Mount Gambier Gathering - Sundays at 10am
Welcome to Mount Gambier Baptist Church! Here's some tips to help you navigate your first visit with us...
We are located at:
33 North Terrace, Mount Gambier.
Parking:
There are several angle parking spaces right out front of the venue, and space for around 50 vehicles behind the building via the driveway. We invite anyone with disabilities to park in the designated spots at the back, and you can also drive down the ramp to our back entrance to drop people at the door.
Kids:
There is a sign-in desk near the front entrance in the foyer where one of our amazing kids workers can introduce you to what is taking place that morning. The kids stay with parents for the first 15 minutes of the service before being dismissed with the team. Three age-specific programs take place after that, and parents will be invited to collect their child from the appropriate program. All our kids workers are thoroughly screened and trained in safe-church practises. In addition there is an infant room at the back of the auditorium where the service is live streamed.
What to expect:
If you are new to a church service, we understand that attending one can be a daunting experience! We certainly don't want you to feel that way with us, so hopefully this will give you an idea of what you'll encounter on a Sunday morning with us. We usually open with a couple of songs, with selected bible passages read out as a form of calling people to reflect on what is being sung. On average, there are 4-5 songs, with one of these being at the end of the service. Our music style and song choices are of a more modern flavour, with the occasional hymn added to the mix from time to time.
Between these musical times, there are a few 'housekeeping' things we do as a community. There are often announcements about all sorts of events and people, and an offering is taken in a somewhat informal way - no bags or baskets being handed around, but an invitation to give online or in a box at the back of the room. The issue of finance is something that we as a community have committed to, but we want to clearly state that if you are visiting, you are our guest!
One of the centrepieces of our service is what is known as a "sermon." About half of the time this is presented by our senior pastor. We tend to take a thought or idea across a number of weeks, where each message builds on what has been covered already.
There is a special liturgical event called "Communion" included in the service on the first Sunday of the month - this is explained each time and you will have the choice to participate or not in a discreet way. On the third Sunday of each month, a little extra time is taken to talk about things around the world that we might be playing a direct role in either financially or in person. We call this a "mission presentation."
All up, our services usually go for about 75 minutes. Our pastors and elders are on hand after the service either to meet and ask questions, or to receive prayer or help in understanding matters of faith. There is also coffee and morning tea in the church foyer. After all that, it's not uncommon to be invited to have lunch or spend time with others in various ways after the service. You'll find these to be good times spent with amazing people!
If you would like to let us know you're visiting soon, you are welcome to click here to let us know.