What To Expect When You Visit
E-Free Church of Bloomington/Normal

On your first few visits to E-Free, you will find yourself immersed in friendly people ready to help you with any questions you may have.

Expect a relaxed and informal community of believers and people who are seeking answers to spiritual questions.  They will be enjoying fellowship, searching for opportunities to aid the local community of people who are marginalized,  a commitment to overseas missions, and devoted Christ followers.

Has your journey with God just begun?  Are you looking for a place of worship that will encourage, entice and unfold scripture with a focus on life application?  Do you yearn for a small group experience that will draw you nearer to the design of the early Christian church?  Are you looking for a way to share your faith with those who are less fortunate than you?  The Evangelical Free Church places special emphasis on spiritual growth through experiential sharing.  We have an extra special focus on serving others outside of our church through events for Single Moms, serving at local missions, the Midwest Food Bank, and providing to the needs of less fortunate.

Your will find that the men’s and women’s ministries are active and provide many opportunities to engage the church body.  You will find outposts throughout the church every Sunday where you can sign up to engage in various outreach and community activities.

Whether you want to recapture a time in your life when you were constantly amazed by the truest things, or simply want to test the waters by experiencing God in your life for the first time, The Evangelical Free Church is ready to welcome you.
 

BEFORE THE SERVICE

Choose a service time:

The Evangelical Free Church offers three services each Sunday at 8:00 am, 9:30 and 11:00 am. You will be warmly greeted at the door by members of the congregation and given a program which includes church events, announcements and a note taking sheet for the message.

Check in your children:

Nursery: Open to infants and toddlers, ages 0-24 months. Quality child-care is available during 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 worship services.

Preschool: Open to children ages 2-preschool. Hands-on Bible learning is available during 9:30 and 11:00 worship services. (During the 11:00 service all children ages 4-4th grade remain with their parents or guardians in the sanctuary until being dismissed by the pastor.)

Amazing Graceland: Open to children in Kindergarten-4th grade. It is a creative and interactive learning time, available during the 9:30 worship service.

Children’s Church: Open to children in Kindergarten-4th grade. A time for children to enjoy their own worship experience, is available during 11:00 worship service. (During the 11:00 service all children ages 4-4th grade remain with their parents or guardians in the sanctuary until being dismissed by the pastor.)

Get settled:

At The Evangelical Free Church, you will notice a casual atmosphere, and people of all ages and walks of life. You may sit wherever you will feel most comfortable. Casual dress is the norm, but at our earlier 8 am service you may find a little bit more formality.

DURING THE SERVICE

Worship:

This time is set aside for communicating with God from our hearts. At our 8 am service you can expect traditional hymns to be sung.  Dave and Marilyn Musick lead our early service worship with a more traditional approach to worship. 

In our next two services, our worship team will lead us in upbeat, contemporary songs of celebration, as well as more intimate songs of worship. Many of the songs may be familiar to you if you listen to local Christian radio stations. Everyone worships in his or her own unique way – for many, that may mean raising hands, singing and clapping along, and for others it means quietly reflecting on the words. You’re welcome to do whatever makes you feel most comfortable.

Offering:

The Evangelical Free Church will pass an offering plate at each of its services. An offering is an act of giving between you and God. The regular congregation members do give each week as an act of worship in thanking God for all that He has done in their lives and to help support the many activities and missions of the church.  As a guest, there is no obligation for you to give.

Message:

Every weekend, our pastor gives a relevant, straightforward message that is based on Scripture, and is designed to be helpful in your everyday life.  We call this topical based preaching in contrast with a more traditional and formal verse by verse teaching.  These messages will help you develop a growing, vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ, and apply biblical teachings to your own life.  The sermons are also being recorded and can be found in the sermons section of our website.  Often, we will use a sermon series that will match the study in our small group bible studies. 

Communion:

The first Sunday of every month, we celebrate communion together. Anyone can participate in this time of reflection and prayer – as long they’ve made the decision to follow Jesus Christ. The juice and bread that we share represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ and the life he gave up so that our sins could be forgiven.

AFTER THE SERVICE

Pick up your kids:

If your children were part of one of our children's programs, you will want to go to that area and pick them up. 

With one exception: Children’s Church during 11:00 service, when the kids are released back into the sanctuary toward the end of the service.

Café Connection:

 Grab a cup of coffee, tea or OJ at the coffee bar and head to the Café Connection. A Café Connection host will be available to give you information about E-Free and answer any questions that you may have. They can give you more information regarding our Guest Dinners and Starting Point. 

Fellowship:

The time in between services is a time for you join us for refreshments and for you to meet other people. It is also a time for you to ask questions about our church and the many activities we offer.  Our newly built addition to our church has a coffee bar that will welcome you before and after the worship services and our café adjacent to the worship center will often find friends and family enjoying community and fellowship. 

BEYOND

Get more involved:

The Evangelical Free Church offers a range of opportunities for adults and their children to move beyond weekend services and into deeper, more meaningful relationships with Jesus Christ. To find ways to get more involved:

•  Attend a Guest Dinner or Starting Point to learn more about E-Free. 
   For more information about these events click here.

•  Read the announcements in the weekend program.

•  Pick up brochures from our displays in the foyer. 

•  Browse this website.

•  Contact the church office for more information