Christ the King in our lives
Christ the King is the first church that we have ever been able to genuinely call home, and the community we have found here has been like a family to us. We have been continually welcomed and loved, prayed for in need, and rejoiced with in times of gladness. We have been advised, counseled, and led by Geoff Gwynne, his family, and many others in the church, and our marriage has been strengthened though the examples of Godly marriage set by the church body. We have loved the church’s emphasis on serving according to your God-given gifts, and it has been a privilege for us to be involved in the ministry community, especially with prayers of the people, worship, and the children’s ministry. We have been moved by the passion to involve children in the service as active participants, and by the sincere desire to welcome and encourage members and guests alike. Participating in Holy Communion every Sunday as the height of the service and experiencing worship guided by Spirit-filled liturgy have transformed our conception of what it means to be in a communion of saints. Being members of this church has been the deepest privilege for us – God has used Christ the King in our lives in so many ways.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What brought us to Christ the King
We were attending a Church without a nursery. We have three small children and benefiting from and contributing to the worship was almost impossible. We began looking for a liturgical church similar in worship to our current church that also had a well organized, safe nursery that would enable us to be fully present at worship.
We went to a couple of churches that satisfied this simple requirement. We finally came to Christ the King and found so much more! We knew our search was over. The usher greeted us and said, "We have grown here. We hope you will find the same." We have found the same. We have found deep, meaningful relationships with other parents and couples who are struggling with the same issues in life. We have found a vibrant worship with challenging and thoughtful preaching. Our children have been nurtured and found sweet friends. Our marriage has been enriched through a marriage course. We have been encouraged and supported to grow in our lives in Christ.
Christ the King brought Christ back to the center of our family and lives; it also continues to strengthen us in our daily desire to respond fully to God's love. Christ the King has blessed us beyond measure and we are so grateful to be part of the family there.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Church shopping
I really dislike the process. Like most things in my life, I want that to be settled. Although, I enjoy meeting people, being the “new person” or “visitor” at church is not a role I like to be in. But after moving to Virginia from Florida, my family and I found ourselves in a position to be church shopping. We were warmly greeted at the first church we visited. We enjoyed the Sunday service and get-to-know time afterwards. However, we weren’t ready to commit ourselves to that being our church – not yet anyway.
We visited several other churches in the course of the next three months. We were more comfortable in some than others. We started regularly attending a certain church every Sunday. As we learned more about the church, its beliefs and values, we started to attend more activities: midweek dinner, Sunday School, etc. After nearly four consecutive months of attending, my husband and I came to the conclusion that despite attending these weekly functions, we hadn’t gotten to know anyone in the church beyond the pastors. That was as discouraging as the realization that we were still without a church home.
As my husband and I talked about our experiences in the various churches, the teachings, people and programs, we came to this conclusion: that “first” church was by far the friendliest, warmest of any that we had visited, in addition to having good solid Bible teaching that we wanted. The following day (Sunday) we returned to that church – Christ the King. People we hadn’t seen in months hugged us and greeted us as if they had known us for years. Their enthusiasm toward our returning to Christ the King moved me. People cared about us and wanted to get to know us.
Having been at Christ the King now for several months, I can see that relationships are key at Christ the King. I see that in the way people greet one another and interact on Sundays, and I see that in the way the people in our small group Bible study express care and concern for one another.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alpha Testimony
At first I was skeptical about the Alpha Course, I didn’t know what to expect. After attending the first night I was sold. Not only was it a learning experience, but I truly enjoyed the people I met. The environment was so welcoming and real. I have since attended and volunteered three Alpha courses. Little did I know Alpha was going to open the door to lasting friendships and a deeper understanding of Christianity.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alpha Testimony
Alpha was an experience that reinvigorated my faith. I have been a follower of Jesus since childhood and I thought that going through the course would be simply a “refresher” in the basics of my faith and beliefs. It was that and much, much more. I thoroughly enjoyed the talks by Nicky Gumbel and especially discussing the talks with a group that included several people who were new to the ideas presented in the talks. These Alpha friends helped me see certain aspects of my faith from a new perspective and gave me a fresh awareness of how important my beliefs about God are to daily living. The delicious meals served before the talks and discussion gave us a chance to talk about our lives and share personally before our attention turned to the Alpha topic of the night. I was surprised at how quickly our discussion group was able to get to know one another and to delve comfortably into topics that are usually much more delicate to bring up with others.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alpha Testimony
At the first Alpha evening I found myself pleasantly surprised by the warm, friendly, inviting atmosphere at a sit down dinner. I enjoyed the 45-minute video that was focused, entertaining, and full of inspiring verses and stories. I found my heart listening and being touched on a number of occasions. The break out group (or small group) discussion that followed the video reminded me of a class that I thoroughly enjoyed where we had open, unassuming discussions of stories we read – we had a great small group and I would count this as a highlight!
I began looking forward to Sunday evenings at Alpha. The kids were well taken care of, as were our hearts – and our stomachs. We uncovered some important biblical facts to help solidify my understanding and comfort level with Christianity, Alpha (and the retreat weekend) gave me a better understanding of what the holy spirit is and how it “works like the wind”. I developed some lasting relationships with others at this church, and it helped me to pray to establish and build my own relationship with the Lord.
For me Alpha was simply a great example of God’s love - a team of people, a true community, reaching out to help others grow spiritually.