What can I expect on my first visit?

When you arrive, you will be warmly greeted and will receive a printed bulletin outlining the details of that day’s service along with information about upcoming events. The greeters can assist you with directions and answer any questions you might have. Please sign our guest register.

What should I wear?

Be yourself. You’ll find folks dressed in everything from suits and dresses to sneakers and jeans. Come in something that makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. God doesn’t mind, so why should we?

What about the children?

Before the 10am service, at 9am, you are welcomed to bring your children to Sunday School. After that, you may enjoy worship as a family. Sometimes we need our hands to be busy to focus in church, so we have blessing bags with books, coloring books, and crayons for children to use. But what of babies and toddlers? If you need to nurse, or just a moment to calm your child, we have a nursery for your convenience. There you will find a changing table, rocker, toys, and a child-friendly bathroom. An audio speaker is also available so you can still follow what is happening in the service.

What is worship like?

Every church has its own style of worship. We are confident you will enjoy worshiping at St. Thomas, even if it takes you a couple of Sundays to become accustomed to the order of worship. We attempt to make our worship as “user friendly” as possible. Each week the order of the service is printed in the bulletin with directions to the pages in our hymnal. The scripture readings for the day are also printed for you; however, Bibles are available in each row if you prefer to look them up on your own. 
 Our worship is liturgical, which means it follows a similar order every week. Every Sunday we consistently focus on God’s Word and Sacrament. In the words of Scripture and in the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion God freely offer us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. These things are the only source of our spiritual lives and spiritual growth. Music is also an important part of our worship. Through our singing of hymns and other songs we express our thanks to God for his wonderful salvation. As Lutherans we are blessed with a rich heritage of excellent hymnody called Lutheran chorales. They take some time to learn, but once you’ve learned them you’ll never forget them!
 We use a mixture of traditional and modern language. The traditional features of our worship bring us the best from God’s Church throughout the ages, while the contemporary features remind us that God’s promises of forgiveness, guidance and peace still apply to our daily lives. We pray that through our worship your faith will be strengthened in those promises!

What is the worst that can happen?

Attending church somewhere for the first time can be intimidating. Here are some common worries:
 “I would just die if they made me stand up and say something.” We assure you, we won’t embarrass you in this or any other way. We want you to feel comfortable and at home with us. Worship should be an enjoyable and uplifting experience. We promise to do all we can so you can relax and learn about your Savior.
 “I know my child is going to be too noisy.” We enjoy the sounds of children and encourage parents of young children to bring them to worship. We have activity bags (filled with crayons, stickers, books, etc) for children to use during the service. And, we believe that starting to attend at an early age forms good habits for your children. If for any reason you feel the need to step out for a while, a nursery is available with an audio speaker so that parents can continue to follow what is happening in the service. “I know I will feel out of place.” We want you to feel as comfortable as possible. If you have a question, please ask someone for help. Don’t hesitate to say, “I am new. What is this about?”
 “I am afraid I will say or do something wrong.” All of us have felt this way when in a new situation. We hope you see that the people of our congregation are ordinary people like yourself. We accept you as you are and help you become what Christ wants you to be.
 “I just want to watch at first and I know that they will try to involve me or sign me up.” It is unpleasant to be pressured or to be part of a “membership drive” as though we were heads of cattle, isn’t it? We believe that church membership should be a voluntary thing, and that the most important thing is to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and salvation. It takes time for this to be cultivated. People need time to evaluate and decide if they wish further involvement. We believe we should respect that need.
 “I don’t know that much about the Bible.” Church and Bible Study are opportunities to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and faith in Jesus. You won’t have to read or answer any questions you don’t want to answer. And remember, sometimes the wisest words we say are, “I don’t know”