community service opportunities that members are involved in, Lunch Buddies at a local elementary school, cards for local veterans and overseas service members, prayer shawls for people needing encouragement, as well as working to end housing and food insecurity locally.

In keeping with the Easter theme the pastor's message was based on Luke 24:1-12 and focused on the question asked of the women who went to the tomb to finish the burial process, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" First we looked at it as a rhetorical question, not one that is meant to be answered but rather challenge the listener to consider a different way of understanding the events that have unfolded. Then we looked at the corrective nature of the question. They had been told by Jesus himself that he would break the power of death and rise again, so why were they looking for him in a place for dead people if he is among the living? Finally we looked at the question as inspiration. Because of Christ's victory over death it holds no power over us. Our ministry is with the living. Unlike the tagline in The Walking Dead (yes, he actually used a Walking Dead analogy in a sermon) "Fight the dead. Fear the living," as believers we have no concern for the dead and are called to love the living.

While our childhood expectations of Easter pomp and circumstance were unmet our need for words of encouragement and challenge were met. Besides, who knew that there were theological implications to The Walking Dead.

More importantly as the Easter "Call to Worship" proclaims:

One:  Hallelujah! Christ is risen!

All:   Christ is risen indeed!

One:  Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:

All:   who has restored Jesus from death to life.

One:  Praise the Spirit and power of God:

All:   who has restored us and given us hope.

One:  Hallelujah! Christ is risen!

All:   He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Week 12 - Evergreen Bible Church

www.evergreenbible.com

This week we knew that we would be busy Sunday morning so a Saturday service was in order. Unlike our last effort at a Saturday service when we had to go with plan "B" due to the church no longer being in existence, Evergreen Bible Church is alive and thriving. EBC offers two Sunday and one Saturday service times in English and one Spanish service Sunday afternoon. Having attended a church that offers a Saturday service we have grown accustom to the flexibility this provides.

A friend met us there who has attended EBC in the past so it was nice to see a familiar face when we drove up. We were warmly greeted by several people and the pastor's wife was chatted with us for several minutes, giving us a quick history of the church. As with many of the other churches we have visited, EBC provided an extended meet-n-greet time. An interesting anecdote about the challenges of multi-site/service churches has to do with greeting people. During the meet-n-greet time Loren was approached by an individual who looked like he wanted say "hi" but was a little hesitant. When he finally did he also asked if we were visitors. Upon hearing that we were he gave a big smile and said "yes, someone who is new." Now this does not mean that EBC never has visitors. What he shared was that with several services, and his work schedule, he is never sure who might be visiting and who has been coming for a long time. It was interesting that even in a church considerably smaller than the one we have attended it is possible to feel uncertain about who is and isn't part of the group.

While EBC does hold several services the auditorium only seats about 225. From an audience stand point we are beginning to feel that this is a pretty comfortable size. The way the seating was situated you can feel close to the speaker even from a back row. Artificial "mood" lighting was used during the corporate music time; with no natural light available in the auditorium. Contemporary music was provided by a five piece band, including 3 vocalists. A minimal amount of projected visual aid was used, primarily during singing and a little bit during the message.

A young woman who serves as a missionary teacher at Black Forest Academy in Germany was given several minutes to share about the work that she does serving missionary families from around the world. It was refreshing to hear from a younger person share about a little known ministry that directly impacts several hundred lives and families. It was even more refreshing to see the microphone be given over to someone who is not a member of the paid staff and is involved in the broader work of the church.

Given that this weekend commemorates the week leading up to the trial and crucifixion of Jesus the pastor's message focused on the events of Matthew 21. Against the historical backdrop of Jesus' time we looked at the significance of "Jesus' public announcement" (v. 1-11), "Jesus' authoritative cleansing" (v. 12-17), and "Jesus' withering judgment" (18-22). Being as far removed as we are from these events it often feels like there is a tendency to personalize and "over-spiritualize" them. This time, however, the pastor gave us a glimpse of what these events would have meant to the community as a whole. Jesus was a cultural and theological radical, he declared himself as The King, he confronted the religious, civic, and business leaders for their abuse of the marginalized, and he cast judgment on the entire nation of Israel. He acted against the structures and systems that ran counter to his purpose. In a time when we are more concerned with personal piety it is important to consider our roles in institutions that may run counter to the values of God's Kingdom.

We have really begun to appreciate the more personal connection between the pastor and congregants we have seen demonstrated at EBC and a couple of the other churches we have visited. While it may be a small thing, during the message congregants were asked to share translations from different versions of the bible. Not earth shattering but acknowledges in a small way that the audience can be co-participants in the teaching ministry of the church service.

Week 9 - East Park Church

www.eastpark.org

One of the fun things about doing this project is the opportunity to visit the churches of some of our long time friends. East Park Church is the church home of another one of the families in our neighborhood that we have known since our kids were in elementary school together. To be fair we have had several friends invite us to visit their churches but Loren is a stickler for sticking to the plan. We are starting with ones closest to our home and slowly expanding the radius as we go through the year. Most likely we will be able to accept many of the invites but some may be too far away.

EPC is affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance family of churches. As the name implies, missions is an important part of the ministry of CMA churches. This was evident during the service as specific prayer was offered for the Good News Team they support, the speaker's reference to an international service trip that several dozen members recently returned from, and the testimony shared by a 5th grade boy about his efforts in ministering to local homeless people. We really appreciated seeing both a child and teenage girl invited up to share their personal experiences being part of these activities.

The service was contemporary and relaxed. In fact many of the leadership were wearing T-shirts with superhero logos emblazoned on the front; in keeping with the theme of the current series they are teaching from Ephesians entitled "Realize and release your true identity in Christ." Piping hot coffee is available as you enter the meeting room and at the seats are full size cup holders for your coffee. Now, before you make light of the cup holders they serve an important functional purpose, the floor is sloped so a cup placed on the floor would create quite a mess if it were to spill. Seating was available for about 200 and at the early service we attended was about 2/3 full. Projection screens were located on each side of the stage and were used throughout for music lyrics, a short video, and the bible passages for the message.

Music was provided by six instrumentalists, two who also provided vocals. They performed upbeat, contemporary, songs like those found on one of the local Christian radio programs. The congregants represented ages from children to elderly. About midway through the service children and teens were given opportunity to leave for classes of their own. No formal meet-n-greet was done during the service, not a big deal given that we come from a church that practices the perfunctory 360 spin-n-greet. However, after visiting several churches that provide a significant part of the service to the greeting time not having it caused us to reflect on this a bit.

The message was provided by one of the elders, a pastor-in-training by  his own admission. His talk was from Ephesians 5:1-14 and was entitled "We are love & light." His message was thoughtful, relatable, and heartfelt. He provided a poignant object lesson by inviting his 5th grade son up to share about his conversation with a homeless man he met while ministering in the local community. His talk was an apropos challenge to hear given the tensions that are brewing at the local and national levels.

EPC is the size that doesn't overwhelm but offers something for all ages. As mentioned they have active children and youth ministries for families and evidence of active older members as well. Yet you get the feel that people know each other and recognize each other's children. 

Week 6 - Turning Point Christian Center

www.turningpointcc.org

At the outset of this adventure we intentionally tried to put in place as few restrictions as possible for selecting churches to visit. This week is an example of having to really stick to this intent. Typically Loren does a quick internet search of churches close to home, to find out service times, address, affiliations, etc. The affiliations part is where it can get tough; for Loren in particular and Laurie to a lesser degree. 

Turning Point Christian Center is affiliated with Assemblies of God. If we were not on an adventure of simply getting out and meeting fellow believers where they gather it would have been very easy to say "pass" on visiting TPCC. To be honest it would have been easy to pass on the Lutheran church we visited the second week, based on stereotypes we have grown up with. Fortunately we stuck to our intention of few restrictions and met nice people who are enthusiastic about their walk with God.

One word that would encapsulate the service at TPCC would be "energetic." From the opening song to the closing invitation the room was full of energy. The congregants were actively involved in the service with shouts of praise and "amen" from the back to being individually engaged by the pastor from the stage. The environment was very relaxed with people moving to be near the stage during times of singing. We noticed several special needs individuals who moved about the room and actively participated in the service. We were approached by several people, both coming and going, that gave us warm welcomes and chatted with us for a few moments.

Speaking of coming, this was the first time we have attended a church service by entering through a coffee shop located in business center. Coffee Revolution is the lobby for TPCC. Not a bad deal really, great coffee with a nice place to chat with friends. The auditorium seats a little over 100 people and on this weekend was pretty much at capacity. The music was moving with active audience participation. Prayers were frequent and everyone was encouraged to vocally offer up their prayer from where they sat.

This week the teaching portion of the service was led by the group Dream City Leadership Network. Using poetry, skits, video, and traditional teaching from Romans 12:1-2 they challenged the audience with the question of "What if." What if we truly understood what God has done for us. What if we actually chose to live according to his word. What if ... . 

The real question for us this week is what if we had allowed stereotypes to control our attitudes and actions? What if we had passed on visiting TPCC because of preconceived notions? Well at the least we would have missed meeting a community that is very enthusiastic about meeting with God. Probably, more importantly for us, we would have inadvertently started down the road of prejudging specific churches and limit what God has in store for us this year.

Week 5 - Living Water Community Church

www.livingwatercc.org

Whew! We made it over a month in this little adventure. This may not seem like much to some but for those of us (Loren) who avoid new social situations like the plague, this is BIG!

One aspect of this has been finding new church communities tucked away off the beaten path. Living Water Community Church is located just off a major thoroughfare, but enough that it is unlikely you will find it driving by. In fact we discovered it only after we discovered last week's church, Vancouver First Friends.

LWCC is located in a re-purposed bingo hall that has been tastefully refurbished and decorated to provide an inviting environment. If one of the members hadn't mentioned this bit of trivia we would have been none the wiser. The front lobby provides plenty of room to stand and chat with others, there was plenty of this going on when we arrived during the break between the first and second service. They even have a coffee kiosk that offers a number of specialty coffee drinks featuring BJ's coffee, a local roaster that does a lot for non-profit organizations. For the bookworm there is small selection of books available to purchase as well.

The auditorium is artificially lit with comfortable seating that is spread wide and only about 10 rows deep with space for about 250 people. You should feel comfortably close to the stage just about anywhere in the room. The stage is taken up by equipment for the five instrumentalists and two stand alone vocalists in the music team. One nice touch was their use of overhead technology. At first it wasn't apparent that they use projection, but after realizing that there weren't any song books for attendees to use it raises the obvious question, "how do we know what to sing?" Simple, just project it onto the walls, even though they are painted in a soft color like the rest of the room. No big screens needed and nothing to clutter the vision when not in use. Projection was used very minimally for the songs and briefly throughout the message. For those who come ill prepared there are bibles available to follow along in the scripture readings.

Speaking of the music, it was a nice blend of old and new. For the older congregants there were familiar hymns presented in a contemporary way that might appeal to younger congregants. Music was used sparingly throughout the service and definitely was a lesser part of the program. 

Like last week, LWCC's meet and greet time was extended up to about 10 minutes. This provides ample time to have a more meaningful conversation with one or two people than what we have been accustomed to. Following this fellowship time the children are excused for Sunday School for them. They were invited back at the end of the service to participate in communion and the closing song. Unlike the Lutheran church we visited, LWCC practices Open Communion, available to any who profess a relationship with Christ.

The pastor offered an animated and energetic message entitled "I am not ashamed of the Gospel" based on Romans 1:15-17. Beginning with an extended introduction, drawing from historical anecdotes of past leaders of the Christian faith, he laid the foundation for the expository portion. Cross referencing a number of scripture passages he demonstrated Apostle Paul being unashamed because (1) the Gospel is the power of God, (2) the Gospel produces salvation, and (3) the Gospel is for every person.

LWCC was very inviting with several people coming up to welcome us and share a bit about their church. While they may be off the beaten path and a relatively young community (15 years), LWCC has drawn a congregation that includes all ages.

Week 3 - City Bible Church

http://www.citybiblechurch.org/

Well here we are three weeks into our adventure and already a little change of plans. One of us forgot they were going to be out of town for work this weekend so today was a solo excursion. Best laid plans right? Undoubtedly, over the remaining 49 weeks there will be other unexpected (or forgotten) events that we will just role with.

The first thing that stands out from our first two visits is that City Bible is located in a re-purposed commercial building along the Mill Plain corridor. This is a common strategy for churches locating in established urban areas; rather than finding build-able land and going through an expensive development process re-purposing vacant commercial buildings can be very cost effective. In addition using an established site often provides easy access and ample parking. 

Upon entering the building any evidence of its prior use is long gone. A tastefully decorated, warm, lobby greets you, including a coffee stand with seating suitable to meet with friends before or after the service. Greeters are at the door to welcome everyone and point visitors in the right direction.

There were many young families with children, and adults up through early middle age. Being that this was the early service it is possible that the later service might have an older demographic.
With some of the upcoming activities that were promoted it is safe to say they have an active youth ministry as well. From the leadership to the congregation attire was casual so visitors should feel comfortable coming as they are.

The auditorium is laid out with stadium-style seating arranged in a way that any seat feels comfortably close to the stage. The stage is simple, providing ample space for the six vocalists and four instrumentalists that led the music. Common in many contemporary churches, large screens are located above the stage to project the words of the songs and the bible passage and main points of the message.

The service began with about 20 minutes of rousing praise music with the type of contemporary songs you might hear on the local Christian radio station. Following the music visitors were greeted, new members were acknowledged and prayed for, and a large area wide event was promoted. After this was the offering followed by the message, and since the senior pastor was away the youth pastor spoke in his place.

The message was more of a topical study drawing from 1 Kings 18: 41-44. They are in a series entitled "seeking God" and today's message was about being persistent seekers. Drawing from the passage the pastor focused on the following four main points that persistent seekers: live with expectation (41); don't get discouraged (43); stand on the promises of God (42); don't despise small beginnings (44). In the end the pastor challenged seekers to not limit God and stand on his promises. One thing that stood out on this visit is that the congregation participated throughout the message with spontaneous remarks of approval for key points and responding when the pastor prompted with "say amen."

In some ways today's visit was a reminder of the environment of our recent church home in the style and format. Along with the initial warm greeting, a friend I met up with introduced me to a few of her family and friends who are regular attenders. The pastor's message however was uplifting and encouraging, giving a sense of hope about the upcoming year.