What to Expect Your First Sunday at Grace Fishers

What Brought Me In

I came because I wanted my daughter to have more faith than I had. I was scared and genuinely unsure about my own faith. I stood outside the door seriously considering getting back in my car.

What stopped me was someone from the welcome team who noticed me, walked over, and just stayed. She walked me through check-in for my kids, showed me where their rooms were, walked me to the auditorium, and didn't leave until she was sure I was okay. I never learned her name. But she is the reason I didn't leave, and she is exactly the kind of welcome Grace Fishers is known for.

If you're feeling any of that before you show up, this is what to expect.

When You Walk In

When you arrive at Grace Fishers, people are there to greet you. Not overwhelming, not performative. Just genuinely warm. From there, it depends on your situation.

If you have kids or students: Head to New Family Check-In. Someone there will help you register your family, get your kids checked in safely, and answer any questions about where things are. If you want to save time on Sunday morning, you can register ahead at our Plan Your Visit page.

If it's just you: You can head straight into the auditorium or stop by the Info Desk first. Someone there can answer questions, point you where you need to go, and give you a quick lay of the land.

First-time guests get a bag with some information about the church and a gift. If you come back a second time and bring your new guest card, there's another one waiting for you. And if you fill out a Connect Card online, we make a $5 donation in your name, because we want this relationship to start being about you, not about us.

What the Service Looks Like

When you walk into the auditorium, you'll see a countdown clock and pre-service slides on the screens showing what's coming up and what's available. When the service starts, a host welcomes everyone and gets things going.

Then comes musical worship. Grace Fishers is a contemporary church, which means the music sounds like actual music. A mix of modern worship songs with different beats and styles, and occasionally a hymn you might recognize in a fresh arrangement. It's not a performance. It's an invitation to participate however that feels right to you.

After worship, there are a few short announcements, and then the message. Our messages are practical, Bible-based, and written for real life. They usually run about 35-45 minutes and tend to leave you with something to actually think about.

After the message, communion and a prayer wall are available on both sides of the stage. Neither is required. Both are open to everyone.

After the Service

Nobody is rushing you out. People hang around in the lobby, catch up, and take their time. The Info Desk and New Family Check-In are still staffed if you have questions or want to know more.

Look for the Connect Wall in the lobby. It's a low-pressure way to find next steps, pick up an upcoming events calendar, learn about groups and serving opportunities, and see what else is available, all without having to talk to anyone if you're not quite ready for that.

What to Wear

Whatever you want. Seriously. Come in jeans. Come in what you wore to run errands. Nobody is checking.

One More Thing

If you've been thinking about visiting for a while and just haven't made the move yet, you're not alone. Most people wait longer than they mean to. However you got here and whatever brought you to the door, we're genuinely glad you're considering it.

You can plan your visit, register your kids ahead of time, and find service times at gracefishers.church/new-to-grace. We'll see you Sunday.

About the Author

Beth Montgomery is the Communications Director at Grace Fishers Church in Fishers, Indiana. She almost didn't walk through the door the first time. She's really glad someone was there when she did.