Altadena Community Church Altadena Community Church
Worshiping Together
Sunday Morning Worship - What to Expect

 

"The time I spend with God in the worship service brings me back to what is important in life."


 

Morning Worship at 10 AM

Join us as we praise God with sacred music drawn from both traditional and contemporary sources, thoughtful preaching, prayer, storytelling, ritual, and sacrament.

Sunday morning worship services begin at 10 am. You may wish to arrive 5 to 15 minutes early at your first visit to find your way around. A typical worship service lasts about an hour and 15 minutes. Most people are in casual dress.

The first people you are likely to meet on Sunday morning are the greeters. They will welcome you, tell you about any special events happening that day, and offer you a nametag (everyone wears them, not just guests). If you have children the greeters will tell you about childcare for children 3 and under or Sunday School for older children.

Pastor Joe with children.

When you enter the sanctuary feel free to sit anywhere you want. There are no reserved pews and no one will glare at you for sitting in their seats (although if you are in the first few rows on the left, you may find yourself in the midst of the choir). You may wish to sit closer to the front to better see the worship order, prayers, and song lyrics, which are displayed on the video screens.

Communion is a remembrance of Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples. It is usually offered on the second and fifth Sundays of the month, near the end of the worship service. Everyone is welcome to participate, including children. Communion is usually taken by coming to the front of the church, taking a small piece of bread from a tray, and partially dipping the bread in a cup of juice before eating it. Please ask someone near you if you need assistance, or need the communion servers to come to your location. If you do not wish to take communion, simply stay in your seat.

The worship service often includes:

  • A musical prelude.
  • Standing and greeting others around you.
  • A responsive reading (a leader and the congregation alternate reading lines of a prayer).
  • Singing songs/hymns.
  • Saying a prayer for peace and lighting a candle for peace.
  • A brief message for the children.
  • An anthem by the choir (after which children leave for Sunday School).
  • A reading from the Bible.
  • A sermon by the pastor.
  • Joys and Concerns: The pastor will walk around with a microphone. Anyone may ask for a prayer. Sometimes it is a prayer of joy or gratitude. Other prayers may be for healing or other help for oneself or a friend/family member. Often prayers are requested for needs in the community and the world. On Sundays when we offer Communion, we write out our prayer requests on green sheets found at the end of each pew.  When it is time for Joys and Concerns, the pastor will gather and read them.
  • An Offering: Baskets will be passed among the pews for those who wish to make a donation to support the church.
  • Announcements of activities and events for the coming weeks, or of service opportunities.
  • The service ends with blessings from the pastor and the choir.
During Worship

All are invited to enjoy fellowship with coffee and punch after the service outside "under the arches." On the first Sunday of the month, a discussion session for adults and youth is held at 11:45 am. Topics vary, and each session is independent of the others, so that you don't have to worry about getting lost by stepping into the middle of a series. Childcare is provided during these classes.

Our goal is to help each person and our congregation as a whole to grow in the fullness of Christ. We invite you to take the journey with us.

 

 

 

Oasis at 4 PM

On the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, we offer an afternoon worship experience quite different from the traditional morning service. We invite you to leave the hectic pace of your daily life and enter into a time of quiet and reflection.  During this time on Sunday afternoon, which lasts 45 minutes to an hour, you have a chance to find rest for your soul. 

We begin and end with silence. You may light candles and lift up silent prayers for yourself or others as you enter. The music at the beginning and end sets the mood for our time of reflection. Sacred texts are read, one from scripture, and the other from a vast array of poets and other spiritual writers. We then encourage reflection and discussion on their meaning.

At the end of the service, we may offer a specific spiritual practice for you to engage in if you wish.  We invite you to come and try out this unique worship experience.