I want to give Harbor City Church a try!
First of all, thank you for considering joining us for a Sunday service! We get a lot of questions from people about what to expect when visiting us for the first time. We hope that this quick FAQ can help answer some of these common questions for you as you plan your first visit with us.
We would love to meet you on a Sunday morning. Come say hi at the Connection Center at the lobby, let us know it is your first time and we will help you get acquainted with HCC. If it is your first time visiting us, we would also love to bless you with a free drink from our Harbor City Café. We also have gifts for our 2nd and 3rd time guests. It's our way of saying thank you for checking us out!
Do I need to be a christian to attend?
You don't need to be a christian to attend, you are welcome here! We know that it can be intimidating visiting a church for the first time but we can attest that you will find a kind, welcoming, diverse, and inviting culture here at Harbor City Church.
Where is Harbor City Church?
We are located in Aberdeen, WA in the historic former Alexander Young Elementary School building at 1700 Cherry St.
Travelling East on Sumner Ave: Turn Right on Scammel St. at Wunderland Daycare, then Left on Cherry St.
Traveling West on Simpson Ave: Turn Left on Martin St. at the Honda dealership then cross Sumner Ave.
What time are regular services?
Services begin at 8:30 am, 10:00 am, and 11:30 am every Sunday. We will occasionally change our service times on certain holiday weekends and for a period during the summer as capacity allows. We will announce service time changes on our facebook page, our blog on our website, and in the email newsletter to those subscribed.
Where can I park?
There are reserved parking spaces for any of our first time guests at the cherry street entrance to the building. Additional parking is available along the curb, and in the main parking lot behind the building. Accessible reserved parking is located in the rear parking lot near the main entrance.
Is there a dress code/expectation?
In short, no. As long as you are clothed and do not cause a significant distraction for others, you are welcome here. Because we want to create a welcoming environment for all, we kindly ask that people avoid wearing clothing with profanity or inappropriate subject matter. Sweatpants? Jeans? Shorts? We are just glad you are here!
Is there childcare/sunday school for my kids during service?
Of course! We have classes available for all ages from birth to 5th grade in our City Kids ministry located down the hall from the main auditorium.
Kids should be checked-in to their class and dropped off before service start time, no earlier than 15 minutes before.
If you are bringing your kids for the first time, we encourage you to come 20 minutes before service to allow time for us to register your kids and get them checked in to class.All of our volunteers are vetted and must pass a strict background check to serve in a classroom. Visit the new registration kiosk in the hallway before service, and a volunteer will help you get your kids signed in to their classroom!
If you have any questions regarding our City Kids ministry, you can contact our Children's Pastor, Mindy Houtz.
What is worship like?
Our regular Sunday services consist of worship and a message. Our contemporary style of worship is energetic and expressive (and occasionally loud). We use colored lights and haze on the stage and dim the lights in the room. It is not our intention to put on a christian rock concert, karaoke, or performance. We believe that God gives us musical and technical talents so that we may use them to elevate praise and worship to our Lord and Savior. It is our goal to create an electric atmosphere that inspires praise where people can experience God's love and mercy. It is our hope that what is produced is not merely an emotional response but a lasting encounter that will bring people closer to Jesus. If you have hearing sensitivities, disposable earplugs are available at the Connection Center in the lobby.
Will you ask me to give money?
We don't expect any of our guests to give anything because the gospel is free and always will be. We are able to function soley on the generosity of those who call Harbor City Church home and our community. We believe in the principles of tithing and generosity as described in the bible and we believe that God blesses those who give freely and abundantly.
Do you do Communion/Baptism during service?
We do!
The first Sunday of each month we will participate in communion of bread and juice as part of our worship service. We ask that only those who are willing believers and understand the meaning of communion to participate with us, as guided by 1 Corinthians 11:27-28. All are still welcome to attend!
1 Corinthians 11:27–28 NLT - 27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.
Baptism is a public declaration of faith in Christ by full immersion in water. We believe that baptism is a personal decision and we only baptise people who are old enough to make the decision to do so and understand the meaning of their choice. We will pray over and dedicate children to the Lord until they are old enough to make the decision to be baptised for themselves. Both baptisms and child dedications will happen during our 11:30 am service as they are scheduled. They can be scheduled through our office and the sign-up forms on our website and the connection center.