Petersfield, Liphook and Haslemere Methodist Circuit
Frequently Asked Questions
Most people who visit a church for the first time are a little apprehensive. With that in mind, here are some answers to the most popular questions that people tend to ask..
will I be embarrassed?
There will be someone to greet you at the door who job it is to make you welcome. They show you where to go and answer any questions you may have. You will not be called upon to say anything during the service and you will not be put ion the spot. We want you to enjoy the service and benefit from it spiritually. Our fervent hope is that you will want to come again.
You don't have to be religious person or a Christian to come into our churches. We are here to extend God's love to the community and, therefore, love having visitors whether they are Christians or not. You will be treated as equals because we want you to feel right at home.
At every service there is an offering which goes towards the work of the church. The collection is for the benefit of many regular worshippers who choose to give in this way so you are under no obligation to do likewise. Feel free to just pass the offering bag to the next person when it comes around. In fact many people who give directly through their banks do just pass the collecting bag or plate along without putting anything in there.
There is no dress code so you can wear anything you like. Most people come in clothes they feel comfortable in, like jeans and a casual top, some people come in smart dress. It's up to you!
What do we mean by worship? It is the means of expressing love and adoration for whatever you value most in your life. To Christians having a relationship with God is the most important thing in life. Expressing our love and devotion to him is what worship is all about.
Each week we come together as a body and hold a formal worship service.
To start with you will walk into a positive and happy atmosphere. There is no rigid format to our services but there will be:
some informative announcements about future activities within the life of the, generally at the start of the service
there will be hymns (songs). Do not worry about not knowing the words or the tunes as you will be issued with song books containing the words, and the tunes are played before the hymn starts.
a talk given by the leader, putting a topic taken from the bible into the context of everyday life.
Prayers, where talk and listen to God. This will include expressing our adoration to God, thanking him for his goodness, asking forgiveness for our sins and help for others in need. The prayers are led by the preacher and the congregation respond by expressing their responses in silence.
After the service ends, people generally stay and chat for some time although there is no compunction on anyone to stay.