Belonging

“How can I make friends?”

“How can I get to know people of my own age or in my own stage of life?”

“Will I ever really know a pastor? 

How is pastoral care provided?”

“It seems like all the places of service are taken . . . is there a place for me to serve?”

“How do things work around here?”

We hear these questions all the time, and they are very good questions!  We are always trying to help people belong…in fact, there is a whole team of people dedicated to creating a welcoming atmosphere and to help all church members, new and old, to know and be known by others and by the church staff and leadership.

Here are some opportunities available to you to help you “make connections” here.

Welcome Center  Our Welcome Center, located in the church foyer, is a great place to gather information about church ministries and services.  It is staffed each Sunday morning before and after the services.

Communication Card  Please take a moment in the worship services to fill out a Communication Card (the white card in your worship folder) and place it in the offering plate, or turn it in at the Welcome Center.  Filling out this card tells the church staff that you want to be known and welcomed to the church.  Filling out the card commits you to nothing, except to receive our warm welcome.

Meet the Pastor  After each morning service, Pastor Daryl spends some time greeting parishioners at the front doors and to meet the guests among us.  Please take a moment following your visit to stop for this greeting time.

Connections Class  This class is held the first Sunday of each month at 9:45 a.m., in A200, just behind the sanctuary.  Members of the Belonging Team, along with the Senior Pastor, leads this time of introduction to the church ministries, staff, theology, and vision.  There is plenty of opportunity for your questions as well.  Please come!

Membership Class  This class is held bi-monthly, sometimes on Sunday mornings, sometimes in a Saturday Seminar format, and is a great way to explore the church’s doctrine and ministries in depth.  Attending the class does not commit you to be coming a member.

Adult Bible Fellowships  Each Sunday at 9:45 a.m., a variety of ABF’s meet together for Bible study and fellowship.  Some are small, some are large.  Some are discussion-oriented, some use a more traditional format.  Some are age-graded while others are inter-generational. These groups allow people to know and be known by others, as well as provide a means of compassionate care in smaller groups.

Church Socials  A great way to get to know people is to participate in church socials.  Fellowship times with various themes happen monthly.  Watch the worship folder each Sunday for details.

Prayer Meeting  Each Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m., our church meets to share our joys and struggles and to pray for one another.  This time truly reflects the heartbeat of the church.  If you want to truly connect with the life of WFMC, prayer meeting is a must.

Specialty Groups  Groups like Women’s Bible Studies, Men’s Prayer Breakfast, Student Prayer Breakfast, Common Threads Prayer Shawl Ministry, Missions Prayer Meeting, Moms Who Pray, Grandparents Who Pray and many others provide time for connections and making friendships.  A variety of small groups exist.  Call the church office, or check the announcements in the worship folder, for current details.

Special Events  A variety of ladies’, men’s, students’, and other events fill the church schedule, including retreats, work days, seminars, and many more.  Again, check the worship folder for details.

Get-Acquainted Social  This is a quarterly social just for the new folk among us.  We gather names for invitations from those guests who turn in their Communication Cards.  Mention that you’d like to attend on that card, and we’ll invite you to the next scheduled social.

Service  There are over 100 different areas and places to serve in our church body, and we’re always adding more!  Not only are all Christians called to serve, but serving alongside other Christians builds community unlike any other experience.  Pick up a “Serving Joyfully” brochure at the Welcome Center, fill it out, and drop it in the offering plate.  Many opportunities exist for you to use your talents and gifts for the Lord.

First-Year Fellowship  This is a dinner for people who are in their first year of attending WFMC.  Come for the fun, food and fellowship. When you receive your invitation, please RSVP!

Pastoral Care Groups  At WFMC, each family is assigned one of the pastors as their Primary Care Pastor (PCP) , which allows  for the development of a (hopefully) more meaningful pastor/parishioner relationship.   Care ministries are, however, primarily conducted via the Adult Bible Fellowships.