For Our Visitors 

Are you a little nervous about, or even a little afraid of, attending church for the first time? Do you have lots of questions about our church or what is expected of you? Do you wonder if you can bring your children, or that they may be too noisy? Do you wonder what the service is like and that you perhaps won’t know what to do? Hopefully, we can answer a few of your questions so your first visits are not as intimidating. We want your visit to be beneficial and relaxing. We certainly want you to visit Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. You will hear about our Lord Jesus Christ, God with us! You will hear about His grace and love and all that He has done for us.

Worship

Each church has its own style of worship. Here at Our Redeemer, we offer a variety of worship forms. Our service time is at 9:00 AM on Sunday mornings. All these services center around the Word of God and focus our attention on Him. Each week, the service is printed in the worship folder. All the readings and prayers are printed there for you as well. You are welcome to bring your own Bible and follow along there if you choose.

Dress

Sometimes people wonder how they are expected to dress at a church they’ve never visited before. Since the Bible presents no dress code, aside from simple decency and Christian humility, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church doesn’t have any rules either. Worshipers come dressed casually with jeans or more formally depending on personal preference. Like most people, our members try to make their worship time at church a special time. This is often reflected in the way they dress. But dress is a personal matter of worship before God. One may dress casually and rejoice that we have a God who accepts us as we are. Another may dress to reflect the awe and reverence we have for our Savior King. On any Sunday at church, you may see running shoes and high heels, jeans and suits, or open collars and ties. When a person dresses out of love for God, the choice of dress (casual or more formal) is acceptable to God…and us.

Offerings

“When will they take the offering?” “How will it be collected?” “How much am I expected to give?” “Do they want visitors to contribute too?” These are typical worries about church offerings. The Bible teaches that our offerings to God should reflect our belief that all we have is His gift to us. It teaches us that with our offerings we worship and honor God. Like most Christians, our members bring offerings to God through their church. Since offerings are gifts of love for God, no one dictates what each person is to give. We pass an offering plate during the service so that our worship may include bringing gifts to God. (Offering envelopes are available and keep our gifts a private matter known only to God who sees what we do in private.) A child may bring quarters and dimes his parents give him. Someone older may write a check. Both are remembering Jesus and giving their gift out of love for Him. You may wish at first to learn more about our ministry before bringing your offerings to God through our church. But you are welcome to participate as your heart leads you to give.

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.” I assure you, we won’t embarrass you in this or any other way. We want you to feel comfortable and at home with us. Church should be an enjoyable and uplifting experience. We promise to do all we can so you can learn about your Savior.

“I know my child is going to be too noisy.” We welcome your children to attend our services, but if you feel uncomfortable with their noise level, we have a nursery in a room near the sanctuary and another one on the lower level where you may comfort your child and at the same time still be able to hear the service.

“I know I will feel out of place.” I hope that this visitor’s guide will ease your mind. If you do have a question, please ask someone for help. Don’t hesitate to say, “I am new or I am visiting. What is this all about?”

“I am afraid I will say or do something wrong.” All of us have felt this way when in a new situation. But I hope you see the people of Our Redeemer to be ordinary people just like yourself. We want to accept you as you are and help you become what Christ wants you to be. We do not want to throw cold water on that by a critical spirit.

“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 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 answer any questions you don’t want to answer. And remember, sometimes the wisest words we say are, “I don’t know.”

A Final Thought

We pray that this has helped answer some of your questions and alleviate your fears. Our goals as a congregation are quite simple. We want to grow in faith and share that faith with people like you. Everything we do is meant to accomplish these two goals. We pray that there is nothing that stands in your way from learning more about your Savior. Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail if you have any questions or if there is anything we can do for you. God’s blessings to you, and I look forward to seeing you in church.

Location

We’re located at 18444 Old Glenn Highway in Chugiak. If you are coming in from Anchorage or points south, take the South Birchwood exit east (right) to Old Glenn Highway. Turn left (north) and the church will be three miles ahead on your left. If you are coming from the Mat-Su Valley or points north (Palmer, Wasilla), take the North Birchwood exit east (left) to the Old Glenn Highway. Turn right (south) and the church will be one mile ahead on your right. If you have any other questions or would like someone to call or visit with you before attending our church, please e-mail us at orlc@mtaonline.net or call us at (907) 688-2157.