When you first arrive at Liberty, things can be a bit confusing. Our church is built on a hill, and we have an entrance at the top of the hill and the bottom, but on Sundays we primarily use the doors at the bottom of the hill. The upstairs doors provide office access and are locked during services, so plan to park in the lower lot and enter through the doors downstairs. The sanctuary is on the same level as the lower lot, so all of the areas most of our congregation use on Sundays are completely accessible.
Our worship is conservative, which means that we seek to conserve the best of what the church has practiced through the centuries. We follow a traditional reformed liturgy in our services, and our we sing what we believe are the best of the psalms and hymns that the church has produced through the years. We strive for music that is singable for all, with lyrics that are suitable, serious, and doctrinally sound. Our singing is accompanied with pianos primarily. Once each month, usually on the first Sunday, we observe communion.
Our typical order of service includes two Scripture readings, five hymns and psalms, prayers of confession and petition, occasional ministry of music, an offering, and a 30-40 minute sermon. Once each month (usually on the first Sunday) we observe communion together. Our services usually end at around 11:30am.
The evening gathering is shorter and less formal. We still read Scripture, sing, and pray together, but our evening gathering feels more like a small group Bible study than a church service. Once each month we use this time for members’ meetings and reports on missions and our global partners. This service usually ends at around 7pm.
We believe in the priesthood of the believer and individual Christian responsibility, so we don’t make rules about what people wear during worship services. You’ll see all kinds of differences in how we dress at our services from suits and ties to jeans and t-shirts. We’ll welcome you however you are dressed.
The offering is a part of our worship services, because we believe our giving is an essential part of our worship. We believe that worship is a declaration that God is worthy of our praise, obedience, and dependance. One of the ways we show God’s worth is by giving of our resources, like our money. You are welcome to join us in that act of worship when you join us, but we believe that our membership bears the primary responsibility to sustain the ministries of the church through their financial gifts. We try to let our giving be a matter between the individual and God, so no one will be checking whether or not you gave.
We love children and families at Liberty, and we have multiple programs that feature age-appropriate teaching. We use AWANA on Wednesday evenings to teach and model intentional discipleship. We have Sunday school for 3-5 years old, 6-9 years old, and 10-12 years old with dedicated teachers. We also offer a youth group for 7th-12th grades that meets as part of our AWANA on Wednesdays, during the Sunday school hour most weeks, and for several special activities throughout the year.
During our worship services we encourage families to worship together. Therefore, we do not have special programs for the children during those services. This gives all of us the opportunity to model appropriate conduct in worship, and it puts us all on the same page as we try to disciple our children. We do offer activity bags with quiet fidget toys kids can use to keep their hands busy during the service, and a staffed nursery is available for children 3 and under.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions or concerns about what to expect at Liberty.