First time at Immanuel?
It can be daunting attending a new church for the first time. We want to make that as reassuring for you as possible, so here are our top tips for making your first visit to Immanuel a great visit:
1. Check where we are this week
We've said it before, we'll say it again, Immanuel Church doesn't have its own building. We meet in rented accommodation, usually the Paget Rooms, sometimes Stanwell School, and occasionally at another venue, so it pays to check where we're meeting that week. You can find out on the home page, on the latest newsletter which can be downloaded from the home page, or on the Venues and Directions page, which lists the venues for the forthcoming weeks.
2. Bring your children
At Immanuel we believe church should be a family occasion. Our services are informal and interesting, and there are lots of other children who attend. Often, we have a children's slot during the first part of the service, and during the talk the children have their own "Junior Church", with fun, activities and stories appropriate to their age group.
3. Come as you are
Immanuel's style is very relaxed and informal. We don't expect anyone to dress up, though you're welcome if you want to.
4. When you arrive ...
... you'll be met by one of our welcomers and you'll get a copy of our weekly newsletter. Say hi to the welcomers - it's what they're there for! If you have any questions they'll be happy to answer them. If you're bringing children with you, talk to the welcomers about the Junior Church provision. They'll be able to point you to the appropriate carer for your child.
5. A typical service
Our morning service usually lasts around 1hr 15m. During that time we normally have:
- Songs - about 4 or 5, mostly more contemporary as that expresses best how we feel about God, but usually also with one good old hymn.
- Prayers - these take on a different form each week, from a very "free" style, to much more scripted prayers.
- Children's slot - quite often the service includes a children's song or activity
- Notices - which are more than just notices: often this includes ad's for interesting events and activities taking place in the next week
- 'Special' slots - sometimes we'll have short presentations about various topics of interest.
- Talk - we have a talk of about 20-30 minutes in length. It's our goal to address the issues we face in 21st Century Britain and try to see them through God's eyes. In this way we're looking to show the relevance of the Christian faith to today. We use PowerPoint, DVD clips and various other methods to keep the talks lively and engaging. One thing we don't believe in is boring sermons! During the talk the children have their own "Junior Church".
- Communion - every other week (2nd and 4th Sundays of the month) we also have communion in our morning service. This is a reflective time in the service which takes about 10-15 minutes, and offers the opportunity to reflect more intimately on what God means to us. If you normally take communion, you'll be welcome to do so at Immanuel.
- Offering - when we take communion we also take a collection. This is an opportunity for members to contribute to the cost of the church's activities and is completely optional, so please don't feel any pressure to contribute, as no-one will expect you to!
- Refreshments - at the end of the service there's tea, coffee and biscuits and a chance to chat and get to meet people. As refreshments are served the children return from Junior Church
6. What else does Immanuel do?
The answer is ... LOTS! Check out the Our Activities page, and the Community Projects for a taster of the sort of activites we get involved in. We also run a number of special events throughout the year, including an annual entry in the Penarth Festival.
7. Getting involved
There are lots of ways of getting involved in Immanuel. You may want to:
- Discover more about Christianity - we regularly run courses for people who are interested (with no strings attached)
- Find out about baptism
- Become a member
- Join a house group
- Get involved in one of our ministry teams
- Talk to one of the Church Leaders
Simply get in touch with us via the Contact Us page, or speak to one of the welcomers when you arrive.