Week 27 - Safe Harbor Church of the Nazarene

safeharbornaz.org

This week the pendulum  swung the other way and we discovered a community that was probably one of the smallest we visited to date. Safe Harbor Church is centrally located on a main thoroughfare within easy walking distance of several multi and single-family housing developments.

SHC provided a welcoming environment as we were greeted by a number of congregants and the pastor prior to the service. There was a comfortable familiarity among those in attendance and we recognized and sang to two young women for their birthdays and an older couple for their anniversary. The auditorium was well lit with both artificial and diffused natural light. A projection screen was used during the pre-service announcements, while the audience read aloud the a Apostles' Creed, and as a visual aide during the message. Music was provided by a seven instrument orchestra and three vocalists, and was made up entirely of Fanny Crosby classics. In addition a special piece was performed by an eight voice choir with a solo by the pastor. All-in-all nearly half in attendance  participated directly in some way during the service.

The message was a continuation of a series that is looking at eight specific signs highlighted in the Gospel of John. As stated these signs were included "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (Jn 20:31).  This week we took a look at the miracle of Jesus giving sight to a man born blind (Jn 9).

To begin with the pastor dispelled the myth that tragedy or misfortune only comes to those who sin, a common belief in Jesus time that persists even today. Like all of the signs that Jesus performed this one was designed to fulfill specific prophetic marks for the coming messiah that would have been understood by his Jewish community. In addition to the messianic fulfillment the pastor challenged us to consider another element to this event. Namely that "everything Jesus touches, changes."

1. God became man to turn creatures into sons; not simply to produce better men of the old kind but to produce a new kind of man.
2. Jesus didn't come to merely comfort sinners; he came to transform them into saints.
3. Some folks have a "Frebreze" Christianity-they aren't really clean, they just smell that way.
4. Jesus doesn't just cover up the sin; he purges it.

Ultimately, he stated, this was "not just a miracle of healing; it was a miracle of creation."

The pastor then led us in a time of reflection and communion open to all in attendance.

SHC offered a casual, yet traditional, environment. The congregants were warm and welcoming and, while they didn't highlight it, there was evidence that they are involved in serving those who are less fortunate in our community.  

Week 23 - Orchards United Methodist Church

orchardsumc.org

Orchards United Methodist Church has been a fixture of the Orchards area for many years. Some may remember the old Freedom Tree that was prominently located at the front of their building before being taken down to make way for road improvements. Change is a constant in life, of course, and is true for OUMC as well as they welcomed a new pastor less than a year ago. As we have noticed at other church visits there has been quite a few that experienced pastor turn over in the last year or two. According to research this is pretty typical as the average tenure for a pastor is between three and four years.

OUMC is a modest sized community that holds one service on Sunday mornings with seating for approx 150. This week the service was about two-thirds full. However, their impact in the community extends beyond the traditional Sunday service. They are partnered with Iglesia Centro Pentecostal who provides Hispanic services in the evenings, are a sponsoring church of Friends of the Carpenter, and continue to be an important supporter of F.I.S.H. of Orchards.

We were greeted by several people on the way in and after chatting it up with the folks next to us everyone thought we were their guests. We even ran into a couple of friends from back when our boys were in cub scouts, took a moment for us to remember where we knew each other. During the service there was an extended meet and greet which allowed us the opportunity to visit with several more people. In addition the pastor greeted us before and after the service. While many congregants were on the older end of the age spectrum there were a number of families with young children. 

The auditorium is a traditional setting, as you might expect with the design era of the building, with plenty of lighting including indirect natural light. An overhead projection screen was used for announcements and song lyrics. Music provided by two musician/vocalists was a mix of contemporary praise and classic hymns and the volume was suitable to hear congregants joining in.

Following the offering children were invited forward for a message from the pastor. Since it was near the end of the school year he encouraged them to always have a heart for learning, teaching and praising. He gave the children plenty of opportunities to share their insights as well. In keeping with the theme of teaching all the Sunday School teacher volunteers were brought forward and recognized with a small gift for their faithful service. The pastor closed out this time with an opportunity for people to offer prayer requests and praises. Plenty of time was allowed and many people participated.

The pastor's brief message, based on Mark 12:28-34, was titled Love Trumps All. Drawing from the story of Jesus debating with one of the teachers of the law he shared three key points: 1) All scripture must be put up to the love test. 2) Wisdom is a function of Church-it's when we get together that we can come to a better understanding of God's truth. 3) Love is the irrefutable part of our faith. 

In closing we all joined hands and sang a song to send us on our way. Orchards United Methodist provided a relaxed environment with a nice blend of contemporary and traditional service elements. 

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 20 - Columbia Presbyterian Church

www.columbiapresbyterian.org

This week found us visiting Columbia Presbyterian Church, a church that we have known of for years, even have several friends that attend there, and yet did not realize how large a church body and how active in the community they are. Among the many community efforts one in particular, Compassion Connect free medical and dental clinics, is one that Loren has helped with on several occasions in years past. It is good to see CPC carrying the torch and continuing to facilitate this important ministry to those who still lack adequate medical and dental care.

CPC holds two services on Sunday and this week we attended the earlier one that is the more traditional service, the later one is more contemporary. The auditorium holds about 550 people and this week it was near capacity. The congregants in our service were a mix of ages but leaned to an older group. In all likelihood the later service might be a younger group. Being in the traditional service had a special benefit for us this week in that their hand bell choir performed a couple of numbers. Haven't heard a full bell choir in many years; a very meditative form of musical expression. They even did an arrangement of the classic song El Shaddai. In addition to the bell choir, music was a collection of congregational hymns with organ accompaniment.

The auditorium was comfortable with plenty of artificial and diffused natural lighting. In addition to the auditorium being large the front foyer was spacious, allowing plenty of room to stand, visit, and have coffee; as we saw many congregants doing before service. Two video projection screens were used throughout the service for song lyrics, scripture reading, and key message points. We were warmly greeted by several people and of course it was nice to see the familiar faces of a few friends.

The lead pastor was away for the weekend so we had the opportunity to hear one of the associate pastors deliver the message. He gave a very straight forward, to the point message. They are in a series entitled Connect the Dots and this week, in honor of pentecost, the message was about "a living hope." Prior to the pastor beginning two congregants read a selection of scripture passages that focused us on the object of this "living hope."  He then asked and answered several questions: 1) What is an area in life that needs hope? 2) What do we put our hope in; ourselves, others, circumstances? (Psalm 62:5-6) 3) What is the basis of our hope? Finally he directed us to our hope in a person. (1 Peter 1:3-5) Jesus is a living hope as he has ascended, he is a personal hope through the gift of the Spirit, and he is an enduring hope that we can keep our eyes fixed on.

It was nice to finally take the time to experience CPC's time together. In some ways it was much like what we expected yet in others it was different than we had envisioned. This church community is yet another example of many works of the Kingdom being done in and around the greater Vancouver area. 

Week 18 - East Vancouver Community Church

eastvancouvercommunitychurch.com

Tucked away in a relatively sleepy residential part of town we discovered this week's church visit site. East Vancouver Community Church is well off the beaten path but conveniently located near several multi-family complexes. 

EVCC is affiliated with The Evangelical Church denomination, not one that we have ever had contact with before. An interesting historical note, TEC can trace their roots back to John Wesley and the Wesleyan movement he founded. In North America their origins are more recent, founded in Portland, OR in 1968.

The auditorium seats approx 250 and this week had about 100 in attendance. Several women were away on a retreat and we were assured that their numbers were low due to this event. That being said there was a cross section of ages represented, leaning toward an older group but with a few children and young people as well. The decor was simple but tastefully done with a good amount of filtered natural lighting. A screen was used for visual aids during music and scripture reading but rolled up during the message. Kind of nice not having a large blank white screen staring back at you during that part of the service. Several other churches have done similar in that they projected onto a wall but turned the projector off during the message. One of the benefits we are noticing of a smaller auditorium is there isn't the need to project the pastor or musicians bigger than life so those in the back row can see them.

We were warmly greeted by a few people and engaged in conversation with the pastor both before and after the service. One thing we have encountered on several visits is a number of pastors who are relatively new to the church community they currently serve. The pastor of EVCC is not new to ministry however, 30 years pastoring in Spokane and six years as a missionary in Asia before accepting the position here. 

Music was provided by four vocalists, aged high school and up, accompanied by piano, and included a mix of contemporary praises and traditional hymns. One thing that was interesting was a brief mash-up of High and Low Church traditions. In the Lutheran, and similar, churches it is common to speak the Apostles' or Nicene Creeds as part of the liturgy. In "seeker-friendly" and "evangelical" type churches such a practice is virtually non-existent; statements of core tenets of the faith are rarely, if ever, publicly and corporately affirmed. This time it was set to music and sung responsively.

Following the music and some announcements children were invited up for a time of prayer specific for them. After being dismissed to children's class the pastor then asked the congregants to offer up specific prayer requests and then led the group in a time of prayer for those requests. Each and every request was mentioned and time of silence was given for people to pray quietly for them. It left us with the feeling that people who made requests were heard and taken seriously.

The message was the final installment of a several week series entitled "Stories of the Kingdom: Parables to live by." This week focused on Mark 13:32-37 and what it means to be an "expectant watcher." The passage just before this refers to the return of Christ at a unknown, and unknowable, future time. The pastor was very clear about the unknowable part, challenging those who become caught up in the weeds of trying to predict when these events will happen. His point with the message was the command that Jesus gave to be expectant watchers, and focus on our tasks: 1) all are to watch, 2) watchers are to fulfill assigned tasks, 3) watchers continue to watch, and 4) watchers look around as well as up. In short the expectant watcher "believes something will happen and knows he doesn't know very much."

In some ways this week felt like a nice balance between highly structured liturgical services and less structured, free flowing, services. A third of the way through this project and we are beginning to recognize distinctive differences as well as plenty of commonalities.

Week 16 - Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church

beautifulsaviorlutheran.com

This week found us back in the Lutheran tradition again. Loren has visited Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church a couple of times, many years ago, for Scout Sunday with a Cub Scout Pack our boys were in. It was nice to enjoy a service not having to keep an eye on a group of squirmy 1st-5th grade boys. Loren's parents were in town and, being the adventurous souls they are, joined us in our little project.

BSLC is a modest sized congregation that holds two Sunday morning services. The auditorium seats about 200 and this week, at the later service, there was a sizable group with all ages in attendance. Plenty of natural lighting made for a well-lit, comfortable, setting with lots of natural wood tones. No visual aids were used during the service but a printed order of service was provided to each congregant to follow along with. 

Just prior to the service beginning the Cantor came out and prepped us for some new songs that we would be singing during the service. Throughout the service music was lead by the Cantor accompanied by an organ. As we have come to expect the congregation is actively involved in nearly all aspects of the service; through responsive readings, responsive prayers, and song. As we have experienced elsewhere, BSLC practices an open communion so we of course took advantage of the whole experience. This time Laurie was prepared for real wine.

This week's service was focused on "Jesus as the Good Shepherd." In keeping with what we have come to expect there was  a short children's sermon first and about 20 children came to the front to sit with the pastor. One member brought in an Australian Shepherd dog as an object lesson of how the shepherd takes care of the sheep. 

The pastor's messages was taken primarily from Psalm 23, the classic passage often referred to as "the Shepherd's Psalm," and known by many whether they attend church regularly or not. The pastor lead us in a thoughtful look at why sheep need a shepherd and how this relates to Christ's role as the Good Shepherd. One thing that becomes apparent is that sheep are not terribly bright and without the watchful care of the shepherd they are prone to trouble. Not exactly a complementary image for us as the sheep if you think about it. We were admonished to be wary of those the pastor called "wolves in shepherd's clothing," or "false shepherds."

We did experience a first for us this week however. We both come from fairly conservative Baptist traditions and so the idea of women leading the service is not part of our experience. BSLC's pastor is a woman and this week Pastor Christie Manisto was assisted primarily by women throughout the service. One thing was abundantly clear, BSLC is all about serving each other and the community. From numerous community service activities, to the very warm welcomes we received from many, to Pastor Chris greeting, and hugging, each congregant on their way out. As guests we received what Pastor Chris calls "a hug and a mug" for visiting.

All and all an uplifting and encouraging time.

New addition to Loren's ever growing mug collection.

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 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 4 - Vancouver First Friends Church

www.vffc.org

We set out on this 52 week adventure with an intention to experience different ways of meeting with God. This week at Vancouver First Friends Church we left feeling like we had experienced something truly different. First though, if you are not familiar with the "Friends Church" think "Quakers." If that rings a bell but doesn't really mean much think George Fox, as in George Fox University; an influence in the Pacific Northwest for over 125 years. Not exactly the new kid on the block, but one that neither of us has any memory of ever meeting.

VFFC is a small congregation that originated in downtown Vancouver before relocating several decades ago to its current location. They are also going through a transition as they recently brought on a new, energetic, lead pastor. Pastor Peter made a point of seeking us out before and after the service, offering a small gift to enjoy at a later time; got to love Starbucks. We were approached by a number of people once they recognized we were visiting. Very warm and authentically welcoming, and according to one older gentleman they have "great potlucks." Ages ranged from children to elderly with the exception that we didn't notice any teenage or young adults. 

The meeting (in proper Quaker parlance) was a typical church service with the exception of a couple of elements. First though, after a welcome and prayer there was a time of singing both contemporary and traditional songs. VFFC is also looking for a music pastor so this week was a friend of Pastor Peter's from Newberg, OR. Musical accompaniment was with an amplified acoustical guitar for singing and organ for prelude and offertory. An overhead screen was used to project the words to the songs and the main points of the pastor's message. Hymnals were available in the pews, along with bibles for visitors. 

One of the exceptions we noticed was just prior to the Pastoral Prayer congregants were asked to publicly share a praise or prayer request from where they sat. A microphone was passed around to facilitate the speaker being heard. If you think about it, with so many of today's carefully choreographed church services the last thing you do is let someone not in on the plan have an opportunity to speak out. 

The next exception was the "meet and greet" immediately after the prayer. Most of us are familiar with the quick "say 'hi' to the person next to you" greeting time. Well, that's how it started so we dutifully stood, did the 360 degree turn to shake hands, and returned to our forward facing stance. About five minutes into it we realized that people were still "meeting and greeting." Looking around we were amazed to see full on conversations taking place all around the room, even out into the front lobby area. This lasted for about 10 minutes and left us intrigued with the idea that this much meeting time could be devoted to just catching up, but isn't that what "friends" do?

Just prior to beginning his message the pastor brought the children forward to pray for them and then dismiss to a children's class. We then participated in a responsive reading from a collection of bible passages woven together around the theme of the days message, "The Journey from Me to You." On a side note we had been told several times by various people that they were starting a new series based on the book Soul Shift. Later we realized that doing a "series" was a new experience and people were pretty excited about it. People have been encouraged to read the book and during weekday meetings they will discuss it. During the Sunday meeting the pastor's message provides a scriptural foundation. This Sunday the message was from Mark 9:30-35 with a focus on taking our eyes off ourselves and actually considering that everyone we come in contact with is struggling with their own stuff. That as followers of Christ we are charged with putting others before our-self. That I am to shift my focus from "me to you."

At the close of the service the pastor then once again opened the floor for anyone to share a word that they felt lead to share. This portion of the meeting is what they call "Open Worship" and was one of the elements we found new and unique in our experience. A second time, a microphone was offered to anyone who wanted to share something that they had learned during the message, whether it be by prayer, song, or word. Once again we were left with the feeling that as a congregant we were active participants in the meeting.

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.