Going to a new church, especially if you’ve never been to church before, can be a daunting experience and raise a lot of questions. What do I wear? Where can I sit? What if I don’t know what the language means or how to act? Can I take Communion? We understand you probably have a lot of other questions too so let us help you out by addressing some common concerns here for you.

Regular church attenders usually come dressed in smart casual attire however this is not a requirement so please come respectfully dressed however you feel comfortable. 

There is no reserved seating in church. Whilst it’s true that some regular attendees may have a preferred place to sit, they are more than willing to sit elsewhere should their preferred seat be occupied so rest assured that you are more than welcome to sit anywhere. 

Bibles are provided for your use. Bible readings are also displayed on the data screen so you don’t need to bring anything however if you have your own Bible you’d like to use, that is completely ok and we’d love for you to bring it along with you. Some people like to use a Bible app on their phone or iPad so please feel welcome to do so too if that suits you better.

Each service will be slightly different however it’s common to expect that a service will last for about 1 hour and will include some singing, bible readings, a message, which is often called a sermon and a few different types of prayers. One service a month will also include Communion.

Churches can use some language that is not often heard outside of the church context. If you encounter anything you haven’t heard before or don’t understand, please don’t be embarrassed to ask someone to explain things to you. We’ve all been new and it took us a while to get the hang of things too! There are also some things that happen in church services such as prayers or spoken responses that everyone knows and recites in unison. We try as hard as possible to remember to put anything you may need to say at any time up on the data projector so you should find on the screen what they’re all saying if you wish to join in. The person up the front will give you any other instructions that may be needed during the service.

In the Uniting Church, we believe that Holy Communion is a meal that does not belong to the church. We believe that it is Jesus Christ who invites us to join together around His table therefore everyone is welcome to take Communion. Similarly, you are welcome to abstain from taking it if you don’t feel comfortable doing so. The decision is completely up to you.

During the service a financial offering will be taken up. This is done to give regular attenders the opportunity to financially support the ongoing ministry of their church. You are welcome to contribute if you would like to but there is no pressure for you to do so and certainly no shame if you don’t wish to or are financially unable to at the time.

If you have any other questions or concerns before you attend please send an email to one of our leadership team, whose details can be found on the website contact page. Similarly, should you have any questions after attending a service, feel free to approach the Minister on the morning or send a follow up email. We welcome the opportunity to discuss things with you further in order to help you feel more comfortable and at home in our church family.