Here's What to Expect:
Meeting with a church at a new place can be intimidating. Too often it's impossible to know what you're walking into without feeling completely caught off guard. We want to try and prepare you as best we can so you feel comfortable walking into our building and not blindsided. Regardless of what your expectations are, we'd love to have the chance to meet you.
We are a diverse group of imperfect people trying to be a family-community through the love of a perfect God. We don't have it all figured out and as we grow in community together we want to learn and adapt to better improve the world where we are.
Our People
At NoDa Church you will find a diverse group of friendly and welcoming people from all ages and walks of life. We are trying to take racial reconciliation seriously but still have room to grow in this area. We strive to love each other deeply and consider each other family.
Don't be surprised for us to come up and greet you or ask you to lunch after services. We see relationships with one another as one of the most important aspects of our Christian walk.
What to wear: There's no dress code. You'll find a little bit of everything from suits to shorts.
Our Building
From the beginning, NoDa Church chose not to build a building. We rent out the brightly lit gymnasium at the historic Johnston YMCA in NoDa for our Sunday gatherings. By being a "church without walls" we are focused on the community around us and being together in our homes.
The space gives us the opportunity to set up a welcome table with coffee and breakfast snacks as you walk in, have occasional potlucks, and even play basketball after services with the kids.
We not only rent space from the YMCA but have enjoyed a partnership with the Johnston Y. Two of our church leaders are on the Johnston Y Board and our church admin works with the Y to help build a stronger community in NoDa.
Our Worship Service
A typical worship service here at NoDa Church includes the following: congregational singing led by our Worship Leader, scripture reading, prayer for our community, and a time of teaching from the Bible. Central to our Sunday worship service is our regular participation in the Lord's Supper (The Eucharist, Communion, Holy Communion). This symbolic meal, no matter what you call it, embodies who we are as followers of Christ.
Our Worship Style: Community is at the core of who we are as a Church. Congregational singing is an ancient form of worship we continue in our tradition because of how it brings the church together as a community. From Sunday to Sunday, you will find a variety of music genres as we try to encourage one another in song and worship God with one voice.
Our Children
We have children of all ages in our congregation. During the worship service, children ages 3 years through 3rd grade are invited to an interactive children's worship experience for kids to sing songs and learn about God in a fun and engaging way. A nursery is also provided.
There are classes offered for different age groups after worship and in home Bible studies are provided for families to develop faith in the home.
Our Outreach
In our partnership with the YMCA and many other organizations in NoDa, our goal is to cultivate a stronger neighborhood by working with others to build bridges between people. These partnerships allow us to reach our community more effectively. If you have ideas for how we could work to better our surrounding community, we would love to hear them!
