What to Expect

COC has ample parking in the lower and upper lots. If you have difficulty with inclines, we suggest you park in any of the grassy areas in the lower lots. Handicap and visitors' spaces are available to the right of the main building. 

Once you park, proceed to the main church building. Signs are posted throughout campus offering directions to various locations, and there is a welcome area in the foyer. Around the foyer, greeters can guide you to where you'd like to go. The campus is cozy and people are friendly, so you can ask anyone for help. Find our online campus map before you come, if you'd like to get acquainted early.  

The entire service is spoken in English, though our services are filled with people of all ethnicities.

Worship services are about 90 minutes long. They consist of music, announcements, prayer, an offering, occasional presentations highlighting different ministries, communion (on the first Sunday of the month), and preaching. Sermons last between 30 and 50 minutes, depending on the order of worship for that morning. 

From the careful teaching of the word of God to our joyful praise in song, from the purposeful giving of our offering to our prayerful approach to God, every act is one of worship.

We offer programs for children of all ages, including a nursery (birth to pre-K), Sunday school (K-6th grade), and Youth Group (7th-12th grade). The entire family is welcome to arrive at 9:00am for Family Sunday School before the worship service. Children from birth to pre-K can stay in our nursery during the worship service, allowing their parents to focus on the service. Children in K to 6th grade stay with their parents in the service until they are dismissed to meet their teacher in the back of the room and proceed to their own class, where they receive a special lesson just for them. Please check class pages or our Sunday Schedule for specifics. Only loving, kind, and background-checked workers oversee the care, safety, and teaching of your child. The first time you leave your child in the nursery, you will need to register. We utilize an industry-standard child check-in system from Planning Center to ensure we have accurate information about you and your child.  

Most people say it feels like a family when they visit. It's a friendly and casual environment. There are greeters at the door who will offer you a bulletin and a "hello," and we take time before and after services to greet one another. 

We will not ask you to stand for an introduction. We hope that a member of the church will take the time to personally greet you and get to know you before or after the service. There are visitor bags at our Welcome Desk that have more information about our church. If you need help finding one before or after service, please ask a greeter or usher. 

The range of attire is from casual to business. Although you will see some people in suits, you'll find many more in shorts, jeans, or whatever else they feel comfortable wearing. Come as you are.

Giving money to the church is an act of personal worship. We don't expect you, as a visitor, to give money unless that is what you want to do to worship God, who gives us all things. You are free to give money when the offering plate is passed, but it is perfectly acceptable for you to enjoy the service and get to know us as we get to know you as well. You can also give online. 

We love music at COC. Though Sundays vary, the music is usually led by a music leader and several vocalists. The lyrics to the songs are presented on a large screen.

Since we do not think any genre or era of music is "more spiritual" than any other, our musical selections range from classic hymns to contemporary praise songs. In an effort to always be grateful for the gifts that God has given, we often introduce new songs or arrangements. Even if you don't know the song or if we do it a little differently than you are used to, feel free to jump in with us, or sit and listen.  

Some people do raise their hands and some don't. If you want to lift your hands or clap in praise to God, you are encouraged to do so, but certainly not required. 

The worship director will generally prompt the congregation to stand for congregational singing (we do our best singing standing up). However, we're aware that everyone has different needs. You are always welcome to sit or stand, whichever is most beneficial for you. If standing is more comfortable, even during the sermon, you are welcome to stand in the rear of the Worship Center. If you need a quiet, private space to soothe an infant, a video sermon feed is also available in our nursing mothers' room near the nursery. 

Our senior pastor Kris Ullman teaches most regularly, and other pastors/leaders preach in his absence. With a few topical exceptions, the sermons are always based on a passage in the Bible and are expositional in nature—they explain the Scripture and help you apply it to your life. You can listen to past sermons online if you'd like to get a feel for the preaching or catch up on the current series. 

You don't have to bring a Bible or take notes, though both are highly encouraged. We have Bibles available in the foyer for you to borrow. Feel free to take one, or ask an usher to get one for you. Please keep it and take it home if you don't already have one. It is our gift to you. A sermon sheet is also available in the lobby for note-taking.  

We take communion on the first Sunday of the month. Communion is a time for the congregation to pray, confess sin to God, and worship Him. We give thanks to God for Jesus' death and resurrection and His saving us by grace through faith.

A pastor or church leader gives a short devotional and prayer time to center our hearts on Christ. Ushers pass individual portions of gluten-free bread and juice to the congregation during a time of musical worship. After the elements have been passed out, the devotional leader will come forward, pray, and we will take the elements together. 

COC's communion is open, meaning you do not need to be a member of our church to partake. As long as you are a member of the global body of Christ, you are welcome to share in the Lord's Supper.

We do have HVAC units, and we try to use the climate control to make it comfortable for the majority of people. If it's hot outside, we have the air conditioner on. If it's cold outside, we have the heater on. That said, it's always a good idea to bring a layer to add or remove as needed.