MEETS @ ALCOA HIGH SCHOOL (NEW BUILDING)
1205 LODGE STREET | ALCOA, TN 37701
When does service begin and end?Ordinarily, our worship service will go from
10:00am to about
11:15am. We meet in the AHS Lyceum (the school auditorium) with communion and sermon, alongside classes from birth-5th grade (
more here).
Wait, where am I going again?We are at Alcoa High School, which is right across the street from Alcoa Middle School and Alcoa Intermediate School. (The Intermediate School and Middle School also have churches that meets there-
Springbrook Vineyard at the Intermediate School, and
Encounter Church at the Middle School and if you accidentally end up there you will be blessed. We love them.)
What should I wear?
We seek to have a welcoming environment in which everyone wears whatever makes them most comfortable. For some that may mean jeans or shorts and for others it may mean a suit.
Where will I take my children?
The answer depends on the age of the child. If your child is birth-toddler, head immediately to the right upon entering until you see a table in the hallway checking kids in. There will be a class for birth/toddlers in that hallway.
If your child is pre-K through elementary school (5th grade), you may check them in on the far hallway from the entrance. Pre-school kids will go straight into their class from there.
K-5th graders will stay with you in the worship service until the greeting time (about 20-25 minutes into the service). At the beginning of the announcements, kids K-5th grade will be dismissed to their own classes (parents will be able to 'check-in' these kids before the service if they so choose). These kids will be dismissed down the opposite hallway (the far hallway from the entry doors), and will be returned to the worship service around 11am, before the end of the service.
We promise it's easier than it sounds!
What will the music and preaching be like?We ordinarily sing a blend of current worship songs with older hymns. Music is led using piano and acoustic guitar, which creates a folksy, rock kind of sound.
During the sermons, the pastor relates passages in the Bible to everyday life challenges– no matter if you are Christian or not, seeking spirituality or not, skeptical or fervent.
To listen/watch sermon audio click here! Why do we say some of the same prayers and statements every week?
Many Christians think of worship as 'expressive,' a chance to show our love and gratitude to God. We agree. AND, we also think worship is a 'discipline,' a training for greater and better love of God and others. And like any discipline- like learning to play a sport or learning a musical instrument- you need repetition to improve. We want our true love of God and others to becomes a kind of 'muscle memory' that is more than just willed from the heart, but actually natural to one's very 'bones.'
Another benefit of repeated prayers and songs is that it helps children and those who can't read more readily engage in worship. When you know what's coming next, you can 'use' the worship service as C.S. Lewis says, and not just 'think about' the service.