It’s not easy visiting a new church for the first time. Sometimes you wonder: Do I belong here? Am I really welcome? Will the people be unfriendly, or too friendly? Will I be conspicuous? Will they ask me for money? Will my kids enjoy it? How should I dress? Am I welcome if I don’t believe?

As a pastor at First Alliance, I want to make your visit a thought provoking, enjoyable experience. If I were visiting a new church for the first time, I’d like to know what to expect, so here’s a brief overview.

When you arrive at First Alliance (on Pilgrim Road, one mile north of Hwy 45) for our 8:00, 9:30 or 11:00 a.m. services, you’ll park in the parking lot and use the covered entrance.

At the front door (under the canopy), there should be some friendly people (we call them "greeters") to say hello, answer any questions you have, and direct you to the sanctuary. If you have kids, they can point you to KidVenture and help you register your children. We’ve developed a good security system so you’ll know your kids are safe and well cared for. If your kids are shy, they’re welcome to attend the adult service with you, but most kids really enjoy the kids´ programs. We have nursery during all services for infants and toddlers, and fun programs for children 2-1/2 years old through 6th grade, available during both the 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. services. Our Jr. High and Sr. High students meet on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:40 a.m. Amy and I have four kids, so we know how important it is for kids to enjoy church, whether they’re toddlers or teens, infants or young adults.

You’ll notice that everyone is dressed comfortably, in anything from "office casual" to ties to jeans and sneakers. If you arrive early, you’re welcome to pick up information or ask questions at the Information Center in the lobby area.

When you come in the sanctuary, you’ll be given a copy of the worship folder. You’ll notice a blue card, which is an easy way for us to get better acquainted; you can ask for any kind of information or assistance using the blue card. When you exit the sanctuary, ushers will hand you an announcement sheet with valuable information about our ministry activities.

The service usually begins with some music, followed by a welcome and announcements. A prayer and songs will follow. We pass a plate for offering, but ask that just those who consider First Alliance their church home participate. We want you to feel welcome as our guest, with no pressure to give. Even though we hope you’ll simply be our guest on your first visit, we do hope you’ll drop in your blue card, so we can send you church information.

Then, I (or another speaker) will begin the message. I usually speak for about 30 minutes, and I do my best to make the messages interesting and relevant to daily life. The message will be based on the Bible, and I will often include interesting quotes from contemporary culture. If I do my job right, you’ll hear solid Christian theology in challenging, intelligent, and understandable terms. And hopefully, you’ll laugh at times and maybe feel a tug at your heart too.

We celebrate communion each month. Communion (also known as the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper) is a Christian celebration of the self-sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, you’re welcome to share in communion with us, and if not, you can just sit back and reflect on the message of the cross.

I’ll close the service about 70 minutes after it began (and believe it or not, the time will fly). I hope you’ll come up and introduce yourself to me afterwards.

After the service, you’ll pick up your kids from their classrooms, and then we hope you’ll stay around, meet some people. Church is about God and worship, but it’s also about community and friendship, so we hope people really experience warmth and friendliness at First Alliance.

That’s about it. People constantly tell me that they really felt comfortable - "very welcomed" are the words I hear often. I hope you’ll stop by this Sunday. And if you do, please come down and say hi.

Hope to see you!

Jason Esposito