Worship Services
We look forward to welcoming you at any of our worship services.
Sunday Worship at 11 AM
We now welcome you in person! For those with ongoing health concerns, sanitizer and wipes are readily available in the lobby. Please practice the Golden Rule – “Do for others what you would want them to do for you.” We also welcome you to watch our livestream online.
To join our Sunday church service online, click on the YouTube icon or click here to be redirected to our You Tube channel or use the search bar in You Tube to look up Sunrise Chapel Livestream. Once you get there please subscribe so you get a notification when our service goes live! Also YouTube loves subscribers, and it helps spread the word to more people.
We would love to have you join us for any of our online worship services.
Our church teaches that the most important way people worship the Lord is by living according to His commandments in their daily lives. The goal of our worship services is to provide time for us to humble ourselves before the Lord, raise our minds above daily tasks, learn from the Word, and pray and sing with each other.
Weekly Sunday Services
Our weekly Sunday worship services begin at 11 a.m.
At Sunday worship services we offer you a friendly reception, time for quiet reflection, a blend of contemporary and traditional music and rituals, and an inspiring message that aims to bring spirituality into practical life.
The first part of the service is for families, and an interactive talk suited to the children is given during this time. During our current pandemic, we have temporarily suspended any in-person programs for the children in the nursery or Children’s Chapel. Additional readings from the Bible and the theological works of Emanuel Swedenborg follow, after which a sermon is given for the adults during the latter half of the service. Immediately after the service we would normally gather in Friendship Hall for fellowship and lunch. But again, during Covid-19 we have put that in-person luncheon on hold.
Our worship services start every Sunday at 11:00 am. We also observe the major Christian holidays with special services. Every other month, on the first Sunday, we celebrate Communion (Holy Supper) toward the end of the service. Our Communion services are open to all adults – you don’t need to be a member to participate.
Quick Facts
- Christian? Yes, very much so – in a refreshing new way
- Beliefs? Click here to learn more
- Denominational affiliation? See www.NewChurch.org
- Dress code? Nope. Come as you are!
- Service format? Blend of contemporary and traditional
- Length of the service? About 45 minutes to an hour
- Number of services? One per Sunday
- Financial obligation? Free will offering as you enter. We don’t “pass the plate”.
- Seating? No assigned seats. Every seat has a heavenly view.
- Live streaming? Yes and services are archived on You Tube.
Additional Special and Holiday Services
Holy Supper (the first Sunday of every other month, beginning January) – Adults of any denomination who wish to enhance their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ are invited to participate in the Holy Supper. This is offered on the first Sunday of every other month (starting in January) at the end of the regular Sunday service (or by private arrangements with the pastor). Those taking communion kneel at the chancel rail or sit in the front row if they cannot manage kneeling. Ushers direct the flow of those coming forward. Please approach through the side aisles and return to your seat through the center aisle. If you start forward and see no empty places at the chancel rail, simply take a seat in one of the front rows, and wait until the next ‘table’ after the present communicants have returned to their seats.
Palm Sunday – a regular worship service featuring the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem with crowds cheering Him on as their savior.
Good Friday Evening – 7 PM “vespers” style worship service consisting of readings from the gospels concerning Jesus’ final week on earth, accompanied by appropriate readings from the Heavenly Doctrine, and special reflective music. Holy Supper is included in this service.
Easter “Sunrise” service – 7 AM outdoor “sunrise” Family style worship service (weather permitting).
Easter “Main” service – 11 AM indoors Family style worship service
Thanksgiving Service – 11 AM on the Sunday before the national holiday, followed by a potluck Thanksgiving dinner.
Christmas Eve – On December 24, 2021, we will have one service at 6 pm for all, including children
Christmas Day – In 2021, there will not be a service at Sunrise Chapel
Sacramental Services
In the New Church we celebrate only two sacraments, Baptism and the Holy Supper. These are often conducted during regular Sunday morning services and when they are, special provisions are made for them. They may also be conducted in private services arranged in a home or hospital setting, or at the church with one of the pastors.
Holy Supper: In this sacrament we eat unleavened bread and drink wine. Participants are called to the chancel rail in groups of 10 to 15, where they receive the elements from the pastor while kneeling in prayer or meditation. Communion is open to those who are not formal members of this congregation but who worship Jesus Christ as the One God in His Divine Humanity. Holy Supper is offered every other month on the first Sunday of the month toward the end of the Sunday worship service. It serves as an important reminder of the Lord’s love and wisdom with us and as a form of encouragement to receive these spiritual gifts as offered by Him.
Baptism: People may be baptized as children or adults as the ceremony represents an introduction into the truths of faith that will form the basis of the spiritual life and growth that follow. Baptism is a “gate of entrance” to full adult membership at all levels of the church.
Other Services
Arrangements for Communion, baptisms, confirmations, betrothals, weddings, home dedications and memorial services may be made with the pastor at any time.
Marriage: The New Church teachings on marriage are unique and especially important to us. They reveal the fundamental spiritual differences between men and women, and show how a husband and wife can complement each other in an equal partnership that lasts to eternity. They list and explain the particular requirements of an ideal marriage, and they also show how a couple can work to restore peace and happiness in a struggling marriage.
Sunday School
Sunday School offers children a fun, social environment in which to learn the stories of the Bible and grow their affection for the Lord.
During the pandemic, we have suspended in-person Sunday School. We look forward to restarting when possible. Contact us with questions or your interest.