Divine Word has been located in Barrhaven since 1978. We want to introduce people to our Saviour God and to help them grow closer to Him. We welcome people from all different backgrounds to come and explore God’s Word with us. We embrace the different cultures that God has brought to our community.
When does the congregation meet?
During the School Year:
Worship Services are at 10:30 AM.
Bible Study Classes for young and old adults are at 9:00 AM.
Sunday School starts as well at 9:00 AM for kids aged 3 years – grade 8.
Youth Group starts at 9:00 AM
In the summer (Mid June through Labor Day):
Worship Services are at 9:30 AM. A short family oriented Bible Study follows the Service.
Fellowship with refreshments usually follows the Worship Service.
Throughout the year and during the week, Bible studies are conducted depending on interest and enrollment. Contact the pastor for details and times.
What is worship like at Divine Word?
Every church has its own style of worship. We think you’ll enjoy the services at Divine Word, but as in any church, you should expect it to take a couple of Sundays to become accustomed to our way of praising God.
Each week there is a worship folder/bulletin, which we use along with church hymnals. You will also find a brief explanation of the worship theme of the particular Sunday. Although Bibles are also provided, you are encouraged to bring along your own Bible and follow along with the Bible readings if you choose.
Our worship services focus on readings from God’s Word – the Bible. There we hear God speak to us. Music and singing are important parts of our worship as well. Loud or soft, in monotone or rich harmony, ancient or contemporary, all our praises are music to the Lord.
Our pastor offers instruction and encouragement in a Bible-based sermon or message for children and adults alike. Young or old, you can expect God’s guidance and grace through his Word for dealing with life’s problems, as well as the promise of eternal life in heaven through our Savior Jesus.
During some services, our members partake of the Lord’s Supper. Divine Word Lutheran Church (and all congregations of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) practice what is called “Closed Communion” – a tradition of the ancient Christian church. For an explanation of this practice, please contact Pastor Sullivan.
Our worship services use both traditional forms found within a hymnbook, as well as forms that are more contemporary that are published in our worship folder for the day. The language and application are modern in both cases however. We hope you will enjoy both as we worship our gracious Lord together!
How should one dress?
You might wonder how you are expected to dress at a church you’ve never visited before. Since the Bible presents no dress code, except for common decency, good taste and Christian humility, Divine Word doesn’t make any rules either.
Like most people, our members try to make their worship time at church a special time. This is often reflected in the way they dress. Still dress is a personal matter of worship before God. One person may dress casually and rejoice that our gracious Lord accepts us as we are, while another may dress to reflect the awe and reverence we have for our Savior King.
On any Sunday at our church, you may see running shoes and heels, jeans and suits, open collars and ties. When a person dresses out of love and respect for his or her Lord, the choice of dress, whether informal or more formal, is acceptable to God . . . and us.
Does one need to give an offering?
“When will they take the offering?” “How will it be collected?” “How much am I expected to give?” “Do they want visitors to contribute too?” These are typical worries about church offerings, but God’s Word teaches that our offerings to God should reflect our belief that all we have is his gift to us. It teaches us that with our offerings, we worship and honor God. Not only do these offerings give our members the opportunity to show love to Christ, but also to support the work of our congregation as we bring the Good News of Christ’s love to more people.
We pass an offering plate during the service and we provide offering envelopes to members to keep our gifts a private matter known only to the Lord. A child may also bring the quarters and dimes his parents give him/her. Someone older may give a cash donation or write a cheque. All forms however, are seen as gifts given out of love for our Savior.
As a guest, we do not expect you to contribute an offering, nor do we want to pressure you into doing so. You will no doubt want to learn more about our ministry before giving your offerings to God through our church, but you are welcome to participate as your heart leads you.
What is the worst that can happen?
Attending a church for the first time can be intimidating. Here are some common worries:
“I would just die if they made me stand up and say something.” – We can assure you that we won’t embarrass you in this or any other way. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible and at home with us. Time at church should be an enjoyable and uplifting experience. We promise to do all we can so you can learn about your Savior in a relaxed fashion.
“I know my child is going to be too noisy.” – Our congregation is much like a family with infants and kids and teens and adults and elderly. It is not uncommon to hear a baby’s cry mixed in with the sound of hymns or readings. If, however, at any time you feel the need to leave the Service, we have a basement with a closed circuit TV, where you can bring your child and still follow the Service. Furthermore, if you have a little one who needs a diaper change, this can take place in both men’s and ladies’ restrooms in the basement.
“I’m afraid I’ll say or do something wrong.” – You are not alone! All of us, at some time, have felt this way in a new situation. We hope you’ll see that the people of Divine Word are ordinary people just like yourself. We want to accept you as you are and help you become what Christ wants you to be.
“I know I will feel out of place.” – We hope this visitor’s guide has helped to ease your mind, but if you have a question, please ask someone for help. Don’t hesitate to say, “I’m new here. Can you help me?” We can assure you our members are more than willing to help!
“I just want to watch at first, but I know they’ll try to get me involved or sign me up for something.” – It’s unpleasant to be pressured into doing something, or to be part of a “membership drive” as though we are being herded, isn’t it? We believe church membership should be a voluntary matter, and the most important thing of all is to trust in our Savior Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation. We know this takes time. People need time to evaluate and decide if they wish further involvement in a congregation or group. We respect that need.
“I don’t know that much about the Bible.” – Worship and Bible study are opportunities to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and faith in Jesus. You won’t have to answer any questions you don’t want to answer. Don’t forget…sometimes the wisest words to say are, “I don’t know.”
What does it mean to be a “Lutheran”?
Divine Word Evangelical Lutheran Church is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Canada, which is affiliated with the Wisconsin Lutheran Synod in the United States. Our church body started in Milwaukee, WI in the 1850s…hence, the name.
The name “Lutheran” comes from the great 16th century reformer, Martin Luther. At that time in history, the Church had lost sight of its Savior and the truth of his Word. To restore that truth, the Lord used Martin Luther to boldly challenge these errors and preach that faith in Jesus Christ is all we need for salvation. Jesus did it all for us! For this reason, we are proud to remember Luther’s work in bringing to light the truth of God’s Word by using his name to identify ourselves.
Our membership in the WELS unites us with like-minded Christians across our country and around the world, who share a common faith with us. This “synod” allows us to jointly do work we cannot do on our own. We pool our resources to do mission work at home and abroad, to train young people to serve in public ministry as pastors, teachers, staff ministers, and to put out publications such as hymnals, Bible studies, and other materials. Above all, we find comfort in knowing there are Christians throughout the world who share a common faith with us.
A Final Note.
We pray that this “Visitor’s Guide” has helped answer some of your questions and alleviated some of your fears. Our goals as a congregation are quite simple. We want to nurture our faith by the teaching of the Lord’s pure Word and then to share that faith with people like yourself – all for the glory of God.
Everything we do is meant to accomplish these goals. We pray there is nothing that will stand in your way in learning more about your Savior.
Please do not hesitate to call Pastor Sullivan if you have any questions, or if there is anything we can do for you. Our church phone number is: 613-825-1629. Pastor Sullivan can also be reached directly by email at: pastor@divinewordottawa.ca
May our living Savior richly bless you! We hope to see you in church sometime soon!