What to Expect
If you just moved to Chicago, are a new Christian, or are looking for a new congregation, Church in the Loop welcomes you! Below you can learn more about attending service at Church in the Loop:
- Service Structure
- Type of Worship
- Congregation
- How do I dress?
Service Structure
- To begin each service, the congregation worships in song; singing contemporary Christian music, such as Blessed Be Your Name, Your Love Never Fails, and Amazing Grace. We sing a lot of songs by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Lincoln Brewster, Hillsong, and other modern praise bands.
- After worshiping in song, the congregation then focuses its attention on Communion (some churches call this the "Lord’s Supper") which is the bread and the wine (grape juice) that represents the final meal Jesus had with his disciples. In this final meal, he suggested that we celebrate it with these two elements which represent his perfect, sinless body being broken for us on the cross; and the cup which represents his blood that cleanses us from all sin (again, pointing to the cross of Christ). Each member takes his/her time engaging in prayer before going up to the communion table, which is open to all who call Jesus their Lord and Savior.
- Next, Pastor Brian reads Scripture and follows with his message to the congregation. During his message, he dissects the passage, giving you context for the words and symbols used by the passage’s author and how it applies to us today. You will walk away understanding the meaning and purpose of the passage and how it relates to your life in a fresh new way.
- We then finish with a song of celebration before going forth to be the church in a broken world that desperately needs God's grace. Our desire is that we are living vessels carrying forth His message of redemption in Jesus throughout the week.
Type of Worship
Church in the Loop is a church guided by the teachings of the Bible, which we believe to be the only authoritative source of God’s truth. The Bible is central to our service and is the basis for our prayers, Sunday message and music. There are no prescribed or ‘scripted’ prayers, and our Pastor seeks to preach expositionally on topics of interest today as well as provide systematic studies through various books of the Bible.
Congregation
Church in the Loop is a small and intimate congregation, being built from the ground up with new members attending each week. Families are encouraged to bring their infants, young children, and teens to Church in the Loop. At this time childcare is not available, however children of all ages (and attention spans) are welcome to worship with us every Sunday morning.
How do I dress?
Church in the Loop promotes an informal atmosphere. Members are welcome to wear casual clothing (i.e. khakis and jeans, shorts, etc.), while maintaining respect for our Lord Jesus Christ.