Worship at Immanuel

Join Us Sundays at 10:30am for worship.

Worship services are also live-streamed on our Facebook page

Worship brings God's people together through lessons, songs, preaching, and the sacrament.

As believers, Christ is at the center of everything we do. This is especially true when believers gather together for worship. Without Christ, we would have no reason to gather for worship. We would be separated from God and each other. We would cower in shame in the presence of God. But Christ, our Savior, has restored our relationship with God. This act brings us two-fold joy. We open our hearts to receive his saving and empowering gospel. We also open our arms to offer to Christ our thanks, our lives, our everything.

This cycle of receiving from God and giving to God characterizes each of our lives. It also characterizes the way we worship when we gather together. To accomplish this, we use a form of worship that traces its roots to the apostles themselves: liturgical worship.

Christ is at the center of liturgical worship. Some parts of the liturgy stay the same each Sunday. This is to make sure that Christ is proclaimed and praised during every service. Some parts of the liturgy change every week. These changes are based on the appointed calendar of the church. This calendar makes sure that we cover the important events and teachings of Christ every year.

Illustration describing our path of worship through prayer, then praise, and finally thanksgiving.
Artwork by Ian M. Welch. Copyright 2015 Ian M. Welch. All Rights Reserved. paramentics.com

Where to Sit?

Feel free to sit wherever you'd like, whether the front or the back. If you need assistance an usher will help you.

What to wear?

Come as you are. We aren't worried about what you're wearing. Many of our members do have a healthy practice of "dressing up" for church. But we are not trying to impress each other - we simply want to express the importance of public worship.

What about the kids?

Kids of all ages are welcome at Immanuel. We encourage kids and their parents to grow in faith together as they hear God's word and sing his praise. If you wish to worship with your child, but don’t feel comfortable in the sanctuary, you may take your child to the nursery at the back of the church, the room across the hall, or the basement. A speaker in any of those rooms allow you to follow along with the service. If you need any help with your children, just ask. We would be happy to help you with whatever you need.

What about Offerings?

We pass an offering plate during the service so that our worship may include bringing gifts to God. Our members plan these gifts as a response to God's love. The offerings are used to fund the ministry of the congregation and our church body, the WELS. Visitors should not feel obligated to give an offering.

Attending church for the first time?

Attending church somewhere for the first time can be intimidating. Here are some common worries:

We 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 relax and learn about your Savior.

We encourage parents of young children to attend worship service with their children. This begins the good habits of attending worship services at an early age. If required, a nursery room is available at the back of the sanctuary, where a speaker allows you to follow along with the service.

We hope that this web site will ease your mind, but if you have a question, please ask someone for help. Don't hesitate to say, "I am new. What is this about?"

All of us have felt this way when in a new situation. But we hope you see the people of our congregation to be ordinary people 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 being critical.

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 of sins 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.

Worship Services and Bible Study are opportunities to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and faith in Jesus. You won't have to read or answer any questions you don't want to answer. And remember, sometimes the wisest words we say are, "I don't know."