Wesley United Methodist Church
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
--A bold witness to God's love!
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Getting Here
• Where are you located? • Where do I park? • How do I find the sancutary/worship space?
• Are the buildings handicap accessible?
• Where is Childcare located?
• Where does the Sunday School meet? • Where are the rest rooms? Children's Participation and Activities
• May my children stay in the Sanctuary during the service? • What if my child becomes restless? • What if my child is too young or too active to sit through the service? • What youth activities do you have? Making Contact
• How do I get in touch with the Pastor? • How do I find out about special events or on-going projects? Getting Involved
• How can I be of service on Sunday mornings? • Are there ways to be of service to the community through the church? • Are there Bible study or spiritual growth opportunities? Membership
• How do I become a member? • What if I'm not a Methodist? • What are the expectations of members?
• Do I have to give a certain amount of money to the church? If you have questions that are not answered below, please don't hesitate to email Pastor Vickie Healy. It is our intention to offer a gracious hospitality to all who come to worship with us.
What time should I come?
We have two mostly identical services on Sunday mornings, at 8:30 a.m.and 11:00 a.m. The 11:00 a.m. service tends to have more families with young children since FUN Church for kids grades K-6 is offered at 11:15 (right after Children's Time in that service). The accompanist begins playing a prelude at about 5 minutes before the service time, and the service starts (usually on time) with a greeting from the pastor.
What should I wear?
You will see people in a wide variety of attire at Wesley, and we are comfortable in that diversity. In general, we tend toward the casual: slacks and jeans for both men and women with shorts and sandals in the summer. But some people like to dress up, and that's ok too. If your teenager wants to wear their torn jeans don't fret, they will be in like company. Everyone is welcome!
What goes on during the service? The service includes bible readings, hymns, a song sung by the choir, a sermon and a time of sharing prayers of joy and prayers of concern. An offering will also be taken. The words for prayers and responses, as well as the hymns are projected onto a screen, but are also available on a printed bulletin. The bulletin can guide you as to what will be happening in the service, and indicates when, if you are able, you are requested to stand. There is usually a Children's Message during which all children are invited to come and sit on the chancel (the raised area at the front of the sanctuary) to listen to and participate in the message. It is fine for parents to come forward with their children, especially if they are young or especially shy about coming forward the first few times. (See the Children's participation section below for more information on kids & worship.) The service usually ends with the congregation standing and being invited to join hands with the people around them while a benediction (a blessing) is given, followed by singing together a short song, "Go Now in Peace." The accompanist will then play the postlude during which time you are invited to leave the sanctuary and join the rest of the congregation on the patio for coffee and fellowship. The service usually lasts about an hour, but on a communion Sunday or with other special happenings, it may run over by a few minutes.
Do you have any hearing-assistance devices?
Yes. Ask for one at the sound/video booth window, located at the back left of the santuary, near the stained glass windows.
What happens after the service?
After the 8:30 worship (around 9:30), please join us on the patio for coffee (decaf and regular), punch or juice, and (usually) some muffins or cookies. This is a time when we catch up with one another, and also get to know newcomers. If you are planning to come for Sunday School or Adult Faith Development classes at 9:45, consider coming at 9:30 to join us on the patio for coffee and goodies. You are welcome to take coffee & goodies to class with you.
After the 11:00 service (around noon), there is no coffee, but some people do gather to catch up and meet newcomers on the patio.
When is Communion? Holy Communion is served at both services on the first Sunday of the month. Communion is served at other special services through the year, especially during Holy Week.
Who can participate in Communion? United Methodists practice an "open table," which means that anyone who wants to receive Communion in the spirit in which it is offered, including chilren, are welcome to come and receive both bread and cup.
How is Communion served? We usually celebrate Communion by "intinction". The ushers direct people up the center aisle, where the Communion servers hold the bread and "wine" (non-alcoholic white grape juice, since some of us are in recovery for alcoholism). Each person receives a piece of the bread, then dips it in the grape juice and eats it. Afterwards you return to your seat by way of the side aisles for a time of prayer and reflection. While Communion is being served, we sing hymns or the accompanist plays meditative music.
Can I get a copy of a sermon?
We don't publish print copies of the sermon, but sermons are usually available as audio files from our website that can be listened to on your computer or your .mp3 player. You can find them here.
Where are you located?
Wesley is located on Barstow Ave. (between Shaw and Bullard Aves.), about halfway between First St. and Cedar Ave., near Fresno State's Bulldog Stadium. Click here for a map. Look for our large sign on the southeast corner of Barstow and Fourth Street. Turn south off of Fourth St. to get to the only driveway with access to our campus.
Where do I park? There is plenty of parking in our lots all the way around our campus. There are specially designated visitor parking spaces directly in from the driveway, and this would be a great place to park the first time you come.
How do I find the sancutary/worship space?
This can be a challenge for newcomers on our campus, which includes several separate buildings. John Wesley Hall is the multi-use space that is used for our Sunday morning worship services. It is the tallest building on our campus, and is located on the northwest corner of our property. As you come in the driveway from Fourth Street, you will see the back side of the building directly in front of you. The entrance to John Wesley Hall is from the patio in the center of our campus, and there are several walkways from the parking lots leading to the patio. If you are not sure, feel free to ask anyone you see to help you find the sanctuary.
Are the buildings handicap accessible?
Yes, all of our buildings are one-level, and wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately, we don't have automatic openers on any of our doors, but on Sunday mornings there are many friendly people who will gladly open and hold doors for you. A wheelchair accessible restroom is located in John Wesley Hall Sanctuary/worship space down the hall from the front right corner of the worship space (as you face the front).
Where is Childcare located?
As you enter the campus from the driveway off Fourth Street, you will see the fenced playground of our Childcare building ahead and to the right. The name of this building is "Education West," and the door to the Childcare center is off the green space in the center of the campus on the east side of the building. Look for the rainbow striped door in the center of the building. On Sunday mornings, this door is usually unlocked, and parents with children enter without knocking. At other times, the door may be locked for security and a Childcare staff member will need to let you in.
Where does the Sunday School meet?
At 9:45 a.m. on Sundays, our campus is a busy place with classes and groups for all ages.
Sunday School for children ages 3-5 meets in Education East building, located on the northeast corner of our campus. Look for the door in the center of the building, near the gate to the play-yard.
Sunday School classes for children in grades 1-5 meet in the Winterberg Education Center, on the east side of our campus. Enter through the main door of the WEC off the green space, and in the atrium, ask to be directed to the class for your child's age group.
Sunday School for youth in grades 6-12 meets in the Youth Room, located in the Winterberg Education Center. The Youth Room has a separate, outside door, near the parking lot.
Classes and groups for adults meet in a variety of locations, depending on the expected size of the group and the space available. Look for free-standing sign-posts on the walkways each week for the classes that will be meeting that day and their locations. Common places for these classes to meet include:
There are a number of restrooms available on our campus. They are located:
May my children stay in the Sanctuary during the service? You and your children should do whatever you feel most comfortable doing.
You are most welcome to keep your children in worship for the whole service. Some parents see helping their children learn to be a part of worship as an important part of children's faith formation. Many families have discovered bringing special books or quiet activities and even small snacks help their children not get too restless. Activity Packs (a clipboard with pencils and markers, and activity pages) are available from a box at the front of the sanctuary near the choir risers. We keep them there because we offer them to children who are staying in the worship service after the Children's Time, but you should also feel free to get an Activity Pack before the service begins.
Most children, even the very young, come to worship for the first part of the service. They are invited (but not required) to come to the front for the Children's Time. It is fine to come forward with your child if they are very young, or if they are nervous or shy about coming forward, especially the first few times. After Children's Time at the 8:30 a.m. service, children in second grade and younger are welcome to go to Childcare. We encourage children in third grade and older to stay in the service, reading the prayers and hymns with us.
At the 11:00 service, children in grades K-6 are welcome (but not required) to go to FUN Church after the Children's Time. One of the FUN Church staff members meets the children at the back of the sanctuary and walks them over to the Winterberg Education Center. After worship, you can find children who went to FUN Church in the Winterberg Education Center, or in nice weather, near the green space (FUN Church is on Summer Break. It will return in September. Check back for updates).
If your children go to Childcare, or participate in Sunday School, we ask that you fill out a yellow "Registration Card for Children & Youth" which can be found in the chair-backs in the sanctuary and give to the staff member or teacher the first time they attend. This card gives parents/guardians a chance to give us any special information about your child that may be helpful, including allergies and other medical conditions. You should feel free to accompany your child to Childcare, Sunday School or FUN Church, especially if they are nervous the first few times.
What if my child becomes restless?
We understand some of the normal sounds of babies and toddlers are "sounds of life," and a part of welcoming children and families as a part of our congregation. If your baby or toddler gets fussy, and seems to be distracting to the people around you, feel free to take them to the narthex (entryway area), where there are chairs, couches and a rocking chair. There is a speaker from the sound system in the sanctuary in the narthex, so you can comfort and distract your child and still listen to the service. If your child calms, you are welcome to re-enter the service.
You are welcome as well to take any children second grade and younger to Childcare at any point in the morning, or during the 11:00 service, or to take children in grades K-6 over to FUN Church a little late.
What if my child is too young or too active to sit through the service? Parents are welcome to take children second grade and younger to Childcare at any point in the morning, beginning at 8:15 a.m. We suggest that very active children come with their families to the 11:00 service, and participate in FUN Church after the Children's Time. With many families with children in this service, we expect that the first part of this service will be a bit more "active".
What youth activities do you have? Besides a Youth Sunday School class that meets at 9:45 on Sunday mornings (which includes a snack), our youth schedule regular service, learning and fellowship activities. Check out the Youth Ministry webpage for info on current activities, or contact Elizabeth Nixon.
How do I get in touch with the Pastor? There are several ways:
How do I find out about special events or on-going projects? We have several ways of conveying information about events and projects:
How can I be of service on Sunday mornings? We are delighted that many people are involved in our Sunday morning activities. Volunteers are welcomed! Several different people coordinate these variety of volunteer opportunities. Contact Lorrae Emory, our Administrative Assistant, who can put you in touch with the person who coordinates the area in which you are interested.
Some of the opportunties to serve include:
Are there ways to be of service to the community through the church? Yes, you can be a part of Base Camp, our weekly community meal that connects with our low-income neighbors, our Reading-and-Beyond after-school tutoring program, or help serve a meal to the homeless at Roeding Park with Food Not Bombs. You can also help with Wesley's ministries at other times besides Sunday morning. For info on some of the service opportunities, see our Volunteer Now webpage.
Are there Bible study or spiritual growth opportunities? Yes. Although some groups and classes meet on a continuous basis, many spiritual growth opportunties meet in one to four weeks, which we hope will make it easier for newcomers to join in. To find current offerings go to our Adult Faith Formation page, or check the yellow announcements insert in the bulletin each week. For information about on-going spiritual growth ministries, click here.
Membership
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