Worship With Us
“Worship is the purpose for which we were created, and in it, we find our highest joy, for it is in worship that we delight in our Creator.”
~ J.I. Packer
When and Where
We meet at the Central Valley Christian Academy, in the school theater. When you arrive follow the signs.
Service Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 2020 Academy Pl, Ceres, CA 95307
Watch or Listen Online
We place a priority on in-person worship, but for those times when people are not able to be physically present, we are glad to make our services available online.
Some Things You Can Expect on a Sunday
Every family is different, and that diversity can be really great in church families too. But that also means there’s the possibility of surprises you might want to avoid if you’re visiting. Below are a few things we find visitors like to know ahead of time regarding the worship service as well as how we structure our Sundays together. Of course you can always contact us with any questions you have. We’d love to answer them and desire to make your visit truly enjoyable.
God-Centered Worship
We believe that worship is first for God, and then out of the overflow of God’s kind and generous character we anticipate blessing. We try to focus our worship in the preaching, singing, and liturgy, on God’s glory, recognizing the worthiness of God to receive the praise we bring.
A Transforming Gospel
Come as you are, but expect that an encounter with Jesus Christ will change you. Our goal is that the “Good News” of the transforming message of Jesus will be clearly presented in each part of our worship from music, to liturgy, to the preaching.
All Are Welcome
Our weekly worship service is a time when God calls His people to assemble together to say thank you to our God who has saved and continues to provide for us. We receive from Him and from one another the encouragement we need to live in a very challenging world.
Even Me?
Yes, even you! The whole message of the Bible is that God loves calling strangers into His family and making them sons and daughters. So if you don’t know what Christianity is all about, or you wonder if you are welcome, all those who are thirsty to know God, or who want to be thirsty to know God are welcome. Actually … even those who are angry or don’t like God are welcome!
Reformed Expositional Preaching
We desire to deal honestly with the message He has given us in His Word. We believe that the message He gives is the message of rescue to a fallen world, and that means it can feel both uncomfortable and comforting. There are also practical ways to live God’s truth in everyday life, so we try to preach honestly and boldly whatever the text is telling us.
Weekly Communion
Because we view each time of corporate worship as a time to re-hear the Gospel message and to renew our commitment to God, we end our worship each Sunday with Communion – the meal given by Jesus to assure us that He welcomes us and we belong to Him.
Music
We love music and believe it’s a gift God has given that we can give back to Him each time we worship in song. Because worship is first an act of serving God, you can expect things like:
- Words that reflect biblical truth
- Music that is singable by the congregation
- Instrumentation that enhances congregational singing
- A mix of styles including Psalms, hymns, and songs from both past and present
Our music is not a concert to be passively experienced, but rather an aid to the whole congregation as the choir praising God in song.
Because we view each time of corporate worship as a time to re-hear the Gospel message and to renew our commitment to God, we end our worship each Sunday with Communion – the meal given by Jesus to assure us that He welcomes us and we belong to Him.
Worship Style
Maybe one of the ways we can describe our attempt at worship is purposeful and joyful reverence. We desire to combine order with joyful sincerity in our worship. So some of what you experience when you visit may feel old, and some may feel more contemporary. We try to build each part of our service on principles we find in God’s Word, modeling what some have called a “covenant renewal” service. Each time we worship as God’s assembled people, we are called to renew covenant through our worship. From the call to worship to the closing blessing, each part of our service has a purpose and builds from one thing to another, culminating in Communion.
We Encourage Families to Worship Together
We believe that worship on a Sunday should encourage togetherness and that includes allowing whole families, including children, to enjoy worshipping together. We hear this joyful call in Deuteronomy: “Rejoice before the Lord your God, you [and] your sons and daughters” (Deuteronomy 12:12).
God desires the worship of children along with adults. Jesus, after all, told His disciples to let the children come to Him.
What about Children?
When you visit you will hear and see children worshipping, or learning to do so, along with us in the service. This can be cute and delightful when they are behaving, and a bit distracting when they decide that it’s a bit much to sit through a whole service. We encourage whole family worship, however, because we believe that God desires the simple worship of our children even as He desires the same from adults. We all seek to be patient as little ones learn to sit still, or until those who can’t yet do so are taken to the “cry room.” If you have children that may need a place to go if they get a bit loud, you can just follow the signs to the “cry room.” We are happy to help you think through how to grow in this area if you see this as an area of weakness.
Fellowship and Hospitality
Celebration is at the heart of God’s story and food is at the heart of celebration. This is why we end our service each week with Communion (Lord’s Supper) and it’s also why we have a variety of opportunities to eat and enjoy the company of one another. Often we have a fellowship meal together after the service, and we also have regular opportunities to have one another, including guests, into our homes for hospitality. You can check the church calendar so you can adequately plan for each week’s opportunity for hospitality, food, and fellowship!
But What Should I Wear?
First, we want to make sure that clothing doesn’t prevent you from visiting! God wants your worship, regardless of what you are wearing. But, if you are wondering what to wear, our people generally wear nicer clothes just as a way of recognizing that they are entering into God’s presence.
Events
Whether fellowship opportunities like those mentioned above, teaching and discipleship time, or special events, the life of our church is full. We encourage you to look at the church calendar to see what is happening on the Sunday you are thinking of attending. You can also view more details by clicking on the buttons below.