What to expect?
Visiting a new church can be embarrassing or uncomfortable. It is hard to know what will happen or when to stand or sit, especially when most of the people there know exactly what is going on. Here are answers to commonly ask questions.
What happens on Sundays?
Most people arrive about 15 minutes before worship to find a park on the street and a seat in the church. You can sit anywhere you like – there are no reserved seats! The worship service begins at 10.30 in the morning and at 5.00 in the afternoon and usually lasts for an hour or just over. The service includes Bible readings, prayer, singing and a sermon that is based on the Bible and applied to our lives.
Regularly in our services we baptize the infant children of our members and also new members. Once every two months in the morning service we celebrate the Lord’s Supper (communion).
After church we have morning tea and usually people stay for 30 minutes or more talking with each other.
What about the kids?
We believe that the church is the community of the people of God and that the church ought not to be segregated according to ages. With this in mind we do not run any Sunday School classes or Children’s Church during the services but encourage parents to have their children seated with them in worship. In this way the children are taught, from a young age, to share in the worship of God and to participate in it.
Having very young children in worship is sometimes distracting for the parents and others and so we run a crèche for babies and toddlers. The creche is supervised by experienced mothers who take turns following a roster.
Is your church traditional or contemporary?
This question is difficult to answer because these terms have such a variety of definitions. Having said this, our worship would generally be called “traditional” in that we follow a clear order of service (a liturgy), which is clearly explained as we go along. We sing psalms, hymns and songs. There is a strong emphasis on the reading and preaching of God’s Word.
How do I find out more about your church?
You can read more information about us on this website.
You can go to our denominational website, the Reformed Churches of New Zealand.
You could email Pastor John and Pastor Graeme with any questions at minister@pukekohe.rcnz.org.nz
You are most welcome to come and attend a worship service on any Sunday. If you do we trust you will find a warm welcome without further expectations, obligations or pressure.