We hope that you find our assembly inspirational and the atmosphere warm and friendly; it is our prayer that in our worship assembly you will sense the presence of God. This is a family where everyone has a place to belong. It is our belief that each member of Southside has a unique ministry to fulfill using God-given gifts and abilities--God has equipped each one of us with talents to use in His kingdom. We use these gifts to facilitate the mission of the Southside Church.
Our Mission Statement here
at the Southside church of Christ is:
"Seeking to know Him....... "
"Seeking to make Him known"
We are a church which bears Christ's name. We desire to be the presence of Jesus in this world. That is our calling. That is our mission. So, we invite you to be a part of our family of faith. We welcome you to exalt Jesus with us. Come and help us continue the ministry of Jesus in the Wasatch Valley.
Warmly,
Minister
Here are some of the many activities going on within our church family. Living for the Lord doesn't end when Sunday morning services conclude... It's just the beginning!
Our small groups are a vital ministry for those who attend Southside. To feel connected in a church, involvement in a small group is one key to a meaningful experience in spiritual growth. Building personal relationships, offering and receiving prayer support, discipleship and helping to welcome and connect with new comers is what participating in a small group is all about.
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Sunday:
- Crabb Famly: 5pm in West Jordan
- Mix Family: 5pm in West Jordan
- Danielson Family: 5:30pm in West Jordan
- Gannon Family: 6pm in Murray
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Tuesday:
- Playgroup: 11:30am at McDonalds 90th South 40th West
- Symple Youth Group: 7pm at the Building
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Wednesday:
- Mens Prayer Group: 6:30am at the Building
- Osborn Family: 7pm in Sandy
- Bloedel Family: 7pm in Sandy
- Anderson Family: 7pm in Layton
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Thursday:
- Ladies Morning Study: 10am in West Jordan
- Shepherd Famly: 7pm in Salt Lake City
- Hooper Family: 7pm in Taylorsville
Each week our members host families, just as yourselves, in their homes to have a time of fellow ship, prayer, study, discussion and sometimes even good food. Please look over the list of host households and take the time to visit several groups and find a good fit for you, your family, and your schedule.
We would love for you to visit us at Southside, and we want you to feel comfortable. But we know an unfamiliar place can be intimidating. So, let us share with you what you can expect when you honor us with a visit.
Our Sunday morning Bible classes for all ages begin at 9:30 a.m. and our worship assembly begins at 10:30 a.m.
The Setting
Our building located at the northeast corner of 3200 West and 7000 South in West Jordan, a suburb of Salt Lake City.
We have specially marked parking places for our guests to the left of the main entrance on the west side of the parking lot.
As you enter through the front doors expect to find people milling about visiting with each other and smiling a lot. You will be greeted warmly and handed a bulletin that will have the order of worship on the front so you can follow along with what is happening in our worship assembly. Coffee and other refreshments are waiting for you at our hospitality center in the foyer. Someone will probably stop to welcome you, but you will not be asked for any personal information or put on the spot in any way.
Singing
We like to sing! And for the most part, the songs are a balance of the traditional hymns of faith and contemporary praise songs, sung "acappella" that is, without accompaniment of musical instruments. The words to the songs will be displayed by PowerPoint at the front of the auditorium, or if you are not familiar with the tune, you may want to follow along in the songbook (located in the back of the chair in front of you) which has the music with the words. You are welcome to sing along or just listen. We think you'll find the singing meaningful and inspirational.
Prayers
There will be several prayers during the service. Near the end of our worship time a prayer will be offered for specific needs and requests. To include a prayer request, fill out the back of the Welcome card (located in the back of the seat in front of you), and place it in the collection plate as it is passed during the assembly. This request will be prayed for out loud at the end of our service. If you would like this prayer request to be confidential, simply mark the confidential box and our elders/shepherds will make time to pray for your request during the week.
Message
You will notice that our preacher/minister does not have a title. He won’t be referred to Pastor or Reverend. He may be referred to as brother, mister, or most likely just called by his first name. He won’t be wearing any ecclesiastical vestments, which set him apart from the rest of the congregation. The reason for this is our belief in the priesthood of all believers (which means we all are equal in God's eyes).
The sermon will likely be 20-30 minutes in length. We think you will find it Bible-centered and relevant to issues affecting your everyday life.
Invitation
At the end of the sermon, the speaker will offer "an invitation.” This is simply an opportunity to invite those, who would like to, to make a commitment or request prayer support. He will encourage anyone who wishes to “respond” to come to the front of the auditorium and make his/her request known while the congregation sings a song.
Don’t feel ill at ease during the invitation. You will not be singled out in any way. There may be some who respond, possibly there are none, some may want to be baptized, some ask for prayers of a specific need, or some to place membership with this church. If anyone desires to be baptized, you will witness the baptism.
The Lord's Supper
If you visit on a Sunday, the Lord’s Supper will be included in the worship assembly because our church observes this memorial every Sunday. Again, the reason for this is our desire to follow New Testament teachings. The first century church celebrated this observance on the first day of the week. We assume from this that they did it the first day of every week, and we know from respected historians that in early centuries the Lord’s Supper was an every Sunday commemoration.
During this memorial, plates containing pieces of unleavened bread will be passed throughout the congregation. The bread symbolizes the body of Jesus. Each participating person will break off a piece of bread and eat it.
Next, trays of small cups will be passed as well. The cups contain “fruit of the vine,” (grape juice) symbolizing the blood of Jesus. Each participant will drink the contents of one of the cups.
If you choose not to participate, don’t be embarrassed. Feel free to just pass the tray to the person next to you.
Offering
Also, if you visit on a Sunday, a collection plate will be passed to collect the weekly financial offerings. As our guest, you are not expected to make a donation. Feel perfectly comfortable in just passing the collection plate on down the row.
What will be expected of you
Expect to be encouraged by what you see and hear! You are welcome to participate, but don’t feel obligated to. Just observe if that is your choice.
You may be asked to fill out a Welcome card. This simply provides information so the church can write or call to thank you for your visit. Supply the information if you are comfortable doing so, but feel free to decline this request if you prefer.
The People
What kind of people do you expect to find? Pretty much the entire spectrum, as in any group. We’re a diverse group, coming from varied backgrounds, and at different stages of life and of knowledge and spiritual growth. We are a fairly casual group--not many coats and ties.
We don’t know everything. We don’t do everything right. We haven’t arrived – we are still on the journey, but you see we were not brought together by any illusion of perfection or righteousness. We were brought together by our recognition that we are sinners in need of the cleansing blood of Jesus. That is the reason we can worship together, stick together, and with God’s help accomplish some things that make a difference, but bottom line, you will find people who love Jesus and love the Bible.
