Risen Savior’s message is a wonderful message for you. We are “A Place to Belong.”
That means that because of our Savior’s love for you, you belong to him. You belong to his family.
We all know it can be difficult to be in a new setting — maybe even more so when visiting a church for the first time. There are so many questions that aren’t answered in the mailings, brochures, or newspaper ads.
For example, “Will I know how to get into the building for the service, or will I pick the wrong door?” “What do I do with my children?” “What should I wear?” “What will the service be like?” Unknown factors like these can make going to a new church intimidating.
We hope we can answer some of the questions you might have about our church before you visit. We’d like to make your visit with us relaxed and enriching.
Don’t See an Answer to Your Question Below? Contact Us!
We’re always happy to hear from the members of our community and visitors to our beautiful location. We welcome any questions you may have about our Bible-based, Christ-focused church.
Location and Time
Risen Savior meets for worship on Sunday mornings at 9664 Navarre Parkway (Hwy. 98), Navarre, FL.
At 9:00 a.m., we begin our Sunday School & Adult Bible Study
Sunday School is open to children beginning at age three, although the exact age can vary if an individual child is ready to begin. Our adult bible study meets at this time as well.
During the summer we adjust our start time for Summer Bible study to 9:45 am. This change is made for the months of June, July, and August.
At 10:30 a.m., we begin our Worship.
Afterward, we have a fellowship time. We have a meal, coffee, and drinks available. Please take this time to make new friends or find old ones.
Dress — Is there a Dress Code?
Short answer: No.
Sometimes people wonder how they are expected to dress at a church they have never visited before.
Since the Bible presents no dress code, aside from simple decency and Christian humility, Risen Savior doesn’t make any rules either. Like most people, our members try to make their worship time at church a special time. This is often reflected in the way they dress.
But dress is a personal matter of worship before God. One may dress casually and rejoice that we have a God who accepts us as we are. Another may dress to reflect the awe and reverence we have for our Savior King.
On any Sunday at our church, you may see running shoes and high heels, jeans and suits, open collars and ties. When a person dresses out of love for God, the choice of casual dress or more formal is acceptable to God…and us.
Sunday Worship
Every church has its own style of worship, and we’re no exception.
We think you’ll enjoy the services at Risen Savior Lutheran Church, but as in any church, you should expect it to take a couple of Sundays to become accustomed to our way of praising God together.
Each week the service is printed in the worship folder, which you will receive when you arrive. All the Scripture readings and prayers are printed there for you. You will also find personal prayers to use before and after the service. You are welcome to bring along your own Bible and follow along there if you choose.
Our services focus on readings from the Bible where we hear God talk to us. Music and singing are an important part of our services too. Loud or soft, in monotone or rich harmony, all our praises are music to God as we respond to hearing his grace in His Word. You might even remember a favorite hymn or song to ask our pastor to use in an upcoming service.
The services usually include the following parts in a variety of forms:
- Call to Worship (sometimes called the Invocation) — We call on the name of our Savior God as we praise him.
- Admitting sins and finding forgiveness — We acknowledge that we have not always done what God asks. Then, we are assured of forgiveness because of what Jesus Christ has done for us.
- Bible Readings — We hear selections from God’s Old Testament prophets, Jesus’ apostles, and from Jesus himself in the Gospels.
- Sermon — Our pastor offers instruction and encouragement in a Bible-based sermon. We hear how we can expect God’s guidance and grace for dealing with problems, as well as the promise of eternal life in heaven through Jesus.
- Response to the Word — We respond with offerings and prayers for the things God has promised to us and for strength to do what he has asked.
- Parting Blessing — We hear one last assurance of God’s care before we head out into the world to live as God’s children.
Mixed throughout these different parts of our service are hymns and short songs to praise God.
Our worship uses traditional forms blended with contemporary songs, modern language, and application. The traditional brings us the best that has been used by God’s church throughout the ages and the contemporary brings God’s promises and his will into our daily lives. We hope you enjoy both!
Our services are interpreted for the deaf and hard-of-hearing upon request.
Offering
These are typical worries about church offerings:
“When will they take the offering?” “How will it be collected?” “How much am I expected to give?” “Do they want visitors to contribute too?”
The Bible teaches us that our offerings to God should reflect our belief that all we have is his gift to us. It teaches us that with our offerings we worship and honor God. Like most Christians, our members bring offerings to God through their church. Since offerings are gifts of love for God, no one dictates what each person is to give.
We collect our offerings in a basket by the entry door. We still pause during worship to note that we gather this offering of thanks to God for what he’s done for us. We worship, and that may include bringing gifts to God. Offering envelopes are available and keep our gifts a private matter known only to God. We look to Christ and his love to motivate us in our giving – whether it is a child putting in coins or an adult writing out a check.
You may wish at first to learn more about our church and our ministry before bringing your offerings to God through our church. But you are welcome to participate as your heart leads you to give.
The Worst That Could Happen
Attending church somewhere for the first time can be intimidating. Here are some common worries:
“I would just die if they made me stand up and say something.”
We assure you, we won’t embarrass you in this or any other way. We want you to feel comfortable and at home with us. Church should be an enjoyable and uplifting experience. We promise to do all we can so you can relax and learn about your Savior.
“I know my child is going to be too noisy.”
We encourage parents of young children to attend worship service with their children. This begins the good habits of attending worship services at an early age. The back rows are reserved for parents with young children. If needed, there is a nursery for children who are having a tough morning.
“I know I will feel out of place.”
We hope that this webpage will help ease your mind, but if you have a question, please ask someone for help. Don’t hesitate to say, “I am new here. What is this about?” Our congregation is just starting out. Some of our members are also new and are just getting used to each other also.
“I am afraid I will say or do something wrong.”
All of us have felt this way when in a new situation. But we hope you see the people of our congregation to be ordinary people like yourself. We want to accept you as you are and help you become what Christ wants you to be. We do not want to throw cold water on that by being critical.
“I just want to watch at first but I’m afraid that they will try to involve me or sign me up.“
It is unpleasant to be pressured or to be part of a “membership drive” as though we were heads of cattle, isn’t it? We believe that church membership should be a voluntary thing, and that the most important thing is to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and salvation. It takes time for this to be cultivated. People need time to evaluate and decide if they wish further involvement. We believe we should respect that need.
“I don’t know that much about the Bible.”
Church and Bible study are opportunities to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and faith in Jesus. You won’t have to read or answer questions you don’t want to answer. And remember, sometimes the wisest words we say are, “I don’t know.”