Finding a Church in Your New Community

For many people, the church is an important part of their everyday life. If you move to a new city, finding a new church may be high on your priority list. It’s estimated that a third of all people in their 20s move annually and finding a church may be difficult, especially if they’ve moved away from home for the first time. Here are some tips for finding a church in your new city:

Ask Around

These days, people ask for recommendations for just about anything. The same is true if you’re new in town. You’ll ask about where to eat, where to hang out, and maybe even what plants to put in your house. In fact, more than 90% of homeowners add native plants to their yards.

If you’re new in town and looking for a new church, one of the best things you can do is ask around. Ask your co-workers, friends, and others if they recommend anywhere. While you’re asking around, once you get recommendations, you can ask more specific questions about a church.

Introduce Yourself

When you visit a church in your new city for the first time, introduce yourself. Visit the welcome center if there is one, and ask for some information. Some churches may offer a gift or a welcome packet for new visitors. Either way, introducing yourself to people is a great way to meet church members. It’s also a good way to ask questions about the church and learn about volunteer opportunities.

Do Some Thinking

Once you’ve visited some churches in your new city, take some time to think. Consider what these churches offer. Do they offer volunteer opportunities? What is worship like? Consider what messages you’ve taken from sermons, what sorts of activities are offered for children, and what ways the church offers to connect and fellowship.

Pray

The most important thing you can do when finding a new church is to pray. By praying, you’ll find the place you’re meant to be, and you’ll be among the people you’re meant to be with. If you’re a survivor of domestic violence, where an assault between people in a domestic relationship is alleged to have occurred, and you’re looking for a community to join, think about what the church does to help survivors of domestic violence.

Surf The Web

Like most restaurants and businesses these days, everything is online. That includes churches. Not every church will have a website or a social media page, but many do. You can easily find churches and check out their websites. This is a great way to see if a particular church’s beliefs align with your own before you visit that church in person. You can also read about volunteer work they do and how they contribute to the community.

Listen

As you’re checking out websites, you may actually be able to listen to some services or sermons. You may be able to even watch some of them on video. This is a great way to see the nature of a church’s services before an in-person visit. It puts no pressure on you and you can decide whether or not that church is for you.

Finding a new church in a new community isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be super hard either. By asking community members, doing some online research, and visiting some churches in person, you’ll be able to find a new church. Once you’ve decided on a new church, take time to get to know other church members and look for ways to contribute, both to the church and in the community.