We know it can take a certain level of energy and bravery to walk into an unfamiliar church.
To help you feel ready for your visit, here are answers to some common questions people have as they come to Gateway for the first time.
+ What time is your service and Sunday School?
We start promptly at 10am and end before 11:30. Children of Sunday school age (3-10) are dismissed part way through the service. This allows children to be part of the music portion of the service, but they can go to Sunday school for a more age-appropriate lesson during the teaching portion.
+ What should I expect my first time at Gateway?
When you enter the building you'll be greeted by our ushers who will point you toward our Welcome Center podium where a volunteer will be ready to give you a welcome packet and answer any questions you might have.
If you have children, you can sign your kids into the nursery (age 0-3) or Sunday school (age 3-10) from the Welcome Center. The nursery is available through the entire service; older kids are dismissed for Sunday school after the music portion of the service.
Lastly, be ready to meet a lot of friendly new people! We are always excited to welcome people new to the area or to church in general.
+ What type of sermon/message should we expect when we visit?
Our preaching is focused on the Bible. God has spoken to us through Scripture, and we seek to explain it and apply it to our lives today. This means we are committed to preaching "expositionally." By this we mean that we are committed to making sure the point of the Bible passage we're covering each week is the point of the sermon each week. The Bible dictates what we say and what you learn, and we make every attempt to preach what the Bible says and not what we want to say or what we think others want to hear.
That said, you don't need a lot of Bible knowledge when you come into the church for the first time. Though we challenge everyone to think deeply about God and his word, our aim is to explain what the Bible says clearly so that anyone can follow the message and grow closer to God from it.
+ Do you have Sunday school for kids?
Yes! We are excited to say we have nursery for kids age 0-3 and Sunday school for kids age 3-10 (3-6 year olds in a class called "Faith Builders" and 6-10 year olds in a class called "Kingdom Kids"). Nursery is available during the entire service, while Sunday school children are dismissed part-way through the service to allow them to participate in the music portion of the service. After this they can go to Sunday school for a more age-appropriate lesson during the teaching portion.
When you arrive for the first time, head to the Welcome Center podium where a volunteer will help you sign your kids into the appropriate class. They will then take you downstairs for a look at where the classrooms are and, assuming it's not too early, to meet your child's teacher.
The most important thing your child will do during Sunday school is learn a lesson from the Bible. The lessons are designed for each age group and gives kids fun and creative ways to engage with the Bible text. On top of this kids will also get a snack, play games, and make crafts that help to enforce the Bible lesson.
+ Is Gateway affiliated with a denomination?
We are a non-denominational church, which means the church is led by elders who are part of the church rather than an external governing body.
Though we don't have a denomination that dictates our beliefs and practices, we still have our own detailed Mission and Belief Statements.
+ Do you have small groups that meet throughout the week?
We have lots of Bible studies and prayer groups where people come together outside of just Sunday to learn, pray, and grow together. If you go to the "Ministries" section of our website, you will see a full list of the different groups that meet together at Gateway.
+ How should I dress for church at Gateway?
We don't have a dress code at Gateway. A general rule of thumb might be to dress respectfully. For some that means jeans and a nice T-shirt and for others that means pulling out a tie/dress. Anywhere between those two ends of the spectrum is just fine!