What to Expect on
Sunday Morning
Invitation
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Jesus Christ, Matthew 11:28–30)
I am very glad that you are considering worshipping with us. I pray that you’d come and encounter God in a significant ways and that you’d be encouraged through the service and the fellowship of the church.
We are a young and still-forming congregation, but we are excited about what God is already doing at The Church of the Good Shepherd—the future is bright! There is plenty of work to do, but the Lord has equipped this church with wonderful people and He is with us.
We believe that God uniquely meets us in His Word, at His Table, and through His people. Come and worship with us, and “may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.”
I look forward to meeting you,
Pastor Tom
Arriving on Sunday Morning
We gather together for worship every Sunday morning at 8:30am at 2263 3rd St White Bear Lake (the building of Emmaus Church). Service concludes around 9:45am.
For parking, there’s a small lot behind the church, ample street parking, and numerous nearby city lots (free). As you enter the building, you’ll be greeted by people who are genuinely glad to meet you. Grab a program (that’s your roadmap for service) and find a seat in the sanctuary.
Restrooms are located in the entrance foyer (one on each side). Water and tea can be found downstairs in the kitchen area.
All children are very welcome in service. Nursery for children 0–2 is also available downstairs. You can drop your children off at any point during the service. Children-in-service bags can be found for young children who’s hands need something to keep them occupied.
The Liturgy
Our worship service follows a historic liturgy that dates back to the early church and is a journey through the gospel story. Anglican worship invites full participation. As C.S. Lewis said, "[Anglicans] don't go to church to be entertained. They go to use the service, or, if you prefer, to enact it.”
We sign songs ancient and new. We sit, we stand, we move, and we even kneel. We read the Scriptures. We hear God’s Word preached over us. We confess the faith of great Christian tradition in the Nicene Creed. We feast together on Christ at His table.
We recognized that for many people, the various actions, words, and movements of our service are foreign and feel quite strange. We are very sympathetic to that reality. But know this, these movements and words are not random. Each aspect of our service is intended to be an invitation to encounter the living God. The liturgy shapes and forms us little by little each week. What feels strange week one, may feel most natural by week four.
Worship is not so much about what we give to God but what He gives to us—gracious fellowship with Himself through Jesus and by the Spirit. But even there, what we receive, we are called to give for the life of the world. May God fill us, so that we might bless the nations.