What to expect
Sundays at HIC
We hope the summary and the gallery of images below helps to share a little of what to expect to happen on a Sunday morning.
At HIC, We try to make our Sunday services as welcoming and clear for those attending as we can, as we know It can be daunting going to a church service for the first time, or after having been away for a long while.
Each service begins by someone welcoming from the front, followed by a time of singing songs of worship led by musicians from within our church, and a time of prayer.
The speaker for that week, usually a member of our church, will then teach a message from the Bible. Here at Highgate International Church we tend to work through a series of messages that follow a book in the Bible.
In response to the teaching that we have heard from the speaker, we may have a period of silence and/or sing more songs of worship.
At some point during our time together, we usually have a time of reflection where believers will take communion/bread and wine or juice together to remember and celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ and what he’s done for us in his death and resurrection.
Usually near the end of our gathering, the service leader will highlight any notices or other events happening that week and may offer the opportunity to receive prayer from one of our team. Both before and after the formal part of each service, teas, coffees and snacks are served and there is plenty of opportunity to chat and to get to know one another.
On the 1st Sunday of each month we have lunch together and we’d love you to join our church family for an extended social time together.
Why do Christians sing?
Singing together in public in our culture isn't particularly usual, yet Christians the world over seem to sing whenever they meet. In a nutshell, Christians sing as a response to our love and thanks for what God has done in our lives.
We could either sing songs that encourage and remind each other of the things God tells us and what we believe, or songs that specifically praise God. The Bible tells us:
"...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
- Ephesians 5 v 18-20
"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts."
- Colossians 3 v 16
Why do Christians pray?
Praying is just how we communicate with God. We can pray out loud, in our heads, standing, sitting, with eyes open or closed. But just as how we need to be speaking with anyone in order to maintain a relationship with them, as Christians, we believe that in order to keep in good relationship with God, we want to be speaking with Him through prayer. We want to thank Him for what He's done and given us, ask His help, or tell Him we're sorry or ask for forgiveness. Jesus Himself prayed. The Bible tells us:
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
- 1 Thessalonians 5 v 17-18
"[Jesus said]...for your Father [God] knows what you need before you ask him. 'This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
- Matthew 6 v 8-10
Why do Christians take communion?
Taking communion (also sometimes called "the Lord's supper" or having the bread and wine/juice) in the service is a way that we remember Jesus' sacrifice for us when he died on the cross to take the penalty for the wrong we do/have done against God. There is nothing magical that happens to the bread and wine - Jesus commanded us to have them in remembrance of Him. The Bible tells us:
"The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes."
- 1 Corinthians 11 v 23-26
