Honest answers to the questions visitors ask us most often, including what it means to be a Reformed evangelical church and how covenantal worship shapes our Sunday gathering. We meet Sundays at 11:30am at 210 Church St, Howell, MI 48843. Want to hear a recent sermon before you visit?
Sundays at 11:30am
Christ Church of Livingston County meets at Ascend Church (formerly First Baptist Church) in Howell, at 210 Church St, Howell, MI 48843. If you are looking for a church in Howell, start here and stay for Word and sacrament.
On Reverence
Traditional worship?
Most people assume a 'traditional' service means stiff, joyless, or stuck in the past. We don't see it that way. Reverence and joy belong together, and the historic shape of Christian worship — confession, Word, song, sacrament — is how the church has worshiped for nearly two thousand years. We sing loudly, we feast on Christ, and we go home to bless our families.
We seek worship that befits the greatness of the occasion: meeting with our majestic God.
On Children
Children in worship?
Yes, all of them, every Sunday, from infants on up. We don't run a separate children's church or a nursery during the service, because the covenant family worships together. You won't be the only parent rocking a baby or reminding a toddler to sit still — you'll be in good company.
Nothing for my kids?
We hear this often. The truth is, the whole service is for your kids. They learn to worship by watching you confess, sing, listen, and kneel. Nothing replaces that. Bring snacks if you must, expect imperfect Sundays, and keep showing up — children grow into liturgy the same way they grow into language.
Your kids need to see you worship God. They learn how to worship at their parents' side.
On the Service
Where's the screen?
There isn't one. We sing from a printed book and read from printed Bibles because the page in your hand is more honoring to a 2,000-year-old tradition of worship than the slide deck behind a worship band. It also keeps your eyes on the people next to you, not a glowing rectangle.
I don't know this music.
That's fine — almost no one does on their first visit. We sing psalms and hymns the church has sung for centuries, plus newer settings written by friends. The melodies are singable, the people around you sing strong, and by your third or fourth Sunday you'll find yourself humming them at the kitchen sink.
The best that the church has sung for the last 1800 years, not just the last eight.
Why do you kneel?
Because Scripture tells us to bow before the Lord our Maker (Psalm 95:6). We kneel during corporate confession because the body teaches the soul. To physically lower yourself before God is a small, weekly rehearsal of what it means to repent.
On Participation
Do I need to give money?
No. Visitors are guests. The offering is part of worship for members of the church, and we'd rather you simply receive on your first visits than feel any pressure to put something in the plate.
What is communion?
The Lord's Supper. We celebrate every Lord's Day with bread and wine, because Christ instituted it as a meal — not an occasional remembrance, but a weekly feeding of his people. If you are a baptized Christian in good standing with a Christian church, you are welcome at the table.
Why do you have wine?
Because Jesus did. We use real wine for the same reason we use real bread: the Supper is a meal, and meals are made of food. We also offer grape juice for those who need it. No one is shamed, and no one is forced.
first-visit
What should I expect when visiting Christ Church of Livingston County?
Expect reverent worship centered on Scripture, historic Christian liturgy, prayer, and congregational singing. You are welcome to come as you are and ask questions.
Plan your visit
We'd love to meet you this Sunday. Ask anything about what a Reformed church is, our CREC affiliation, or what to expect at a Reformed church. Or simply show up; we'll save you a seat.