How To Be a Newbie

hello there…
It’s always hard to be the “new kid on the block.” We promise not to make you stand up and be introduced or sing your alma mater’s fight song. As a matter of fact, you can be as anonymous as you want to be! Some people might come up and welcome you, but if you keep moving to a seat in the auditorium, it’s usually safe in there. Sit more towards the middle of a row…it’s harder for people to reach you there. Sometimes, we let people say “good morning” to the people sitting near them. It’s pretty hard to avoid this moment, but it passes quickly. We shake hands. Some people hug each other. You won’t be hugged, but if you think it’s going to happen, just start coughing. People will move away.

sunday gathering
Things are pretty comfortable during our weekly worship time. Our music can be pretty loud. We stand while we sing, but you’ll get to sit down eventually. We don’t have hymnals, even though we sing some hymns. In fact, we’ve figured out that a lot of hymns sound pretty good with drums and electric guitars! Some people sing loud—some probably shouldn’t, but we’re glad they sing anyway. We have communion every Sunday—and like every Sunday, you are always welcome to join us. The same goes for offering. We have a sermon every Sunday too—Joe tries really hard! Bibles on iPads and smartphones outnumber the paper versions—and it’s okay to text during the meeting, as long as you don’t mind being called out if someone sees you.

starting on time
We would strongly encourage you not to follow in the footsteps of those Ascenters who drag in late to the things we do. There are great advantages to showing up on time, or even a little early. You get the prime parking spaces. You might find a donut lying around that one of our middle schoolers hasn’t touched. You can have your choice of seats and not run the risk of having to sit in the front row. And remember, the door prizes always go to the first ones to arrive!

dress regulations
We’re pretty informal. Not a lot of ties. It’s not that we’re against ties, though. We actually like ties. Bow ties are cool. In fact, you can wear anything you want. The guys in the band wear sandals. Sometimes they take their sandals off when they’re playing. They say it makes them play better. We think they’re fooling themselves, but what do we know? Hats are ok too. Wearing them backwards makes you look tough, but you can do it anyway. Don’t wear them sideways unless you listen to hip hop music. Dresses are ok…for girls.

food in the auditorium
We allow food and drinks in our auditorium. Some people don’t like it, but we do it anyway. You can make friends with those people by offering them some of what you have. If you drink coffee, put a lid on it. Water is always good…and good for you. If you spill your drink, don’t act like you didn’t do it. Get up and clean the carpet. If you bring cookies, make sure you share them. Bags of food are not good. Eat before you come (bags make a lot of noise).

kids
If you are new to Ascent, one of the first things you will notice is that there are a bunch of young people around. If you don’t like kids, this probably is not the place for you. Sorry. On the other hand, if you like kids and/or have a few of your own, you may have found your spot! A few words to the wise: When you walk into the auditorium, always be ready to duck. There may be a foam projectile coming at your head—not really, but on second thought, you never know. When you are standing around, make sure your footing is solid—so if a kid runs into you at 20 mph, you will less likely be knocked to the floor. When approaching one of the young natives, offer something sweet. They like it, and in turn, will like you.

Worship With Us on Sundays at 10 a.m.: 185 NE 4th Street , Prineville, OR 97754
Church Mailing Address:185 NE 4th Street, OR 97754
Email: info@ascentcc.com

 

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