It's not easy visiting a new church for the first time. Sometimes you feel a little awkward. Do I belong here? Am I really welcome? Will the people be unfriendly, or too friendly? Will I be conspicuous? Will it be easy to leave if I don't enjoy it? Will they ask me for money? Will my kids enjoy it? How should I dress? Am I welcome if I don't think the same?

As one of the pastors, I want to make visiting Vero Vineyard an enjoyable experience that is stress-free and relaxing... and even fun! Many of the folks here at the Vineyard were in the same place as you not long ago, visiting the church for the first time themselves. So, what can you expect when visiting the Vineyard? Let me give you a brief overview:

When you arrive at our new ministry center, located at 1505 20th Street (across from the Indian River courthouse), feel free to park in the lot in the front or back of the building. You will see signs that tell you where to enter. If you park in the back there are walkways on either side of the building to get you to the front door.

As you walk in our all new "Vineyard Cafe, you'll likely bump into some friendly people (we call them "greeters") who will greet you, say hello, offer you a bulletin, answer any questions you have, and direct you to the meeting room, where we have our service.
On your way, don't forget to stop and have coffee, hot chocolate and some fresh Panera pastries and bagels & cream cheese in the Vineyard Cafe, of course, at no charge. If you have kids, they'll let you know about our Children's Church and Nursery(which are also well-marked with clear signs).

If your kids are more comfortable, they're welcome to attend the adult service with you, but if they're up for it they'll likely have a great time in Jesus Junction Children's Church. Our Kid's Church ministry is led by a fantastic group of people completely committed to teach and reflect God's love to the kids.Their service begins after worship, at which time you'll notice the teachers gathering them together to go to the kid's room.

You'll soon notice that everyone is dressed comfortably, in anything from "office casual" to jeans and sneakers. Many come in shorts and sandals. We want everyone to come as they are, so dress in whatever fashion makes you feel most at home.

Once you pass from the Cafe into our main sanctuary you will be warmed by the inviting appearance of the auditorium, and you will find the individual seating comfortable and generous. The service begins at 10am with about 30 minutes of cutting edge, contemporary music from our worship band. During this time the congregation will sing along with the band, following the lyrics displayed on the dual multi-media screens. This is a time where you are free to just sing or you can lift and clap your hands. Many people find this portion of the service extremely moving and often you will observe tears glistening on a number of cheeks.

This is generally followed by a transitional prayer.On many occasions these prayers become prophetic in nature, and will often confirm (without prior collaboration) some of the message themes that will follow. We then share some brief announcements about upcoming church events. Then, I (or another speaker) will begin the message. I usually speak for about 35-40 minutes, and I do my best to make the messages interesting, enjoyable and relevant to daily life. Our method of presentation is more of a "teaching" style rather than preaching. You will generally be able to follow the Scripture quotations and message outline by watching our colorful Power Points presentation on the overhead screens. The message will be based on the Bible, and I will often include illustrations(some humorous) from my own experience, and then attempt to make appropriate applications to all of our lives.If I do my job right, you'll hear timeless truths from the Bible that make sense for today's world. Hopefully, you will experience God speaking to your heart thru the message.

After I've shared, I typically close in prayer and invite people to reflect for a moment on how the message might have intersected with their lives. People are free to sit, stand, or even come to the front of the church where we have trained "ministry team" folks (both men and women) who will be happy to pray for whatever you'd like. All this is done in a non-hyped, discreet manner.

The service almost always ends by 11:30am (and believe it or not, the time will really fly.) After the service, your kids will be brought back into the main room. If you're able to, feel free and stick around a few minutes... meet some people and enjoy some coffee and pastries at the Vineyard Cafe. Church is about God and worship, but it's also about community and compassion, so we hope people really experience warmth and friendliness at the Vineyard.

That's about it. People constantly tell me that they really felt comfortable, and that they connected with God and His purposes for them sometime in the service. That makes it all worth it!

I hope you'll stop by this Sunday.

Tony Valentino, Vision & Teaching Pastor