You may park anywhere there is a yellow box
Once a Month (2nd Sunday) we gather after the morning worship service and have a basket dinner. If you attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University, this would be the best time to attend for a good home cooked meal. Everyone is welcome.
Saturday Evening game night (3rd Saturday Evening of the Month)
What to Expect:
When you visit the College Hill Church of Christ
We want you to visit us at the College Hill Church of Christ - and we want you to feel comfortable when you’re here. We know that being unfamiliar with a place can be intimidating, so let us tell you a bit about what you can expect when you honor us with a visit.
Background:
A brief description of our background may help you understand us. We are part of what has been termed the “Restoration Movement.” That is, our goal is to “restore” New Testament Christianity in our time - to determine from the Bible what the church was like in the beginning and to follow that example in our worship of God. We believe this is worthy and reverent goal.
We want to be a Christ-centered church with a great respect for His word, the Bible. We try to be . Yet, we know our practices are colored by habit, preferences, tradition or convenience. So we continue to study the Bible and make our practices as much like the early church as possible.
Now, let us walk through what you can expect at a typical worship service.
There may be some variations between the College Hill congregation and other Churches of Christ because every Church of Christ is independent and self-governed. We have selected elders, men with a strong scriptual knowledge and good reputation, who oversee the spiritual needs of the church. We believe that these men are answerable to Jesus, the head of the church. I Peter 5:1-4, Titus 1:6-9.
The Setting:
As you enter our auditorium (sanctuary) you will see rows of “pews” for seating. There are no reserved seats, so feel free to sit anywhere you choose.
Singing:
One of the unique things about ourselves and other Churches of Christ - something you might find initially strange - is that the music is sung “a cappella.” That is, we sing without the accompaniment of musical instruments.
We want to worship according to the example set by the early churches in the New Testament. Since the early New Testament churches apparently did not use instrumental music, we believe it is best to imitate their example. You man consider us a bit narrow-minded on this point, but we believe you will respect our reason for it and our conviction. We think you will find our singing meaningful, with everyone invited to participate. I Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:8,19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12
Prayer:
There will be prayers led during the service by our members. There may be prayers for specific needs and requests. We use prayer as a means of talking humbly to our Father in Heaven, who is the one true and living God.
During prayers, most members bow their heads and may close their eyes, concentrating on the words of the prayer.
The Lord’s Supper:
If you visit on a Sunday morning, the Lord’s Supper will be included in the worship service. The reason for this is our desire to follow the New Testament pattern. The first century church celebrated this observance on the first day of the week. Acts 20:7
We assume from this that they did it on the first day of every week. We know from respected historians that in the early centuries the Lord’s Supper was an every Sunday commemoration. Neander, Eusebius (church historians)
During this memorial service, plates containing pieces of unleavened (no yeast) bread will be passed through the congregation. To us, this symbolizes the body of Jesus offered on our behalf on the cross. Each participating person will break off a piece of the bread and eat it. I Corinthians 11:23-25
Next, trays of small cups will be passed. The cups contain “fruit of the vine,” that is grape juice. It symbolizes to us the blood of Jesus, also as offered on the cross. Each participant will drink the contents of one of the cups and then put the empty back in the tray. I Corinthians 11: 23-25
Don’t be embarrassed if you choose not to participate. Feel free to just pass the plate or tray to the person next to you.
Offering:
Also, if you visit on a Sunday morning, we will pass collection plates to collect the weekly financial offering (I Corinthians 16:1-2). As our guest, you are not expected to make a donation, but if you can if you so desire. Feel perfectly comfortable in just passing the collection plate on down the row.
A Sermon:
The preaching of God’s word is important. You will notice that the preacher does not have some special title, and he will not dress in ecclesiastical vestments. He won’t be referred to as Pastor or Reverend. The reason for this is that the Bible teaches the priesthood of all believers - that we are all equal (Matthew 23:8-12; Galations 3:26-28; I Peter 2:5,9). The sermon will be about 30 minutes long, and we think you will find it refreshingly Bible-centered.
A Sermon:
The preaching of God’s Word is important. You will notice that the preacher does not have some special title, and he will not dress in ecclesiastical vestments. He won’t be referred to as Pastor or Reverend. The reason for this is that the Bible teaches the priesthood of all believers - that we are all equal (Matthew 23:8-12; Galations 3:26-28; I peter 2:5,9). The sermon will be about 30 minutes long, and we think you will find it refreshingly Bible-centered.
Invitation:
At the close of the sermon, the preacher will extend an invitation. This is simply an expedient time to invite those who feel the need to make a commitment to Christ to do so. Some come forward requesting our prayers on their behalf. The preacher will encourage those who wish to respond to come to the front of the auditorium while the congregation sings a hymn. Please do not feel “pressured” during this time. You will not be singled out in any way. Your decision to come to Christ must be YOUR decision made when YOU are ready. We stress the urgency of this decision, but it is totally up to you.
There may be several who respond, or none. Some might respond for baptism, some to confess sins, or some to ask for prayer for a specific need. If anyone responds for baptism, you will witness the baptism during the service. The baptism will be immersion (Acts 8:35-39; Romans 6:3-4), and it will be for the remission (forgiveness) of sins (Acts 2:38). We have a baptistry filled and ready as well as other garments to wear during the baptism.
What is expected of You?
Nothing at all! You are welcome to participate, but don’t feel obligated to do so - just observe, if that is your choice. We will probably ask you to fill out a Visitor’s Card so that we can have a record of your attendance, and it provides us with the necessary information so we can send you a thankyou note for your visit. Please do not feel that this is a “hook” that we will use to pressure you in the future.
We welcome you in advance and want to thank you for coming to “check us out.” If convenient, we hope you will linger for a few moments after the services so that we can get acquainted. We would enjoy getting to know you.