Congregational United Church of Christ is a warm, welcoming congregation that is always happy to receive visitors. To help you feel as comfortable and at-home as possible when you visit us, we've put together some information on what the Congregational experience is like - how to get to the church, what to wear (which is pretty much anything you'd like), nursery and Sunday school hours, some details on the worship service, notes about communion, and refreshments after the service. Please note that Congregational is wheelchair accessible.

When and Where

Congregational is located at 400 West Radiance Drive in Greensboro, North Carolina 27403. Our phone number is (336) 274-5378. For detailed directions to the church, see our Directions page. Worship services are held at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings year-round. Sunday school classes meet from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. September through May. A nursery is available during Sunday school and worship hours for children from birth to three.

What to Wear

At Congregational, people wear whatever they're comfortable with. Some dress up and some dress down. You'll see people in suits, dresses, jeans, and shorts all worshiping together. As one of the United Church of Christ's ads recently said, "God doesn't care what you wear to church and neither do we."

Nursery and Sunday School

Congregational has a nursery and Sunday school classes for all ages. Sunday school classes are held from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. (though individual Sunday school classes may have slightly different hours). Most Sunday school classes run from September through May, taking a break during the summer months. The nursery is available year-round for children from birth to three. When Sunday school is in session, the nursery is available from 9:45 until after worship is over. During the summer, the nursery is in operation during the worship hour only. To find out more about these classes, as well as some of Congregational's other educational offerings, see our Christian Education area.

Worship Service

The worship service begins at 11:00 a.m. As you arrive at the door to the church, a greeter will welcome you. After you enter the church, ushers will be available to hand out bulletins and answer any questions you might have. When you enter the sanctuary, sit wherever you like - there are no assigned seats here! The bulletin, which lists the order of things in the worship service, should be pretty easy to follow. Note that stars in the left margin indicate times for the congregation to stand. But don't worry if you sit or stand at the wrong time. Those of us who have been attending for years occasionally do that too.

Holy Communion

If you happen to visit on a Sunday when we're celebrating communion, please join us. At Congregational, everyone is welcome to take part in communion - members, non-members, adults, children whose parents feel they are ready, baptized, and not baptized. But if you don't feel comfortable taking part, that's fine too. We celebrate communion on the first Sunday of each month and on special holy days. We alternate communion in two different styles:

On one communion Sunday, worshipers stay seated in the pews and the elements - bread (small wafers) and the cup (small cups of juice) - are passed down each isle by the ushers. First the bread is served. When everyone in the congregation has received the bread, we all eat the bread at the same time. Then the cup is served. When everyone in the congregation has received the cup, we all drink the cup at the same time. (There are small cup holders on the back of the pews to place the cup when you've finished.)
On the other communion Sunday, the pastor and assistants stand at the front of the sanctuary with a single loaf of bread and a cup. Each pew, starting at the front, walks up to the front of the sanctuary, takes a piece of bread and dips it in the cup. If you're uncomfortable taking a piece of bread from the loaf, individual wafers are available, too. Most people take the element right away, as they walk back to their seat.

Refreshments

After every worship service please join us for light refreshments in the fellowship hall. Ask anyone for directions or simply follow the crowd. And in general, if you're visiting and have a question, just ask someone. Anyone will be happy to help you.

Restrooms

Restrooms are located in the middle of the church hallways, beside the water fountains, on both the ground level and lower level.

Visitors - You Are Welcome Here!