WELCOME! WE'RE GLAD YOU ARE HERE.
We know that it isn't easy to visit a church for the first time. There are questions that run through your head like "What will it be like?", "Will I feel welcome?" or "What do I do with my kids?". We're glad that you are considering a visit and are excited to meet you, whether you are an experienced church attender or stepping inside a church for the first time. You probably have a lot of questions, so where should you go from here?
1. join us on sunday mornings
Sunday morning is a time of refuge where we gather to worship and be refreshed by the good news of Jesus.
2. let us get to know you
We may not know you yet, but we want to. We believe all people are created with inherent value in our Creator’s image. We would be blessed to know you.
3. get involved WITH US
It is a great calling to live and grow in community, as a church, and we hope that you will be a part of our family.
Like to observe from a distance? No problem. We invite you to explore our website and social media to get to know a little bit of who we are as a church and what is important to us. Please let us know if you have any questions or there is anything we can help you with. See you soon!
1. JOIN US ON SUNDAY MORNINGS.
What time are your services?
Worship Services: 8:30AM and 11:00AM
Sunday School for all ages: 9:45AM
Nursery for ages 0-3 is available during both services and Sunday School.
Children’s Church for ages 4 - 2nd grade is available during the 8:30AM service; dismissal after congregational singing.
A livestream of the service is available in real time on our YouTube page. A saved version of the worship service is available on our YouTube page shortly after the livestream ends.
Where are you located?
Our address is 2191 Mars Hill Road, Watkinsville, GA 30677. Faith is on the corner of Mars Hill and Hodges Mill Road (there are entrances to the church on both streets), located 1 mile from Epps Bridge and 316/Oconee Connector light. Our church is the grey steepled building on top of the hill between the two roads.
There are several entrances into the building with clear directions to each entrance posted in the parking lot. For the safety of the children in our care, Entrances A, B, and C (the Children’s Wing) are locked on Sunday mornings and access to the Children’s Wing is limited to children, approved volunteers, and parents at pickup.
The Main Entrance is on the steeple side, where you will see a large Faith sign with an arrow pointing towards the main entrance. Visitor parking is available directly across from the Main Entrance, and you will enter right at our Welcome Center. [This entrance also has a doorbell that you can ring to gain entrance during office hours throughout the week.] You may also enter through the Plaza (playground area) or the Sanctuary doors.
What are your services like?
Services begin with a call to worship and prayer, then transition to congregational singing. We sing a variety of songs* - traditional hymns, praise choruses, and modern worship songs. Singing is followed by a children’s sermon, congregational prayer, an offertory, Scripture reading, and the sermon. We close out our worship services with a final song and benediction (or blessing).
*We provide a new Spotify playlist each week, consisting of songs we're planning to use for the upcoming Sunday. [Please note: Spotify is a free online streaming music platform, but sign-up may be required.]
Services are typically 1 hour and 15 minutes. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month.
What should I wear?
There is no dress code. Some people will be dressed up and others casual. We believe that God cares more about our hearts than how we dress, as in 1 Samuel 16:7b: “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Please come as you are.
WHAT ABOUT MY KIDS?
We welcome the presence of children of any age in the sanctuary during our worship services.
If you choose to keep your children in the service: Crayons and activity sheets relevant to the sermon are available at the entrances to the sanctuary. Parents, relax - God put the wiggle in children! If you need to step out to settle a child, feel free to do so, but please come back. We encourage our congregation that the presence of children is a gift and a reminder that our church is growing.
If you choose to take advantage of our childcare, the following options are available to you:
8:30 AM Worship Service: Nursery for ages 2 and under is provided; Children's Church for ages 3 - 2nd grade begins after the children’s sermon.
11:00 AM Worship Service: Nursery for ages 4 and under is provided.
Our nursery is divided into two rooms: an infant room for ages 0-2 and a preschool room for ages 3-4. It is a safe and carefully staffed environment where we consider it a privilege to care for your children.
We also provide a Mother/Baby Room with a changing table, gliders, and a comfortable couch for mothers to have a quiet, private place to nurse or sit with their child.
Lastly, both the men’s and women’s restroom in the Children’s Wing offer changing tables.
Please see the next section for information about Children’s Sunday School.
what can i expect from sunday school?
Adult Sunday School classes engage in Bible study and discussion on a range of topics that impact how we live as Christians in the world. All classes are multi-generational. We have 2-4 Adult Sunday School classes offered at any given time - this typically includes a men’s class, a women’s class, a study of a book of the Bible, and/or a topical study.
We provide a Middle School Sunday School Class and a High School Sunday School class, or students may attend an adult class with a parent, or serve with Children's Sunday School.
Classes for children through 5th grade meet in the Children’s Wing of the building.
Parents use electronic check in to sign their kids in to their morning classes. This is located on your way in to the sanctuary or at the children’s ministry welcome desk.
Once kids are checked in, volunteers walk them to their class.
At the end of Sunday School, parents pick kids up from their classrooms. Parents of kids 3 and under are able to indicate their kids are staying in the nursery for 11AM service and do not have to pick them up.
2. LET US GET TO KNOW YOU.
We may not know you yet, but we want to. We believe all people are created with inherent value in our Creator’s image. We would be blessed to know you.
Fill out a Guest Card - Guest Cards are located at the Welcome Desk, or you can fill one out online by clicking here!
Newcomer’s Welcome Lunch - Join us at the Newcomers’ Welcome Lunch, held monthly after the late service at Nathan and Nicole Parker’s home. Click here for dates. For directions and details, grab a postcard from the Welcome Desk or email the office.
Lunch with Nathan - Pastor Nathan hosts a brown bag lunch every Wednesday from 12-1 in the Fellowship Hall. Just drop in!
3. GET INVOLVED.
Attend Christianity Explored - Christianity Explored is a free 5-week course held several times throughout the year at Faith. This class gives you the time and space to consider the big questions of life and to explore the life of the person at the heart of the Christian faith - Jesus Christ. You don’t need to know anything about the Bible, you won’t be asked to read aloud, pray, or sing. You can ask any questions you want, or just listen. This is a safe place to consider Jesus’ claims and to talk over doubts and hard questions. Everyone is welcome - whether you are an experienced church attender, a convinced atheist, or somewhere in between. To find out when the next course begins or get more info, email the office.
Visit a Gospel Community Group - Are you ready to have real interactions with other believers and move beyond the cordial, but sometimes superficial relationships? Gospel Community Groups are an essential part of life at Faith; it’s where church happens outside of Sunday morning.
Attend Faith Explored - The class "Faith Explored" is led by Pastor Nathan and held several times a year on a Saturday from 9AM-1PM. Faith Explored walks you through what we believe and how we function as a church, including the meaning and expectations of membership at Faith. To find out when the next class begins or get more info, email the office.
Become a member - Membership is about more than attending a weekly meeting. It is about committing to a spiritual family with all the benefits and responsibilities of a healthy family - encouragement, support, intentional relationships, sacrifice and service. It is a great calling to live and grow in community, as a church, and we hope that you will join our family.
Join a ministry - From Student Ministry to English as a Second Language, we have something for everybody. Check out a list of our ministries here.
Serve - Have gifts, will serve? There are many opportunities to serve and minister within our church and in our community. Find out more.
