Potsdam Area NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH and MEETING HOUSE
315-261-4602
Our hopes for the near future...
The first thing you notice as you pull into the parking lot off the busy highway is a rather plain looking little white building that seems to bring folks a sense of peace and comfort after pulling off the busier highway. Soon, within another year or so, there will be an additional small building with sanctuary seating. A children's church room will be added at that time. Until then our combined little coffee café, computer station, and row seat area can handle all kind of small meetings and events, as well as provide seating for fifty for our eventual Sunday Services.
Inside you'll soon find happy people acting like they are at a family reunion. Coffee is being poured in the coffee cafe, some folks sit at tables with a cup of coffee, some in the neatly rowed chairs facing our little teaching and worship platform. A few other are simply standing near the refreshment bar, or sitting in the corner on a couch or padded chair. Friendly chatter and laughter fills the air, announcements and scheduled events are displayed on video screens adding to the buzz of the room. Welcome brochures are available for newcomers, but no one is a newcomer for long. Everyone fits in easily and quickly in this strategically small, living room like local Christian Church.
Following the pattern set by other Simple Church assemblies, people here are happy and friendly in a conservative way, no intrusion or pushiness. Mingle around till the service begins. For this first limited opening phase, we'll continue meeting in our existing building, sitting and quieting down for the start of our teaching and worship service. Later we can plan a building addition to help us minister to our youth and children.
The service begins as people are seated, with a friendly hello from our Pastor to the casually dressed church family members and newcomers. Soon you'll be singing or enjoying the singing of others. You'll notice the mood of people in the room shifting from each other to experiencing the presence of God. Each in their own way. Maybe more smiles, maybe a look of peace or enthusiasm. Nothing scary, just uplifting, peaceful.
Services may be a bit different each week, so regulars have no edge over first time guests in knowing what comes next. Often the services that last about an hour or so will include singing, the Pastor may take requests for prayer from a few volunteers, a leader will pray. An offering is taken at some point but never emphasized and newcomers are advised they are not obligated in any way to give.
A short drama or video may be watched. Our teaching Pastor will give a message that is Biblically rooted and is most often easily applied to everyday living in today's world. Services include multi-media presentations, singing, messages, prayer, humor, fellowship, and opportunities to grow in positively life changing faith through Jesus Christ! Music will not be "over staged" but led simply with a guitar, keyboard, or digital and video formatted presentations. Lyrics to sing along with go up on screens positioned throughout the room. Music will be a pleasant mix of contemporary and time tested songs and hymns. We are informal but meaningful in our presentation. Teachings will be Bible-centered and relevant for today's life and eternal Kingdom Life in God's Presence.
Children and youth may find the service fast paced enough to maintain their proper behavior (with a little help from parents) and will enjoy much of the presentation. Older teens and young adults will find their essential place in our services. Later, when we add on, we can provide other opportunities for our younger children, possibly a Kid's Church room and nursery, but staying together as family will also continue to be encouraged. If we grow after our phase two grand opening/launch in spring, we'll simply add more service times rather than spend financial resources that will better be used to help cover basic expenses and minister in our church family and the surrounding communities.
Call or email us for more info, or come talk to Pastor Joe or Doug.
