Common Newcomer Questions

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1. I have children. Are they welcome?

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Yes! Sunday Morning Children's Ministries begin at the start of the service and end at the end of the service. When you walk through the front door, there will be someone at a table on the bottom of the stairs to your immediate right to greet you and your child to children's ministries, and sort out which class they can attend. There is a place for your child up to grade six. Grade six and up attending the morning sermons. 

 

We have the following classes for children:​

Nursery (Ages 0-2)

Two's and Three's

JK Class

SK Class

Springboard Classes (Grades 1-5)

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Children are also welcome to attend the Sunday morning sermon with their family if it is more comfortable for the children to remain with their parents. Children's Ministries is not mandatory. There is always understanding that children may not be used to sitting for prolonged periods of time, and may move around, talk, sing, or make some noise with a toy, and this is okay. We just hope you feel welcome and comfortable. 

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There is also a small tv in the foyer that plays a livestream of the service, in case anyone at any time needs to excuse themselves from the main sanctuary for any reason, but still wishes to hear the rest of the message.

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2. Do I need to bring anything? What can I bring?

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You don't need to bring anything! Some folks will bring a Bible (physical or use their phone), maybe a journal to take some notes, and some even bring a morning coffee! It is not disrespectful to bring a coffee with you, or a snack if you are running a bit late. 

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There are Bibles available if you do not have one and wish to borrow one for the service.

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3. What do I wear?

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It is certainly not mandatory to "dress-up" for church. You can come in your everyday attire, and there will be no judgement. You can wear a hat if you are more comfortable in one, this is not disrespectful. Some folks may choose to "dress-up" or wear/not wear a hat or head covering, but these things are completely up to you and your comfort for the service. 

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4. Is the church accessible?

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Yes. We have accessible parking spots at the front of the church, and on the main floor there is an elevator to move among floors, with someone available to operate it. The church is welcome to everyone, and it is our hope that it can be as accessible to anyone and everyone who wishes to be there. If you have other accessibility needs please do not hesitate to contact us, as we would love to improve our space as it relates to accessibility needs. 

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5. Where should I park?

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The church has a parking lot, but it is insufficient for the regular attendance of a Sunday morning service. On Sunday mornings, when the lot easily fills up, some folks may choose to park across the street in the Food Basics lot.

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6. What happens when I open the doors?

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There will be a staircase/elevator immediately ahead to bring you up to the coat room. Here there is the option to hang your jacket, which can be nice to save space in the sanctuary, but is not necessary if you prefer to hold on to your belongings throughout the service. There is also a small tv here that plays a livestream of the service, in case anyone at any time needs to excuse themselves from the main sanctuary for any reason, but still wishes to hear the rest of the message. Under the tv there is a small table with any news/updates/pamphlets or books that you can take home. 

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Moving through the doors from the coat room into the foyer, there will be greeters at the doors to the sanctuary who will welcome you with a smile, and likely offer to shake your hand. If you do not wish to shake hands with them, it is not necessary. 

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Once in the sanctuary, you are welcome to sit anywhere you like. Some people like to chat with others before the service begins, and others like to sit quietly. You can do whatever is most comfortable for you. There may be a Bible under the chair in front of you, which you are more than welcome to use throughout the service. 

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7. Where should I sit?

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Many folks sit routinely in the same spot from week to week, but new people are welcome to sit wherever they please and we will gladly adjust accordingly. You are welcome here. Once seated, some folks like to sit and chat with their neighbours, or put their belongings down, and go chat with some friends before the service starts. You can do whatever feels most comfortable for you.

 

8. What happens during the service?

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At approximately 10am, the pastor will gather everyone's attention and give some announcements, keeping in mind that most announcements can be found in our weekly church email and may not all be said before service. Then, there may be a congregational prayer which the pastor will say. This is not a rehearsed prayer or liturgy, and may be different than other church prayers you have experienced.

 

Then, there will be worship. Our church has multiple worship teams, ranging from a full band, to one person with an acoustic guitar. Generally, there are four to five songs prior to the message, and one song after. Sometimes you will be asked to stand, or sit during worship, but always the hope is explicitly stated, so there won't be any worry about knowing what to do and when.

 

Sometimes in-between songs, the worship leader will ask the congregation to, "take a moment to greet the folks around you before you take your seats", at which time you may say hello to the folks sitting around you, give a smile or wave across the room, maybe shake someone's hand, and then sit back down. It is not mandatory to do so, or to shake hands, it is simply an invitation to share Christ's love and peace in a small greeting prior to service. 

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At approximately 10:30am, once worship is done, the pastor will head up on stage and deliver an approximately 30 minute sermon. Our church generally does walk-through book studies (ie. studying the book of Philippians over several weeks) rather than topical sermons, but sometimes for special occasions a topical sermon is used. The message is closed with another congregational prayer said by the pastor, and then the worship team is called up for one more song, before the congregation is dismissed. 

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9. What do I do during prayer?

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During prayer you will observe that many people will close their eyes, or bow their heads, or a combination. Others may hold their palms face up, while others may do something else. There is no mandatory prayer posture. Many folks choose to do any of the aforementioned actions out of respect/reverence for the Lord, and to avoid distraction during prayer. You can pray however is most comfortable for you, while holding respect for the space and the people around you.

 

The prayer from the pastor is not a rehearsed prayer or liturgy, and may be different than other church prayers you have experienced. It may be a new opportunity to experience a different form of prayer than you practice or have experienced before!

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10. What if I don't like to sing? 

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Worship is a big part of the Christian faith, and is mentioned all throughout the Bible as a way to honour, magnify, and praise the Lord. Singing together as a congregation is also a show of God's people standing together to praise their God. It can be a very special experience to recognize your voice as one of many united in one hope. It is not mandatory to sing, and it is not offensive or disrespectful to choose not to sing. However, whether you think you are a "good singer" or not, you should know that there will be no judgement placed on your singing voice. All are welcome to sing praises to the Lord.

 

11. I've heard some churches take up an offering. What is that? Do I need to give money?

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An offering is the act of giving out of your abundance back to God, out of gratitude for His provision for you. The church asks it's goers to give out of their abundance back to the church, in faith that the church will steward their financial gifts for the glory of God and in faithful service. An offering does not have to just mean financial gifts. You can also offer, your time, talents, and other resources to support the church. 

 

Financial gifts help support the church in all capacities, from the different ministries, to church events, to outreach, to community involvement, to pastors' salaries. At Lansing, we host a monthly Spaghetti Dinner for the community, Adult Fellowship Events, Conferences, and support the Pregnancy Care Centre & Infant Food Bank, The Elgin Street Mission, and more.

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Lansing does not take up a weekly offering but people are welcome to donate online or by putting an offering into the offering box at the back of the sanctuary.

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We understand that not everyone can afford to give the same amount, or at all, and there will be no judgement for those who attend and do not give. We are grateful for any and all donations of money, time, and talents to the church, and strive, with much care and prayer, to steward your gifts well!

 

12. I came on a communion day. What do I do?

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In the Baptist church, only people who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ are asked to participate in communion, as the memorial wherein the believer partakes of the two elements (bread and cup), which symbolize the Lord’s body and shed blood, proclaiming His death until He comes.

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If you are open to the faith, but have not yet made the decision to place your faith in Jesus Christ, you are still welcome to be in attendance for this part of the service, and observe what happens during communion, but are simply asked to allow the bread and wine to pass by you. This is also true for children, who may not yet be old enough to make any sort of decision concerning their own faith. 

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If you do intend to participate in communion you can expect the following:

The pastor, along with the church elders, will congregate at the front of the sanctuary. The pastor will give a brief explanation of what communion is, and then ask an elder to pray over the bread. Once we have prayed, the bread will be passed around for everyone to grab a piece, and take a moment to reflect on what participating in communion means for them personally. When everyone has bread and the elders are back up at the front, everyone will be directed to partake together. The cup (small individual juice cups) will be passed in a similar manner, and everyone once again will be directed to partake together. 

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13. What happens after church?

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After church, some folks head out rather quickly, while others stick around to chat and catch up with friends! It is not mandatory to stick around, and you can just head out immediately following the service if you wish. The pastor may be at the door to say goodbye, and thank you for coming.

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If you are hoping to get connected or get more information, please let the pastor or one of the elders know that you are new, and they will get you a welcome gift, and would love to answer any of your questions! 

 

14. What if I don't agree with every word of a song, prayer, or the sermon?

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That is okay. Sometimes church can invite new and unexpected perspectives on topics that take more than one Sunday morning to digest, or form an opinion on. If you don't know how you feel about something, or you feel overwhelmed, just know that it is okay and normal to react differently to new information. Take your time, and make your requests and questions known to God. Church is not meant to conform, but rather transform the hearts and minds of people, and there is no time expectation on the Lord's work.

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If you have questions and wish to speak more about any topic, certainly the pastor or elders would love to have a conversation with you, or point you in the right direction of who you could speak with! 

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15. Do I need to be baptized to attend a Baptist church?

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No. You do not need to be baptized to attend a Baptist church. The Baptist church believes that Baptism, the immersion of the believer in water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the only scriptural mode of baptism, whereby one obeys Christ’s command and sets forth their identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

 

This does not mean that you need to be baptized to attend our church.

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16. What if I have other questions?

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You are more than welcome to send us an email or give us a call, and we would be happy to help you know more about our church! Contact Us.

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