I'm New


	Welcome
	The Basics
	Typical Service
	Bible Based
	History

Welcome!
We are glad that you decided to visit us! If you are looking for a church home, let me urge you to consider Christ’s Church at Georgetown. We believe our church can be a real blessing in your life. We try to be a Christ-centered, Bible-based church, and have a full program of activities to give you the best in spiritual training and Christian fellowship.

Chris Steele
Senior Minister

This website is an effort to give you a glimpse of who we are. However, the best way to discover the heart of a church family is by spending time with its people. Once you do this, we're convinced that you will find everything that you're looking for and much, much more. God is doing some very exciting things in the hearts and lives of the people who call Christ's Church their church home.

If we can ever be of any help to you, don’t hesitate to let us know.

Chris

Items not found in this section include items that we've placed on our main menu ribbon above. For example:		Click on the above main menu item for directions to Christ's Church, for parking lot information, and a map of our building.
		Doing life together is an important key core value of what we are about. Click on the above main menu item for more information.
		One of the best ways to get to know us is to read our monthly autobiography that we call Lifeline. Take some time to read past issues to get to know us better. And, of course we have pictures!

I'm new - what should I expect?
With any new venture, there is excitement in blazing into the unknown, and, we also feel anxiety. We have all been the-new-kid-on-the-block at one time or another. Taking a moment to review the helpful information found on our website will help you to feel right at home at Christ's Church at Georgetown.
Your first question comes up before you even leave home. What should I wear? Be comfortable. Wear clothing you are at ease in. We are a casual group. Members and guests wear everything from casual or business casual to a suit and tie or dress. It is a personal choice and you will look just fine. Come just as you are. We are honored to have you as our guest.

What's available for my kids, and for me?
Preschool	We have a fully staffed nursery and preschool department. Will my kids be safe and secure while they are here? Your child’s safety and sense of security is as important to us as it is to you. Our volunteer screening and classroom security procedures are designed to give you peace of mind concerning your child’s well-being while he or she is in our care. If your young child needs your attention at any time, you will be contacted through our silent paging system. What if I want to keep my children with me? We encourage families with children in grade five and older to worship together. We have a Bible study for all ages, children through adult, during our first service time slot and then you can worship together during our second service. If you only have time for one service, then that is OK too. It is our experience that children younger than fifth grade struggle with "adult" worship, which is why we have created age appropriate Bible studies and worship services for them. However, you are welcome to bring all children into our worship services. We have a small room; we call a cry room, adjacent to the back of our sanctuary so that you can tend to your young child. This room is equipped with audio speakers from the sanctuary and a large mirrored window so that you can see the service, all without your child disrupting the service.
Elementary Age	During the school year, we have a special service designed for elementary age children and their parents which we call 67JumpStreet. This service begins at 9:30am and then at 10:30am, while the parents are in their own worship service, the kids have a class, which we call 67JumpStreet Rewind, which reviews the lesson learned that morning and in an age appropriate way helps the kids in applying the lesson to their lives. You may want to check out the pictures and further information found on our home page. During the summer, our elementary program varies, but we strive to be a place where your child will want to return and be with their friends.
Middle & High School	We are revamping our programming. Stay tuned.
And Me?	We have two services for adults and older children, sixth grade on up. Our first service begins on Sunday at 9:00am and our second service begins at 10:30am. Each service lasts about an hour and 10 minutes. You will also want to explore the Doing Life Together main menu item above to discover better how you can fit in!
Where do my kids go? Look for a welcome center. The welcome center staff will help you find the right classroom for your children.

Will I have to say anything, sign anything, or be singled out in any way?

No. You can be as anonymous as you like. We realize that many people want to check out our church without bringing attention to themselves. However, our members want to extend hospitality and will introduce themselves to you. Also, if you stop at the welcome center, you will receive a free gift. (And if you fill out the attendance card, you will receive a bag of cookies later in the week.)

While you may remain anonymous as you like, if your very young child is placed in our care, we collect some personal information to help ensure your child's security.

	What do you do with personal information?
	We deliver a bag of cookies to first time guests. For you to get to know us better, we usually will send you a copy of our church monthly newsletter for the next three months.

Are there refreshments, and if so, where are they located? Is there a charge for the refreshments?

Assorted morning beverages and pastries are located just inside the family support center main doors. There is no set charge for the refreshments, but donations are appreciated and expected. Please remember, though, that food and beverages are not allowed outside the family support center. Allow yourself enough time to visit with others over coffee and donuts in the center, finishing your food and fellowship before you leave for the next class or worship service.

	Do I need to bring anything?
	No.If you want to bring a Bible, feel free to do so. We do project songs and scripture verses on an overhead screen during the service. However, for Bible school classes, you will find a personal Bible helpful, but not required.

A Typical Service
Our services are held in our worship center.

Music
Our services begin with music. The song selection incorporates joyful new choruses and praise music with familiar hymns. You are invited to enjoy and participate to whatever degree you’re comfortable, such as singing along (the lyrics are projected on a screen at the front of the church.)

We have a tendency to stand while singing joyful songs and sit for reflective songs. The worship leader will direct such responses and you are invited to participate to whatever degree you’re comfortable.

Sermon
The Message or Sermon is next and is usually delivered by our Senior Minister. At Christ's Church at Georgetown, we draw our strength and our values from God, learning to look at the world, His creation, through His eyes. It’s an ongoing process, one that helps us learn more about Him as we study the Bible, and put what we learn into practice in our lives.

Invitation
At the close of the sermon those who have not yet decided to follow Jesus are invited to do so. This is called the invitation. It is also a time when people can come forward to ask the church family for special prayer support, to make a recommitment of their lives to Christ, or for believers to place membership. People usually respond to the invitation by coming forward to talk to the minister during the singing that follows the invitation.

Communion
Just before Jesus died, He asked believers to remember his death, burial, and resurrection in a special way. Each week, at all of our services, believers come together for communion, partaking of a loaf and a cup that symbolize Christ’s body and blood, broken and poured out for us, for the forgiveness of our sins. We invite all believers to share this special meal with us at this time. If you do not wish to participate, simply pass the trays to your neighbor or an usher.

Am I expected to make a contribution or donation during the worship service?
Please do not feel obligated to give a financial gift to Christ’s Church at Georgetown. Regular attendees who consider this their church home support it financially. You are our guest; we hope that you receive something from us today. However, if you would like to participate financially in the ministry work of this congregation, we would welcome your gift. Simply pass the trays to your neighbor or an usher.

If you fill out an attendance card, the tear off strip on the bulletin, and place this in the offering trays as they are passed, first time visitors will receive a bag of cookies later in the week! Also, if you stop at the welcome center, you will receive a free gift.

Closing Announcements
A few announcements are highlighted and the service is closed with a prayer.

Our service usually lasts an hour and ten minutes. We believe you will find our services uplifting and rewarding.

Bible-Based Approach

Paul wrote to his friends in Rome, I am proud of the Good News, because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes. The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself—that it begins and ends with faith. As the Scripture says, "But those who are right with God will live by trusting in him." (Romans 1:16 -17 NCV)

Paul's statement sums up the preaching ministry of Christ's Church at Georgetown. We preach the Good News of Jesus Christ contained in the Bible because it is the tool God uses to bring new life to people like you and me.

It may surprise you how much God has to say in the Bible about real everyday issues like our work, marriages, children, money, ethics, time management in a hectic world and a whole host of other practical topics.

We don't try to guilt trip you into behavioral morality. We simply believe that a God who created us might know a thing or two about what makes us tick and we discover how to align ourselves with His way of thinking. Like you we know how to mess things up. Hopefully, our sermons share the healing power that God extends to everyone, no matter how bad they have screwed things up. Come and discover “how God makes people right with himself.” (Romans 1:17 NCV)

Reflections on turning 30 – the spiritual past (and future) of Christ’s Church at Georgetown

Posted from the September 1999 issue of Lifeline, our monthly church publiciation.

We were not always called Christ’s Church at Georgetown.

In the beginning, we didn’t even have a name – except in the mind of God.

We were conceived in the prayers of a handful of Christians from our parent church, North Highlands Church of Christ, who wanted to join God where He was at work. They sought His will to start a new church, and God directed them to a growing population center in the northeast part of Fort Wayne.

We were born in the summer of 1969 when 30 people met to organize the new church. We were named: Northeast Community Church of Christ.

We came from good stock. Our early congregational leaders were elders, deacons, and Sunday School teachers who wanted to establish a firm foundation for us as a new congregation, one dedicated to Jesus Christ and sharing the good news about Him with others.

Their challenge was to “give our best to the Lord for the sake of lost souls.” They believed in a prayer-answering God. They gave sacrificially of time and money. They cared about people. It shows in this comment from a non-member in 1973, “Your congregation seems to care more about people than our church does.”

We grew. From the homes of members, we grew to holding services at the Glenbrook Auditorium. From Glenbrook, we grew to the Gerber Haus Motel formerly on North Clinton. From Gerber Haus, we grew to our own land site just north of Georgetown Shopping Center on Maplecrest Road. And with this last growth spurt, we matured to a new name: Christ’s Church at Georgetown.

In August we turned a big 3 – 0. Most of our founding members have moved on to spiritual homes outside Fort Wayne, but their heritage remains alive in us. Our mission statement says we exist “to introduce people to Jesus; help them to become like Jesus; teach them to care for, nurture, and shepherd others.” Like our founders, we are committed to Jesus and we care about people.

We say, “Whatever it takes.” We are determined to give our best to the Lord for the sake of lost souls.

We have grown from 30 people organizing a church to a church family numbering nearly 600. We are still seeking to join God where He is at work, both inside and outside the walls of our building. We support another new Fort Wayne church, this time on the northwest side of town, and we are examining how God is leading our own congregation to grow even more.

We still believe in a prayer-answering God. In the beginning we existed only in God’s mind. We will see what He has in mind for us for the future.

An article in a 1973 Christian Standard said, “The road down which Christ’s Church at Georgetown has traveled is lined with historical markers declaring, ‘God was here and did His work.’” We are excited now about the possibilities for the future, and we look forward for more of His markers to lead us on the way.