Welcome

A Few Notes of Introduction:   

Children are Welcome

    One feature of West Side Baptist Church that many visitors find unique is our inclusion of children in our meetings. You may be used to having each member of your family ushered off to different rooms for ‘age appropriate’ teaching. In this assembly, families stay together. Since the Church is a covenant community, its covenant renewal meetings should involve us all. So we encourage parents to keep their covenant children in the meeting as much as they can. We realize this is not always possible, so we do have a sleep room for the babies and a nursery for other youngsters who are still being trained to sit. The nursery is not for small children to spend the entire meeting, regularly, week after week, but for discipline and training. We do not despise our little ones but want them to approach God with us and receive the grace He provides through His Word. And don’t worry, we expect little children to make some noise. The cries of little ones remind us of His grace in blessing us with children, who are a heritage from Him. (Deut. 31:12-13; Ezra 10:1; Matt. 18:1-5; 19:13-15; Luke 10:21; 1 Cor. 7:14; Eph. 6:1-4; Col. 3:20)

Offering

    You will also notice that we ‘pass the plate’ during the meeting, rather than placing an offering box in the back. This is to provide convenient anonymity for our members. If you visit with us, do not feel obligated to give; we urge you to tithe to your home church. (Psalm 96:8; Mark 12:41; 1 Cor. 9:13-14).

The Lord’s Supper

    We celebrate the Lord’s Supper every week. We welcome visitors to partake with us, but only baptized professing believers in good standing with their home church. If you don’t understand it, or don’t know if it is for you, please speak with an elder before taking it. For "he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself." (Acts 2:43-47; 1 Cor. 11:23-34).

Interaction

    Following each sermon we have a time of public interaction with the preaching. We believe this is an essential part of the teaching ministry of the church, so we urge all the men to come prepared to minister in this way. In order for this to be decent and orderly, questions and comments should be loving and brief and women should be silent. (1 Cor. 14:26, 33-35)

Fellowship Meal

    After the meeting each Lord's Day, we invite you to join us for a fellowship meal. Our families provide food that we would love to share with you. We believe worship is more than just music and preaching. God calls us to worship Him with our whole lives, in all we do. Fellowship is an important part of that, and is lost art we’re trying to rediscover (Acts 2:43-47; 1 Cor. 10:31).

Notes for Home Study

    The weekly church meeting is not of man’s innovation or for man’s glory, but of God and for God. But though corporate worship is God-ward, every element of the meeting is also designed to edify all the members. Paul thus commands us to “seek to excel”, and even sing and pray “with the understanding”, and all “decently and in order”.
    That is the goal of this portion of the web page. Please use it throughout the week to prepare your mind and family for the next meeting.
    Upcoming psalms and hymns are great for daily use with your family. Next week’s Bible class and sermon texts have been provided so you can study them and prepare for meaningful interaction. If you need advice, the fellowship meal is a great time to get insight from others on the same journey.
 

Bible Class (9:45 am): Next week (February 5th) Nate will begin a series on finances, looking at what the Bible says on debt, investments, etc.

Sermon: Donald will preach a sermon on 2 Cor. 8:15-9:15, where Paul concludes his plea for a donation to the Jerusalem poor.

Music: We will sing Psalm 15, a description of the righteous man. We will also sing 362, Come All Christians, a hymn of dedication and sacrifice.

    West Side Baptist Church is a confessional, family-integrated, Reformed Baptist Church in Gouverneur, near Watertown and Fort Drum, Northern New York. We are not currently members of any association of churches, but are in agreement with the standards and goals of the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America, and the Founder's Movement of the Southern Baptist Convention. For more information, see our Doctrinal Statements.

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