Here's a few things you'll want to know about us:

Our morning service is designed to begin at 11:15am and end at 12:30pm; the evening service is a little shorter.

Each Sunday the Uptown@Incarnation community gathers for worship in Memorial Chapel on the main campus. The service is a dynamic fusion of ancient liturgies of the church and contemporary, slightly "jazzy", music. Every service features preaching that is biblically based and relevant to what's going on in our lives. Following the ancient practices of the church we weekly celebrate the Eucharist (Holy Communion), which reminds us of what God has done and strenthens us for what God is calling us to do.

 

So Where does Uptown meet; and where should I park?

We meet in Memorial Chapel at the Church of the Incarnation. The Chapel can be recognized by the big wooden doors opening to the circle drive facingMcKinney Avenue. We are located in the heart of Uptown, and suggest you arrive about 15 minutes before theservice to allow for parking and traffic. You can park in any of the parking spaces on the Church of the Incarnation campus, as well as on the street in front of the church, and across the street by thetennis courts. Please be mindful of any "no parking" signs.

What can I expect on my first visit?

When you arrive, you will be greeted at the door and given a worship bulletin which contains the order of worship for the day, space for sermon notes, and announcements. Attached to the leaflet is a communication card. You can use the card to give us some information about yourself that will enable us to get to know you better, or use to ask a question or tell us about a prayer request.

Upon entering the Chapel, amidst the beauty of the hand-crafted stained-glass windows and rich symbols of the faith, one is drawn to the God who transcends all, yet is imminent. You will notice a two video screens, which are used to project scripture, the liturgy and the lyrics to the worship songs. The band (and we have a smokin' band...) will begin the service with worship songs. The opening songs are followed by prayers, readings from scripture, and a sermon, or message. The sermon is usually about 20-25 minutes. Following the sermon, the service continues with prayers, additional worship songs, and Holy Communion. At Uptown we know some people need time and space to explore a faith-based community. You're free to join in or watch from the back row as long as you like.

On Holy Communion

We believe that Holy Communion—the consecrated bread and wine—involves a holy mystery and, among other things, helps remind us of what God has done, and strenthens us for what God is calling us to do. In our church, all baptized Christians are welcome to receive communion. You receive Holy Communion by coming forward when given the cue by the worship leader. You receive the consecrated bread in the palm of your hand. Chalice bearers are on either side of the altar area, and you can receive the consecrated wine by drinking directly from one of the chalices (the chalice bearers will help you) or dipping a portion of the communion wafer into the wine. If you are not baptized, we encourage you to come forward for a blessing. All of this will be explained in the service.During communion, there are prayer ministry teams available on the right side of the worship space. These teams are trained to pray with you, if you like, about any special need or circumstance in your life. Prayer ministry is available from the time of communion until after the service. This is a wonderful time to receive from the Lord.

After receiving communion, there is a short prayer, a worship song, and the dismissal. About halfway through the service, an offering is taken as the altar is being prepared for communion. Because you are our guest, we don't want you to feel pressured to give, but we would appreciate you dropping the communication card in the plate so we can get to know you better. Our goal in all our worship services is to honor God and encourage those who attend. If you have any questions about the service, please feel free to ask one of our greeters or ushers. You can also call the Uptown ministry office or email us during the week.

So what's the bottom line?

Like you may have seen in our "first time visitor" graphic--we're not perfect--but we are real. The reality of Christianity is that we stuggle. We make mistakes. We live. We fall. We get back up. We rely on friends. We work hard. We pursue a faith that makes a difference. If that resonates in your mind or heart, you may find something familiar about us. The bottom line is we stand by greace and try to help one another to walk in ways pleasing to God. If you're looking for someplace to belong; someplace to call your spiritual home, then Uptown may be for you. Hope to see you soon.