WHAT TO EXPECT
We're looking forward to meeting you!
Pastor & Mrs. Lou Guarneri
Visiting a new place can be intimidating sometimes, especially if it's a church.
Everyone who regularly attends Straightway Baptist Church has been in your shoes before. There was a "first visit" for all of us.
A lot of churches are similar, but each one has its own unique methods, traditions, and ways of doing things. When you're unfamiliar with them, it can make you uneasy or hesitant to visit.
While we can't erase all of those feelings for you, we want to do what we can to minimize surprises and help you understand what kind of a church Straightway Baptist is.
For over 20 years, we've been here, doing the best we can to love our community, live out the message of God's Word, and point people to life in Jesus Christ.
We are a friendly and diverse collection of believers and seekers who have a good time in the Lord. At our meetings, we praise the Lord together with traditional congregational hymns and singing, encourage one another to minister the Gospel, and edify one another with Biblical preaching.
Questions you might have about Straightway:
1. What time are your Sunday services?
Sunday School classes for each age group meet at 9:45am.
From 9:45-10:00 we enjoy some breakfast together. At 10:00am the adults break into discussion groups for 15 minutes to discuss some questions. Then the class comes together to learn what the Bible teaches on the subject.
Morning worship starts at 11:00am with the evening service starting at 5:00pm.
Nursery care is available for children 3 years of age and under for the morning and evening gatherings.
During the morning service, a Junior Church is available where children age 4 through 6th grade enjoy singing, Bible teaching and a great time with other kids their age.
Click here to learn about our midweek service and other opportunities to gather throughout the week.
2. What should I wear to church?
We'd encourage you to wear modest clothing that you feel comfortable in.
Straightway Baptist is quite diverse, and that's something we really love about our church! Different styles and personalities all come together to celebrate Jesus - it's really all about Him anyway.
3. What happens during a typical church service?
At Straightway, you'll discover a family atmosphere. We're a small congregation, and we aren't interested in a lot of fanfare or theatrics. Rather, we love to focus on worshiping God, supporting one another, and learning the truth of the Bible together.
To that end, we sing a lot of old hymns and uplifting choruses. Sometimes members of the congregation will give a testimony about what God is doing in their lives.
We highly value prayer, and you'll typically hear several times of prayer during a gathering.
Our goal with all of this is to point one another to Jesus in preparation for the preaching of God's Word. Pastor Lou is normally the one preaching, but sometimes we may have a guest speaker. Whoever is preaching will stay true to the Bible, giving priority to what the text says, and exploring how it might apply to each of us today.
Often, at the end of a service, we will have a time of prayer where the preacher will invite the congregation to respond to what they've heard. Some people may move toward the front to pray, while others will remain at their seat and talk to God right where they are.
After the gathering dismisses, we love to hang around and talk to one another. This can be a great time to meet others, share prayer requests, or just enjoy the atmosphere of God's goodness.
4. Where should I park, and where do I enter?
Our parking lot is next to our building and easily accessible off Whitehead Road.
If it is full, our 'next-door' neighbor IBEW (electrical union) invites you to park in their huge lot.
The main entrance to our building is on the street side of the building by the tall white sign tower with the cross.
5. What is available for my children?
We love children and want to bless as many as will come. Please bring them. Your children will be safe here.
For children 3 years of age and under, we have nursery care available for each gathering.
We have Sunday School classes for all ages led by Spirit filled teachers who love to minister to children.
During the 11:00am service, a Junior Church for children age 4 through 6th Grade is available. Here, children enjoy singing, Bible teaching, and activities with other kids their age.
6. Will I be expected to give money or participate?
Not at all. Give and participate as the Lord leads you. We will be so delighted that you came. Our goal is to minister and be a blessing to you.
7. How can I let someone know I am planning to visit?
We'd love to know you're planning on visiting so that we can give you a personal welcome. If you want to let us know, just complete the form below, and we'll get notified by email.
However, if you'd rather not, you can just show up at any gathering unannounced. Lot's of people do that, and we love it!
Planning a visit?
Straightway Baptist Church is a group of ordinary people seeking an extraordinary God.
Whether you're a Christian looking for a church home, or you're full of questions about this man named Jesus, or you're somewhere in between, there's a place for you at SBC.
You'll find grace among friends at Straightway!
Other ways we can help:
If you have other questions you want to ask, or you want to check out a service over live stream first, we understand - and we want to help you do that! Follow the links below to watch online, do a deeper dive into what Straightway believes, or to reach out to us for more info.
