Visitors

Visitors!

We extend a special WELCOME to our visitors!

If you are unchurched or "shopping around" for a new church to call "home," we invite you to come check us out! We want to "be there" for people who have questions, people who are looking for deeper answers to life’s BIG issues, people who want something MORE.

Sunday Worship Services

Same service – songs & message – offered at three different times for your convenience.

First Worship Service: 8:30 am

Second Worship Service: 9:45 am

Third Worship Service 11:15 am

What to expect on your first Sunday morning visit with us:

Drive up to the front of the church where there are reserved parking spaces for our "First Time Visitors."
You will be greeted at the door by our friendly, helpful Hospitality Team of Greeters.
We dress casually – blue jeans are just fine, even on Sunday mornings. Please just come as you are!
We enjoy a contemporary style of worship on Sunday mornings, led by our fabulous Praise Band. You won't find hymnals for our songs — instead, the lyrics will be projected onto two large screens at the front of the sanctuary.
Come a few minutes early to enjoy snacks, coffee, and juice at Hillsdale Cafe in our lobby. It's okay to take food into the sanctuary - we just ask that you put a lid on your beverage to prevent spills.
Stop by the Welcome Center in the front lobby to chat with a member and pick up informational brochures about our church and ministries.
As you step into the sanctuary, receive a Sunday bulletin from the ushers at the doorway, where you'll usually find a place to take notes on the Sunday message and highlights about events, studies and church ministries.
We offer a full range of programs for children, youth, and adults, including Bible studies, Sunday morning “Children’s Church,” weekly youth group activities, retreats, mission trips, confirmation retreats, baptism services at the Yadkin River, and much, much more!
We celebrate Holy Communion the first Sunday of every month. We practice an "Open Table," meaning that ALL are invited to partake of the bread and juice, regardless of denomination or age.

Options for Your Children:

Infants and Toddlers

Infants and Toddlers are welcome in our nursery (Little Angels) and toddler room (Little Fishers), located in Nursery wing, to the left after you walk in the front door.
For the safety and security of your children, a parent must register the child, sign them into the room using our Child Security System of nametags and claim cards, and a parent must retrieve the child after the service.

Preschool Through 5th Grade

All children are invited to attend PowerHour on Sunday morning during the 9:45 or 11:15 services. After participating in worship singing, the children go "up front" in the sanctuary for a special Children's Message. They are dismissed from the sanctuary for their own time of worship, including Bible lessons, games, crafts and activities. Children must be pre-registered and receive a name tag before the service. During the summer, PowerHour will offer two classes in Youth and Children's Wing (the new building to the left of the church)for ages 4-K and 1^st grade-5^th grade.

These classes will be offered at 9:45 and 11:15. In August we will have a “Promotion Day” to transition the kids into 4 classrooms and move them to their age appropriate classes.

To pre-register your child for PowerHour, stop at the Power Hour Table in the Lobby. First-timers will fill out the PowerHour enrollment form and indicate any allergies or special needs. Children will receive a name tag and parents will receive a claim card to return when they pick up their child. Parents should come to the Youth and Children's wing beside the church immediately following the worship service to retrieve their child.
Pick up a Busy Bag on your way into the sanctuary to entertain young children who choose not go to PowerHour. They are filled with paper, crayons, pencils, and fun activities. Look for Busy Bags in the baskets at the entrances to the sanctuary. After the service, place your child's used Busy Bag back in the designated basket in the church lobby to be recycled for the next week.
See the Children's Ministries section of this website for more information about the Sunday morning Power Hour program and ALL our exciting programs for children.

Options for Youth:

Middle and Senior High Schoolers are invited to join, Pam Keiser, our Director of Youth Ministries along with Cindy Orsillo, at 9:45 in the New Youth Room in the Youth and Children's Wing to enjoy fellowship and Bible Study with each other. Lessons are topically based but are all related to Scripture. Click here to visit the Youth Ministries section of this website for all Sunday and weekly activities.

Options for Young Adults (Twenty Somethings):

The "Twenty Somethings" get together at various places for fun, fellowship and Bible Study. For more information, email Pam Keiser at pkeiser@hillsdaleumc.com

Options for Adults:

In addition to the Sunday morning message delivered by the pastor or guest speaker, we currently offer three adult classes.

8:30 am Faith Lessons on the Death & Resurrection of the Messiah
People who follow Jesus today benefit from the insight of studying the places, culture, history, and language of the ancient time when Christ walked the earth, so that the world will know that our God is the one true God. A video lesson and discussion study led by Allision Brown. Join the tour as we journey through the last week of Jesus' life and let understanding of the Eastern mind-set of the Hebrew world challenge your Western thinking and interpretation of Scripture. You will never read the Bible the same again! Drop-in’s welcome to this 8:30am Sunday Study! In the Adult Classroom # 1 - until May 2.
9:45 am "Ski's Class" - Do Something! Make Your Life Count!
Let’s Do Something together for lent this season! Join us in an “all church” Bible study by Miles McPherson, a pastor at The Rock Church in San Diego, a national speaker, and a former NFL football player. Taught by Ski Chilton and Brack Morton in the Adult Classroom.
9:45 am Standing Stones Class - Do Something! Make Your Life Count!
The Standing Stones Class meets in the Adult Classroom #2 and is always open to anyone. Let’s Do Something together for lent this season! Join us in an “all church” Bible study by Miles McPherson, a pastor at The Rock Church in San Diego, a national speaker, and a former NFL football player. Taught by Ricky Jones and Susan DuRant.

Okay I've visited... Now what?

After your first visit, you will receive a nice letter in the mail from our Pastor — if you give us your address when the Attendance Pads are passed down your row during the offering time. The letter will invite you to attend the next scheduled session of "Dessert With the Pastor," a special informal time to talk about our church and our United Methodist beliefs.

Then, we leave it up to you to decide whether to continue to check us out. We don't want you to feel ignored, but on the other hand, we don't want you to feel pressured in any way to join this church. That decision is between your family and God. While you are deciding, we DO invite you to participate as much as you wish in the ministries and discipleship classes of our church. If you have specific questions, contact Allison Brown, Director of Lay Ministries, in the church office at 336.998.4020 ext. 328. She will be happy to talk on the phone or schedule an appointment with you.