What to Expect

We want you to feel comfortable and at ease during your visit.  Here is what you can expect during your visit to Rockport church of Christ.

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First off, you don’t have to wear fancy clothes, and we don’t have assigned seating.  We are a diverse group of folks coming from varied backgrounds and at different levels of spiritual growth. You will be made aware there are visitor cards you may fill out, but please feel free to decline to do so if you so choose.  The card allows us to express our appreciation for the time you shared with us; we will not use it to follow-up on your visit unless you expressly ask that we do so.

Bible study (classes): There are Bible classes for each age group of children, adolescents, and there is one for adults.  The adults study directly form the Bible.  The children and adolescents are under the instruction of Christian teachers who guide them in a study of Biblical subjects appropriate for their age.

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The Singing: We use both songbooks (available under each seat) and projection of the song on the overhead screen.  The song director will announce the songs by page number.  We do not use musical instruments but lift our voices "a cappella".

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The Prayers and Bible reading: 

Various men of the congregation will lead several prayers during the service expressing needs and giving thanks.  Passages that are supporting of the day's message will be read from the Bible; often, the congregation is asked to stand (if they are able to do so) during the reading.

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The Message (preaching):  Our preacher (sometimes referred to as a minister or evangelist), will present a Bible based lesson.  We believe the preaching of God's word is an important part of each of our assemblies. Our preachers strive to make each message challenging and uplifting, so that we are spiritually prepared to go into the world the coming week

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The Lord's Supper (Communion): The observance of the Lord's Supper will be a part of every Sunday morning (and Sunday evening for those not having the opportunity to have taken of it in the morning).  We remember Christ's death and the promise of His return in this memorial meal offered each first day of the week.  The unleavened bread (Christ's body on the cross) will be passed to each person; trays of small cups of grape juice will be passed; the "fruit of the vine" being Christ's shed blood.  If you choose not to take part, there is no need to feel any embarrassment; the apostle Paul instructs us in regards to the Lord's Supper 'we should each examine ourselves'...

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The Invitation: The sermon will end will an invitation to any who feel the need for the prayers of the church (family illness, personal struggles, anything that might be causing distress in their lives), or those new  to the area wishing to identify with and work alongside the Rockport church and/or those needing to come and be baptized into Christ's body and be chosen by God to be a "member of Christ's church".  Baptism into Christ is preceded by hearing and believing the gospel of salvation, repentance for sins, confessing (not to man but to God) those sins and then the act of full immersion in water for baptism.

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The contribution:  Separate from the Lord's Supper, those who are a part of the Rockport church are offered an opportunity to return a portion of that with which they have been blessed to aid in continuing the Lord's work.  No one is under compulsion to give and there is no expectation that our visitors would need to give.

Service duration: The average service will last about an hour on Sunday mornings, an hour for other meeting times, though, occasionally, an assembly will last a bit longer. We do not have special services for Easter or Christmas; neither do we ignore the birth and the death of Jesus. Neither of these are observances are commanded in the Bible. We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus every Sunday and believe that we are each to worship in public assembly each Lord’s Day.

We hope this information has been helpful to you and that you will visit the Rockport church, and give us an opportunity to meet you, fellowship with you, and worship the Lord with you.