Visiting Waynesboro grace

It might seem an odd thing to say, but in a way, visiting a church for the first time is like going on a blind date. You're not sure what to expect. You might go into the date not really knowing much about the other person, but you might want to learn as much as you can ahead of time. To help make your first visit more comfortable, we have gathered some basic information on this page, and throughout our website, that we hope will be beneficial. We’re glad that you’re considering a visit to Waynesboro Grace.


If you have any questions that aren’t answered here, please contact the church office (717-762-5826 or connect@waynesborograce.org). Our staff would be glad to assist you.


COVID-19 Related: Masks are optional, and like neckties, you’ll find few, if any. However, no one will look twice if you wish to wear a mask.

Getting Ready

Feel free to dress in whatever level of formality makes you comfortable. Most people in the congregation dress casually. Most people wear khakis, jeans, dresses, button-up shirts, T-shirts, and slacks. You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone wearing a necktie, but you’re welcome to if you’d like.


If you have a Bible, we encourage you to bring it; however, most of the passages read during the service are displayed on the screens at the front of the sanctuary. We also have Bibles under the chairs that you can use. While Pastor Timothy uses the English Standard Version (ESV) when preaching, we don’t make a big deal about which translation you have with you.

Location & Parking

The church is located at 250 Philadelphia Avenue in Waynesboro, which is at the corner of Philadelphia Avenue and West Fourth Street. While there is limited on-street parking, out of consideration for the neighboring residents, we ask that you use one of the three nearby parking areas:

  1. At the corner of South Potomac Street and West Fourth Street (recommended).
  2. On the other side of South Potomac Street from the first lot.
  3. Behind the Waynesboro Industrial Museum, which is located at 235 Philadelphia Avenue.

Getting Settled

Our Sunday morning service begins at 10:30am and runs until approximately 11:45am. If you enter through the main entrance on Philadelphia Avenue, proceed up the stairs on your left to access the foyer and sanctuary.


Being a small church, your presence will be noticed. However, don’t worry, we make you feel welcome, not overwhelmed.


When you’re ready, head into the sanctuary and feel free to sit wherever you’d like.

Children

We have a staffed nursery for infants and toddlers. Children 4 and older begin the service in the sanctuary and then are dismissed before the sermon for age-appropriate teaching. Nevertheless, if you would rather keep your children with you, you are more than welcome to do so.


Upon entering the foyer, one of our greeters will have a Grace Kidz baggie for you. In this bag, there is a small gift for your family and a basic info card about your kiddos. If they join the Kidz classes, we want to make sure we know of any allergies they may have and how to contact you if needed.

Service Format

The worship leader calls the service to order, welcomes everyone, and then leads the congregation in two or three songs. There typically is a mix of hymns and contemporary songs. Then, there is a brief Bible reading and prayer, followed by one two more songs.


At this point, the children are dismissed, and there is a brief time of greeting. Again, we seek to find a balance between being friendly and being smothering.


Most weeks, Pastor Timothy presents the sermon, though there are some Sundays when a guest or another leader from our church might preach. In general, the sermon series consist of working through a book of the Bible from start to finish over several weeks or months.


The worship leader ends the service with a final song and prayer.


If you would like to get a better feel for our services, we encourage you to watch some of the service videos on our Media page.

Afterward

Some folks leave quickly, while others mingle a bit. We welcome you to stick around for a little while after the service to chat with us. If you have children with you, please begin to make your way to the Kidz area to pick them up.


We’d be glad to meet you and answer any questions you might have about Waynesboro Grace.