ABIDING PRESENCE LUTHERAN CHURCH
Frequently Asked Questions
What Visitors Ask about Visiting Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Ewing, NJ
What Visitors Ask about Visiting Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Ewing, NJ
About Us
Who are you all?
My, how direct! Just kidding, we love it. We are a community of Christians who have come together to celebrate the good news of God's love for all people and the world through Jesus Christ. We live out this joy by gathering to worship and learn together, and by going out to love and serve our neighbors and our world.
I don't have much of a church background; am I welcome here?
Yes, absolutely! Everyone is welcome here, especially visitors and people with little church background! We are glad to be joined by those who are searching and may have questions or even doubts about God, the spiritual life, or being a part of a community of faith. We will offer you opportunities to grow in your faith in God and spiritual life. We also recognize that people may be at different places in their faith journey and may want to proceed at their own pace in that journey. We are comfortable with people from other faith traditions and denominations. Our congregation is made up of many different types of people and families with varied backgrounds, and we appreciate and welcome the diversity of experience and life history that they bring.
What does it mean to be a Lutheran church?
Our congregation is a part of the large Protestant branch of the Christian Church that traces back to a church reformer named Martin Luther. Luther was a Roman Catholic monk who lived in the 1500's A.D. He sought to bring the Roman Catholic Church back to its ancient core mission of proclaiming the good news of God's free and unmerited love and forgiveness to all people through faith in Jesus, but he and his followers were forced out and formed the Lutheran church.
Among Christians, the Lutheran tradition is a kind of bridge among Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox since it shares some aspects of all three great traditions of Christianity. The ordered liturgy of the Lutheran worship service and the importance of the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion have many similarities to the Roman Catholic, Episcopal and Orthodox traditions. But the Lutheran church also shares with other Protestants (e.g., Presbyterians, Methodists) a strong emphasis on the Word of God and the importance of the Bible as the vehicle for God's living Word for us today.
Lutherans number 70 million people worldwide. Our congregation belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which includes about 4.6 million members. For more information, go to this web address: www.elca.org
Among Christians, the Lutheran tradition is a kind of bridge among Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox since it shares some aspects of all three great traditions of Christianity. The ordered liturgy of the Lutheran worship service and the importance of the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion have many similarities to the Roman Catholic, Episcopal and Orthodox traditions. But the Lutheran church also shares with other Protestants (e.g., Presbyterians, Methodists) a strong emphasis on the Word of God and the importance of the Bible as the vehicle for God's living Word for us today.
Lutherans number 70 million people worldwide. Our congregation belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which includes about 4.6 million members. For more information, go to this web address: www.elca.org
Worship
How will I know what to do during the worship service?
Each worshipper is given a worship bulletin by an usher as they enter the worship area. It should have everything you need or refer you to the red pew books. Worst-case scenario, just ask someone. We are a friendly bunch, or at least try to be.
How long does worship usually last?
Worship typically lasts around an hour, though this can vary. If you need to come late or leave early, it won't be a bother.
Can I take Holy Communion when I visit the worship service?
All baptized people are welcome to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion. If you are visiting for the first time, there is no need to speak with the pastor beforehand or otherwise make yourself known. This is Christ's table, and there's a place for you.
In our tradition, some form of instruction typically precedes a child's first reception of Holy Communion. If your child has received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism and is expressing a desire to receive Holy Communion, or if you desire it for them, please let the pastor know so we can welcome them to the table.
If you are not yet baptized but feel drawn to the celebration of Holy Communion, this is a good thing. Please speak with the pastor so that they can share more with you about what Holy Baptism and Communion mean, the better to help you discern the call to join this celebration.
In our tradition, some form of instruction typically precedes a child's first reception of Holy Communion. If your child has received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism and is expressing a desire to receive Holy Communion, or if you desire it for them, please let the pastor know so we can welcome them to the table.
If you are not yet baptized but feel drawn to the celebration of Holy Communion, this is a good thing. Please speak with the pastor so that they can share more with you about what Holy Baptism and Communion mean, the better to help you discern the call to join this celebration.
How is Holy Communion served during the worship service?
Bread will be dipped into wine and placed in your cupped hands by the pastor, vicar, or an assisting deacon. If you wish to receive only the bread or if you require a gluten-free host, please let the server know.
A Note on Celebrating Holy Communion in a Time of Pandemic or Public Health Crisis
The recent pandemic caused us to suspend celebrating Holy Communion for several months and has given many in our community lingering pause when it comes to partaking in Holy Communion. For those hesitant to return to the table, please know that the celebration of Holy Communion is a proclamation of God's grace, not a constraint upon it. God gives us nothing in Holy Communion which is not also received through God's Word, which we proclaim through our preaching, reading of scripture, singing of hymns, and praying. In all these ways, we receive the fullness of God's grace and mercy when we hear Jesus as he says, "This is my body, given for you" and "This is my body, shed for you," trusting that his promise is true. Those who choose to partake in Holy Communion do indeed receive the true body and blood of Christ as a sign and seal of their union with him and assurance that God's grace and mercy are theirs, but those who do not partake—especially for the sake of their health—are by no means denied these things when they hear the promise made in Holy Communion and trust it to be theirs also. If you are worried for your health or made anxious by the thought of receiving Holy Communion, we invite you to participate only through your prayers, assured that God withholds nothing from you and that you are no less a member of Christ's body and participant in worship.
A Note on Celebrating Holy Communion in a Time of Pandemic or Public Health Crisis
The recent pandemic caused us to suspend celebrating Holy Communion for several months and has given many in our community lingering pause when it comes to partaking in Holy Communion. For those hesitant to return to the table, please know that the celebration of Holy Communion is a proclamation of God's grace, not a constraint upon it. God gives us nothing in Holy Communion which is not also received through God's Word, which we proclaim through our preaching, reading of scripture, singing of hymns, and praying. In all these ways, we receive the fullness of God's grace and mercy when we hear Jesus as he says, "This is my body, given for you" and "This is my body, shed for you," trusting that his promise is true. Those who choose to partake in Holy Communion do indeed receive the true body and blood of Christ as a sign and seal of their union with him and assurance that God's grace and mercy are theirs, but those who do not partake—especially for the sake of their health—are by no means denied these things when they hear the promise made in Holy Communion and trust it to be theirs also. If you are worried for your health or made anxious by the thought of receiving Holy Communion, we invite you to participate only through your prayers, assured that God withholds nothing from you and that you are no less a member of Christ's body and participant in worship.
Am I able to join worship virtually?
Yes. Our 9:30 am service is streamed live at aplcworship.org. It is a great way to remain connected when unable to attend in-person, or to see for yourself more of what our worship is like.
Are masks required to worship in-person?
At present, wearing masks indoors is optional. We continue to provide masks for those who would prefer to wear them and encourage anyone who wishes to do so. Should public health circumstances change, we will revisit the need to require mask wearing or suspend in-person gatherings altogether.
In any season, wearing a mask remains a faithful act to protect yourself and others. Many may choose to continue wearing masks as a precaution, and especially as the winter months and flu season approaches, we ask anyone who has been exposed to an illness or is showing signs of illness to go beyond best practices in protecting themselves and others from their spread. As a congregation, we exercise our love of neighbor by setting one another's health before our own personal convenience or comfort, and we will always revise our policies with this in mind.
Our 9:30 indoor service is also live-streamed at aplcworship.org if you are not able to attend in person or comfortable doing so.
In any season, wearing a mask remains a faithful act to protect yourself and others. Many may choose to continue wearing masks as a precaution, and especially as the winter months and flu season approaches, we ask anyone who has been exposed to an illness or is showing signs of illness to go beyond best practices in protecting themselves and others from their spread. As a congregation, we exercise our love of neighbor by setting one another's health before our own personal convenience or comfort, and we will always revise our policies with this in mind.
Our 9:30 indoor service is also live-streamed at aplcworship.org if you are not able to attend in person or comfortable doing so.
Will I have to introduce myself or stand up to be recognized if I am a visitor at a worship service?
No, we do not ask visitors to stand up during the service and introduce themselves. However, we hope you will feel welcome and perhaps stay for our fellowship time of refreshments and conversation after the Sunday morning services, if you wish. If you wish to make your presence known, please fill out a visitor card (found in the back of the chair in front of you during worship) and put it in the offering plate or give it to an usher. But if you want to stay anonymous and just check us out, that's fine, too!
As a visitor, am I expected to contribute to the offering that is taken at each worship service?
We ask our members to contribute financially as they are able to help support the ministry of our local congregation as well as the mission of the larger church both nationally and worldwide. We offer our financial gifts to God as an act of thanksgiving for all that God has already given us and as a way of participating joyfully in God's mission of love and service to our community and our world.
If you as a visitor wish to contribute to our congregation's ministry, you are most welcome to do so. However, no one is required to make a financial offering.
If you as a visitor wish to contribute to our congregation's ministry, you are most welcome to do so. However, no one is required to make a financial offering.
What happens after the worship service?
Coffee and refreshments are served outdoors between the two Sunday morning worship services. It's a time for meeting people and informal conversation.
After worship, we typically have a variety of educational offerings for people of all ages. Visitors are always welcome at any of them.
After worship, we typically have a variety of educational offerings for people of all ages. Visitors are always welcome at any of them.
Information for Families
Are children welcome to attend the worship services?
Children are very welcome to attend all of our services and participate fully, just as they are. We celebrate the gifts of young people in how we worship, and this includes the noise they make, the ways they play and move around, and the questions they ask, even and especially when they "interrupt" our plans or disrupt our sense of how worship "ought" to go.
Our Sunday morning worship is especially structured with young people in mind so as to encourage their full participation as both worshippers and leaders. Our space is organized to make moving about easy, and the young people who worship with us regularly know they can move wherever they'd like. We sing a wide variety of songs and offer everyone shakers and other percussive instruments to help everyone join in making music. We pray in ways that include their voices and use a responsive liturgy that helps them grow into the richness of our rites and traditions.
Our Sunday morning worship is especially structured with young people in mind so as to encourage their full participation as both worshippers and leaders. Our space is organized to make moving about easy, and the young people who worship with us regularly know they can move wherever they'd like. We sing a wide variety of songs and offer everyone shakers and other percussive instruments to help everyone join in making music. We pray in ways that include their voices and use a responsive liturgy that helps them grow into the richness of our rites and traditions.
What if I or my child need to get up and leave in the middle of the worship service?
People often come and go during worship, and children are no exception. There is no reason a child needs to leave worship except when leaving is right for them. Things like crying, fussing, talking out loud, moving around, and so on, are just children bringing their full selves to worship, which we welcome.
Still, we know there will be times when everyone to step out and take a break, children included. Whether it is to use the restroom, to get breath of fresh air, to find a moment of calm, or to collect yourself, feel free to leave anytime and return whenever. The service can be viewed and heard in the narthex (which is where you first entered), and we have a nursery where it can be heard where children are welcome to play with toys and one another, if that is right for them. Those toys are welcome to return with them to worship at anytime, though please try to return them before you leave!
Still, we know there will be times when everyone to step out and take a break, children included. Whether it is to use the restroom, to get breath of fresh air, to find a moment of calm, or to collect yourself, feel free to leave anytime and return whenever. The service can be viewed and heard in the narthex (which is where you first entered), and we have a nursery where it can be heard where children are welcome to play with toys and one another, if that is right for them. Those toys are welcome to return with them to worship at anytime, though please try to return them before you leave!
Is there other programming for my children in addition to attending worship services?
Yes! Our congregation has a strong and dedicated programs for children from babies and toddlers to 12th grade and an adult education program as well. We also have pre-communion instruction, a two-year confirmation program, and opportunities for children and youth to lead and sing in worship. Learn more here.
Practical Information
Where is the church located?
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The address for the church is 2220 Pennington Road in Ewing, NJ. It's about a half mile south of the intersection of Interstate 295 and Highway 31 which links Pennington and Ewing. You will see the two rows of solar panels on the north side of the church property that provide electricity to our church building and to the community.
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What should I wear when I attend worship services or other events at the church?
The church has no dress code. You will see a variety of clothing among worshipers that ranges from somewhat formal (dresses and skirts for women, suits and ties for men) to much more casual styles of clothing. The Saturday evening service at 5:30 p.m. tends to be quite informal. We believe God accepts us as we are, both inside and out.
Where do I park? How do I enter the building?
Our large parking lot includes designated spaces for visitors near the front of the parking lot. The entrance to the church is on the parking lot side of the building and is clearly marked.
Is the church accessible? How do I let the church know if I have accessibility needs?
Our building can be accessed without the use of stairs, and the majority of our life together takes place on the ground level. When in use, the classrooms in the lower level of our building can be accessed by elevator.
In terms of how we worship, while we strive to gather in a way that is attentive to an array of (dis)abilities and needs, there are many ways we still need to grow in how we welcome all. In that spirit, if there are ways our worship is falling short in how we foster your or others full participation, please reach out to the pastor either directly or through the church office so we can work together for something better.
In terms of how we worship, while we strive to gather in a way that is attentive to an array of (dis)abilities and needs, there are many ways we still need to grow in how we welcome all. In that spirit, if there are ways our worship is falling short in how we foster your or others full participation, please reach out to the pastor either directly or through the church office so we can work together for something better.
Do you offer non-alcoholic and/or gluten free options for communion?
Yes. Gluten free wafers are available at all services and we offer the practice of intinction (dipping the communion wafer in wine) as well as taking only one element if you desire. If you have any questions please speak to an usher before the service.
How can I get more information about the church and its programs?
We invite you to read through our website for more information about specific programs, opportunities, small groups, and projects. Feel free to contact one of the pastors, the church office, or other members of the congregation if you have further questions. You can also request that the monthly newsletter with information and a calendar of events be sent to you. Please come, check us out, and join us for worship!
