I don’t normally go to church, can I come?
Absolutely, we’d love to have you come and worship with us. If you’d like someone to meet you before the service we’d be happy to do that too, just get in touch with the church office at the details below and we’ll be happy to help. If you don’t speak English as a first language we can arrange one-to-one Bible studies. There’s no dress code. If you don’t have a Bible, the passages are displayed on the screen for you to follow. You won’t be called upon to speak as part of the service.
When do you worship?
As a church we believe in the importance of studying the Bible, learning together and supporting one another through prayer and fellowship. Our main activity is meeting together for worship which takes place every Sunday at 11.00am and 6.00pm. This is when we gather together to sing praise to God, to pray, to be taught from the Bible and to share fellowship.
In addition to the main teaching time during the Sunday service we also have a few separate groups that meet together to study the Bible. This includes a range of Sunday School classes for children and young people aged pre-school-15.
What can I expect to happen at a service?
You can expect to hear somebody (usually our minister) pray, read from the Bible and teach from it. You won’t be asked to speak but when we sing praise we all sing together so you’re welcome to join in. The singing is led by an individual or small group at the front of the church and the words are shown on a screen.
Is there a chance to meet the congregation?
Yes, we'd love to see you at the services and afterwards. After the Sunday Morning service, we meet together for a cup of tea, coffee or juice. We also spend time together on a Sunday for fellowship at our regular Sunday lunches after the morning service. We run a hospitality rota for students and young workers inviting them to share a meal in the home of members of our congregation.
Are there activities for children and young people?
Yes, we know the importance of coming together with those at similar stages of life to gain strength in our individual walks with God, and we are blessed to have a broad age range without our family. We have a range of Sunday School Classes called JAMs (Jesus and Me). These are for children aged between 2-12. We have a Bible Class for teenagers aged 12-15 and there is also a crèche for babies and toddlers during the Sunday morning service.
First Friday (for S1-S6) meets on the first Friday of each month (it’s all in the name) at GCFC, when we share a meal and study the Bible, play games and learn more about how to follow Jesus when faced with the challenges and adventures of being a teenager. Third Saturday for teenagers meets each month for outings and games.
Do you meet during the week?
Yes, we encourage our church family to meet together regularly during the week. We want to promote the development of a Christian community who are caring and compassionate so that the love of Christ is experienced in practical ways by all within our fellowship, regardless of social status, wealth, culture or race.
Activities include our weekly prayer meeting, where we can come and pray together for one another, for our church, for our country and for the world; small groups, where we can meet together to share a meal and discuss the practical application of Christianity in our daily lives.
Occasionally we also have congregational outings – as another way of spending time with our church family. We want to grow together in our faith, encouraging people of all ages to get to know Jesus – and each other – better and make a difference in Glasgow.
What happens at the prayer meeting?
Prayer is central to the life of our congregation and we meet for prayer and Bible study every week. No one will unexpectedly be asked to pray aloud but please know that visitors and new members are welcome to do so!
On the second and fourth Wednesday of the month we meet in homes across the city in small groups for Bible study and prayer and fellowship. These City Groups currently run in Bearsden, the West End, South Side and in Partick Free Church.
On every other Wednesday we meet in the Church or on Zoom for an hour from 7.30pm.
Our Worship is Scriptural, Simple and Spiritual
Scriptural: Because the Bible is the Word of God, it has an important place in our lives and worship. At each service, it is read and explained by the minister. What we sing is based on the Bible – metrical psalms from traditional and contemporary psalters, paraphrases of Scripture and Biblical hymns. The central focus of our worship is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the “Word made flesh”.
Simple: Our congregational singing is simple and uncomplicated. We sing songs written from the Psalms, which are often sung a cappella (unaccompanied) and some hymns (ranging from traditional to more modern) with musical accompaniment, all led by praise leaders.
Spiritual: At our services, and indeed in the whole of our lives, we believe that our worship must be guided and helped by the Holy Spirit.