Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When are the church offices open?
A: The church offices are open from 9:00am-5:00pm, Mon-Thurs and 9:00am-12:00pm on Fridays except for major holidays. After office hours, an automated answering system will allow you to leave voice messages for any staff person.

Q: Must I be a church member to receive Holy Communion?
A: United Methodists believe that Jesus invites everyone to his table. You do not have to be a member of this church, a United Methodist, or even a baptized Christian to receive communion here. The only prerequisite is a willingness to accept the invitation to join others who desire to have their lives changed by Jesus Christ and his sacrificial self-giving. If you are seeking a renewed relationship of love with God and your neighbor you are welcome at the table.

Q: Is there a '"dress code" for coming to worship at HFUMC?
A: There is no dress code. There are those who come to worship in their "Sunday best." For them wearing their best clothes is viewed as part of making their best offering to God in their worship. Others believe that their best offering has to do with what is on the inside of the person rather than what is worn on the outside of the body. Dress in a way that reflects your relationship with God and your respect for the other members of the church.

Q: Is clapping permitted in worship?
A: As with dress, there are different interpretations of the same behavior. There are those who believe clapping is applause and applause is inappropriate, because worship is not entertainment and those who lead worship are not doing so to receive personal recognition. Worship is service to God, not self-serving. Others, however, do not view clapping as applause but as a way of worshiping God with their bodies as well as their ears and mouths. They clap as a way of expressing their experience of God's presence and inspiration.

Q: How can people who are so different worship together?
A: We worship together as children of God and the Body of Christ. Christ's love allows us not only to tolerate those who have different preferences than we do, but to love them beyond our differences. God's gifts come to us in many different ways and forms. If we avoid everything that initially seems strange and uncomfortable, we might miss something important that God is trying to tell us. Jesus calls us to worship God in spirit and truth. We follow by lovin one another-- especially those who are unlike us. At HFUMC we seek to worship using a variety of styles of music and worship forms. We believe that God is glorified when all God's children, in all our God-given diversity, worship together.

*Children ages three through kindergarten may leave the sanctuary after the Children's Message at the 8:15.