what to expect
Sundays -
From 9:30 am: Coffee & community
10 am: Gather for services
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We’re a vibrant, friendly, small community and we love being together. So any given Sunday morning, you’ll probably find us chatting and enjoying each other’s company, sipping coffee, and listening to music.
We’re casual in our dress, with everything from jeans and t-shirts to sweaters, skirts, and a very occasional tie. You are welcome to wear whatever makes you comfortable.
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You’ll likely be greeted warmly by several people. We’ll hand you a bulletin (program), and invite you to grab a warm cup of Fair Trade coffee or tea, and to make yourself at home. We gather before worship in our common space, but the sanctuary is always open for quiet reflection before the service officially begins.
Our sanctuary is arranged in the "round," reflecting our embrace of every voice and the beauty that we're not alone. It also contains symbols that are meaningful to our faith community, such as the 12 windows representing our 12 foundational scriptures and our 12 values statements, and the original cross from our first building. Houston Mennonite's first home was a building at the same address that was torn down in March 2018 after 50 years of service.
Our worship is engaging, and filled with a variety of singing styles, children’s story, scripture reading, an open sharing and prayer time, sometimes group discussions, and a sermon by either our pastor, Lee Lever, a special guest speaker, or a member of our faith community. We’re made stronger when guests join us for worship.
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Children of all ages are welcome at Houston Mennonite, and we welcome gender-diverse children. We have a children’s message in each worship service before kids are invited to join our Children's Church. Kindergarten age and younger leave the sanctuary for Children's Church. Children have their own classes and activities during Second Hour, with childcare provided for those in Kindergarten or below.
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Our building is simple, reflecting our hope to find goodness in the little things of life.
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Accessibility and inclusion:
The Houston Mennonite Church building is fully accessible. Disabled parking can be found to the south of the main entrance, with some more spaces to the south of the south entrance (find a floorplan on this page). The main entrance faces the parking lot (not Wirt Road) and is accessed by a ramp.
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Bathrooms are also fully accessible. Male and female bathrooms are off the common space, with a family bathroom just a short distance away down the hall. All bathrooms are equipped with baby changing tables, and the family bathroom also contains a step-stool. It is fully accessible and large enough for a wheelchair and/or a care assistant, and can be used by all genders.
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We use microphones throughout Sunday morning worship, and the building has a hearing assistance system. If you would like to use a receiver, please ask for one when you arrive.
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We are an open and affirming congregation and welcome all people and families.
