Because we have such variety at Downtown, what to expect depends a lot on when you come. We don’t ask guests to stand, introduce themselves or do anything else that might make you uncomfortable. Hopefully we will make you feel welcome and a part of things. Be sure to stop by our welcome center if you need help or information.
What is Worship Like at Downtown? Our worship is fairly simple and designed to keep the focus on God, not ourselves. One of the first things visitors sometimes notice is that we do not have a choir or musical instruments. We sing and do it with all our hearts. Those who have not heard unaccompanied singing before are usually quickly caught up in the beauty of the blended voices.
Something else fairly unique about us is that we have communion every Sunday. We want the cross to be the center of our church, so we cherish this weekly reminder of what God did through Jesus. We don’t want to forget! Often, we provide two ways to observe communion. You can come to tables and share the communion with fellow brothers and sisters, or you can sit and wait for communion to be passed down your row. Some prefer this to be time to celebrate and fellowship and some prefer it to be a time of reflection. Downtown is a place where we honor those differences.
Core beliefs: This statement about our core beliefs might be helpful. This is not a "creed", but just an explanation for you. We also had a sermon series a while back that covered some of these basic beliefs. You can listen to the core beliefs sermons online to learn more. (Hint: scroll to the bottom of the page to hear the first one in the series and move up.)
Here’s a rundown on some key times:
Sunday morning worship services.
- 8:00 a.m. in the Family Life Center OR
- 10:45 a.m. in the Family Life Center (a repeat of the 8:00 FLC service).
Sunday School - On Sunday morning we have Bible classes for all ages at 9:30 a.m. —from newborns to senior citizens. We believe the Bible is God’s word, so this time of reading, discussion and study is important to us. See our Adult Bible Classes (including "DiscoverDC" if you are new to Downtown), and learn about our Children's ministry , our Youth Program and our University class. Ask anyone to help you find classrooms.
Sunday evenings
- Most of our small groups meet in homes Sunday evening or afternoon. Learn more about these small groups on our Small Groups page.
- During the school year, there is also an 8:30 p.m. Communion/Praise service in the FLC. This is a “come early” event since it usually fills to overflowing.
Wednesday evenings - We have Bible classes for all ages on Wednesday nights at 6:30.
Always feel free to ask anyone for help when trying to find a class or a worship service. You will find the people at Downtown are more than happy to help out!
Hospitality for Visitors
Downtown Hospitality teams choose to live out Following Jesus, Loving God and Loving Others by the way we welcome our guests and invite them to join our fellowship. This means we want our guests and members to feel welcome from the time they come onto our property.
- We will smile and say “welcome!” and mean it.
- We will work to provide adequate signage and the appropriate helping hand so guests can find their way around our campus.
- We will provide an easily identifiable “Welcome Center” staffed with an informed team.
- We won’t point the way, we will accompany guests to their destination.
Hospitality services:
- Golf Cart -transporting those parking in remote parking spaces to the desired entrance.
- Parking lot attendant-guides vehicles to appropriate parking spaces and drop-off areas.
- Door Greeter - smiles, opens doors, and offers a warm greeting
- Welcome Center - provides information, directions to guests