Visitor Guide

Hello and welcome to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sidney, Ohio.
 
We’ve all had the experience in a different church where we are not sure of what is going on, how to join in the liturgy, and just feel lost.  Don’t despair!  Here is a guide, so you can confidently join in worship when you visit.
 
When you come in the door, there are bulletins near either door.  — please take one.  This is your guide to the liturgy, but all the text is also on the front monitors so it is easy to follow along.
 
There now only one book of worship used for traditional services.  It is the cranberry Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW).
For page numbers, look in the front part of the book where you find the parts of the service such as Communion, Baptism, confession, etc.  For hymn numbers, they start in the hymns section.  Page numbers are found at the bottom of the page.  Hymn numbers are at the top of the page with larger bold font.
 

Our Worship Services

  • Locations
    • Saturday is in the chapel which is ground level accessible. 
    • Sunday is in the sanctuary which is a half floor up, but there is an elevator.
  • Contemporary – Sunday at 8:30 am
    • The bulletin has the worship liturgy or the front monitors
    • Most everything is in the bulletin or front monitors
    • Modern hymns with the adult Praise Band & Jesus or the youth band Wired for Christ performing the music with guitar, base, drums, and piano.
    • Most of the audio tracks on the site are from the 8:30 service
  • Traditional – Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday at 10:30 am
    • The bulletin has the worship liturgy outline and hymns.  Front monitors for all text in the sanctuary.
    • Page numbers or hymn numbers are given
    • More use of the book of worship
    • Traditional hymns on organ or piano
Each of the three services offer their own unique worship experience.  Try a few and find your fit!
 

We believe children belong in worship

  • Activities like coloring pages to keep young worshipers engaged during service can be found in the canvas bags hanging from wooden trees in the back of the church
  • Please hang the bag on the same tree after the service so it is ready for your next worship service.
  • If you feel your child needs a break, there is a nursery upstairs and a room in the rear of the church on the alley side. Both of these areas have speakers to hear the service

Communion Note

We welcome to the Lord’s table all confirmed Lutherans and any other adult, baptized Christian of any denomination who desires to receive Christ’s Body and Blood for His forgiveness and life. Youth (not confirmed) must have completed the Communion preparation course.  Newcomers are kindly asked to introduce themselves to a Pastor. Please note that Communion presumes:

  • An awareness of personal sin and need.
  • Faith in God’s grace in Christ.
  • An intention to live a new life.
  • A belief that Christ is really present in the Sacrament.

For Reference — Our Beliefs

  • God: Father, Jesus the Christ (Messiah): Son, and Holy Spirit
  • The Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe
  • The canonical Scripture of the Old and New Testaments is the inspired Word of God. It is the authoritative source and norm of the proclamation of faith and life.
  • Our declaration of faith is found in the Apostle’s, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds.
  • As a confessional church, we accept the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as the true witness to the Gospel
  • We have two sacraments: baptism and Holy Communion. Why two?  Jesus actually performed them as recorded in the Gospel.

  We are part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)