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Welcome Visitors to Faith United Lutheran Parish;
Emmanuel, St. John’s Franklin
Worship Times:
- Emmanuel – 9:00a
- St. John’s – 10:45a
Sunday School:
- Emmanuel – 10:15a (following worship)
What should I expect?
Parking:
- Emmanuel – Perpendicular parking is available across the street on the side of the church. Facing the building, the sanctuary entrance is on the left (with ramp) and the entrance to the fellowship area is to the right (two doors on either side of a small external entrance-way).
- St. John’s – Perpendicular parking is available directly in front of the church along side the grave yard. Facing the building, the sanctuary entrance is up the stairs on the right and the fellowship entrance is down the stairs on the right.
Bathrooms:
- Emmanuel – There are single men and women’s bathrooms located in a small hall way to the left of the freestanding chalk board in the fellowship area (back left corner if coming out of the sanctuary/back right corner if entering the door off the street).
- St. John’s – There are single men and women’s bathrooms downstairs in the fellowship area (back left wall if coming down the stairs from the sanctuary/directly to the left if entering the building from the side door).
Greeting: You will be greeted when you enter by a greeter or an usher who will give you a bulletin. The pastor may or may not be available at the beginning of worship for a personal greeting. You may be asked to sign a guest book.
Bulletins: We use reusable bulletins consistent with the church year calendar. The majority of our service is printed in our bulletins. If the hymn is not printed in the bulletin for the church you are attending, there will be a hymn number listed on side boards.
What should I wear? Wear whatever you are comfortable wearing. There may be people wearing very casual attire (t-shirts/jeans/sandals) and people wearing more formal attire (coats/ties/pant-suits/dresses).
What about children? Children are welcome at all of our services (and we don’t even mind if they make noise). Most of the churches have activity bags with quiet activities for children, please feel free to use one and then return it at the end of the service. If you do not see them, our ushers will be glad to help you. Feel free to make yourself comfortable by taking up a whole pew or by sitting where you can have some floor space to spread out.
- Emmanuel – After the reading of the Gospel by the pastor, a nursery time is offered for young ones under the age of seven, in the fellowship area.
- St. John’s – If necessary, you are welcome to take your children downstairs.
What about communion? One of two sacraments for Lutherans, the other being Baptism. In Holy Communion, also called the Eucharist, Lutherans recall the saving acts of God through Word, bread and wine, and are connected with Christ and with Christians of all times and places. In this sacrament we are fed with the Body and Blood of Christ.
Communion takes place every Sunday. The ushers will direct you when it is time for you to receive the bread and wine. If you would rather only receive the communion bread, you may do so. If you elect not to commune, please step aside so that others in your row may go forward or you may come forward and receive a blessing from the Pastor. If you have difficulty walking then inform the ushers that you would like to commune at your seat and the Pastor will bring communion to you after everyone else has received.
Your children may commune at any age. The Pastor will look to you, the parent or caregiver of the child to indicate if they should receive a blessing or communion.
- Emmanuel - Communion is received by intinction (the Pastor will offer you the bread/wafer with these words, “The Body of Christ given for you,” and then you will move to the communion assistant who will offer the cup with these words, “The blood of Christ shed for you,” please dip the bread/wafer into the wine.) You may respond by saying “Amen.”
- St. John’s – The Pastor will give instruction about coming forward to the rail to receive the bread with these words, “The Body of Christ given for you,” which you may eat at that time. The communion assistant will offer you a small individual glass with wine with these words, “The blood of Christ shed for you,” you may drink the wine at that time. Another communion assistant will collect your glass. You may respond by saying “Amen.”
Where should I sit? We truly have no assigned seats in any of our churches; in fact we are all trying to sit in a different pew every week with our new idea, “I’ve Had A View From Another Pew, Have You?” Please sit where-ever you are comfortable.
How long does the service last? Generally, the service lasts about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes.
Will I have to speak? No.
Will I be singled out as a visitor? No
What are the services like? For Lutherans, worship is an ever-changing and -growing experience. Connected with and central to everything we do, worship unites us in celebration, engages us in thoughtful dialogue and helps us grow in faith. It grounds us in our Christian and Lutheran roots, while demonstrating practical relevance for today’s world.
The Pastor begins the service with announcements that need to be made. Throughout the service, our lay people assist by reading our lessons, occasionally reading the prayers of the people, and by assisting with communion. Our service concludes with a blessing by the Pastor and a closing hymn (at Barren’s the children and young people are invited forward to play percussion instruments and walk out with the choir and Pastor). Our services end with the Pastor or assisting minister saying, “Go in peace, to serve the Lord,” and the congregation responds, “Thanks be to God.”
What happens after the service?
- Emmanuel – All are invited for light refreshments and social time in the fellowship area.
- St. John’s - All are invited for light refreshments and social time on the right side of the sanctuary.
What about religious education?
- Emmanuel – 10:15 (following worship) – The Adult Sunday School class meets in the sanctuary and the children meet for Sunday School in the fellowship area.
Can I see more of the church? Yes. If you ask one of the ushers or the greeter they will be happy to give you a tour of the church.
How do I become a member? You may meet with the Pastor and discuss this.
What is your mission? Faith United Lutheran Parish, Our Mission Statement; Our mission is to be open to God’s presence in our hearts, in our minds and in our world; to love God and one another; and to proclaim our Lutheran theology of God’s love and grace for all people.
What are your core beliefs?
Lutherans believe in the Triune God. God created and loves all of creation -- the earth and the seas and all of the world’s inhabitants. We believe that God's Son, Jesus Christ, transforms lives through his death on the cross and his new life, and we trust that God's Spirit is active in the world.
We are part of God’s unfolding plan. When we gather for worship, we connect with believers everywhere. When we study the Bible or hear God’s word in worship, we are drawn more deeply into God’s own saving story.
The convictions shared by Christians from many different traditions are expressed in statements of belief called creeds.
The ELCA accepts the following creeds as true declarations of the faith of this church:
- The Apostles' Creed
- The Nicene Creed
- The Athanasian Creed