Visitor FAQ

Let's start by gathering some questions that we can then pare down. If you'd like to help, you can add questions to the end of the list, or add your two cents about the questions that are here.

• Do we have a nursery?
  • Yes, it's located to the rear of the sanctuary, with the door opposite the restrooms. It is equipped with sound from the pastor's microphone, and has a window so that those within can keep up with the service. We are happy to have children in our services, but if your child becomes upset, you may wish to use the nursery for a little while.
• When does Sunday School meet?
  • Sunday School meets between Labor Day and Memorial Day, at 9:30, in the sanctuary. After an opening devotion, each class will proceed with a teacher to its own classroom. There is also a class for adults, meeting in the Pastor's office.
• Why do we stand for the final verse of the first hymn?
  • We observe this tradition to honor the holy Trinity, whose name is invoked in many of our services right after the hymn. Often the last verse of the same hymn also includes a reference to the holy Trinity.
• Why do we have two hymnals, and which one will we be using?
  • We use The Lutheran Hymnal, because it is well-known and respected among the churches of our fellowship. Our copies are blue or red. Bethany has used it since the congregation was started. We also use the Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary at least once each month as we become familiar with it. The Hymnary was published in 1996 as a replacement for the other book within our synod, since the Hymnal has become dated in several ways. At the top of the inside-left page of our bulletin, you will find the name of today's hymnal printed, along with its color.
• What kind of worship service do we use?
  • A service ordered by what we call a "liturgy." This is a customary format with variations for each individual Sunday.
• Why do we use an ordered or liturgical service?
  • So that we have the greatest possible benefits from our services every single time. It is always dignified, and helps us each to realize that something is happening greater than the eye can see.
• How often does our service change? Is it always the same from week to week?
  • It changes weekly, yet the basic structure is almost always predictable. Every Sunday of the year is associated with its own parts of the service. For example: readings, hymns, some prayers, and the sermon are different every Sunday.
• What benefit does an ordered or liturgical service offer to the worshippers?
  • It provides the full variety of biblical teachings, yet consistently imparts the spiritual gifts of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
• What makes our service enjoyable and meaningful for the worshippers?
  • We reliably receive the forgiveness of sins, together with the much-needed joy and peace that this brings.
• What parts of our worship service are open for visitors to participate?
  • We welcome and encourage visitor participation in speaking or singing with the congregation in all parts of the day's liturgy, in singing all our hymns, and in listening to the Bible readings and sermon. Visitors are not asked to donate anything in the offering, though they may. Visitors are asked to refrain from communing in the Lord's Supper until they have been personally invited by the pastor. Visitors from churches of our fellowship (WELS/ELS in the US) should announce their intent to commune before the service begins.
• Do we welcome visitors from other Christian backgrounds?
  • Absolutely. Anyone who believes in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that Jesus Christ is God's Son; and that He died and rose to save us from our sins, is a Christian. Every Christian is saved by faith alone, though many Christians and Christian churches also believe things contrary to the Bible. We rejoice to share God's Word with our fellow Christians, while we also wish to reach complete fellowship in the Bible's teachings before we express our unity in holy communion.
• Do we welcome visitors without a Christian background?
  • Most definitely. We are happy to say that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole world, even those who haven't known about Him, or who have opposed Him. By God's plan, He has made atonement for every sin, so that everyone who hears the message of our Gospel may be certain of God's love and eternal life.
• What makes our church different from other local churches (LDS, 7th Day Adventist, Mainline, Fundamentalist, etc.)
  • We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, from beginning to end, and we take it seriously. We believe that the ecumenical creeds express the truth taught in the Bible. We also confess our faith by subscribing unconditionally to the Lutheran Confessions, and we put our faith into action as consistently as we may. We make use of many Church traditions, seeing no reason to change them unless they contradict the Bible or lead to sin. These things distinguish us from all of our neighbor congregations.
• Is there any real difference between this church and other Lutheran churches?
  • Yes. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America does not consider the Bible to be the verbally-inspired Word of God, nor does it teach in agreement with the Lutheran Confessions. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is not consistent in these things, allowing many openly to teach against the Bible, even claiming that Moslems worship the same God as Christians. Sadly, the name "Lutheran" is no guarantee of faithfulness to Holy Scripture. We call ourselves "confessional Lutheran" because it describes our confession of faith, which we take seriously.