Plan Your Visit
Planning to visit us? Here are some thoughts on making it easy and comfortable.
GO TO:
Getting here and parking
DIRECTIONS - The easiest way to get to the church is via Interstate I-83.
Coming from the south, take Exit 8 north onto Falls Road. Then turn left at the first traffic light (36th Street). The church will be on the right.
Coming from the north, take exit 9a to Cold Spring Lane heading east. Turn right onto Falls Road and travel 0.9 miles. Then turn right onto W 36th St. The church will be on your right.
(For those taking public transportation, Baltimore bus route 94 passes by on Falls Road. See Maryland DOT local bus schedules for exact times and stops.)
PARKING – Street parking is available on W. 36th Street. Spaces may be limited so be prepared to park further down the street or on a side street. (You may want to drop passengers off in front of the church before searching for a space.) During evenings and weekends, you are welcome to use the parking lot of the large public school that is located just past our church.
TIP - Hampden Church is punctual and the service will start on time. However, punctuality also means typically not arriving early. Arriving at the church about 10 to 15 minutes before the service starts at 10:00 is usually about right.
Accessibility
ENTRY ACCESS - Hampden Mennonite Church meets in an historic building that has a lot of stairs. However, there is also an elevator that makes each floor wheelchair accessible. Because this elevator requires someone with a key to operate, please contact us to coordinate prior to visiting and feel free to ask anyone for assistance while you are here.
RESTROOMS - Restrooms are available adjacent to the main sanctuary but are not designed to be handicap accessible.
Families
Children are very much a part of our lives and of our church. We appreciate the blessing of multi-generational worship so children stay with their parents or other adults during the entire service, except for Sunday School. If you have an infant or small child and need to attend to them during the service this is expected as normal. We do not have a separate service or nursery for children.
Our Children in Church
<< We believe in and practice intergenerational worship, which means we keep our children with us during the sermon.Young children can look at quiet toys or pictures in books. Older children are encouraged to take notes. This helps train the children so when they become teenagers they are already in the practice of attending regular church services, sitting still, and listening. We do have separate Sunday School classes for children ages 3-youth where they are with their own age for a separate Bible lesson time. These classes are a chance to study together, memorize Scripture verses, sing children’s songs, and do a craft activity. Children are free to ask questions during this time and figure out what the Scriptures mean for their lives. Class sizes are small with individual attention given to each student. >>
What to expect when you are here
We welcome your visit and look forward to seeing you in person. Anyone who is seeking Jesus is welcome at Hampden Church.
ARRIVING - Enter through the main doors from the street and then take the stairs up to the sanctuary. When you enter the service, someone will be there to greet you. Take a seat wherever you feel most comfortable. You will find that our families typically sit together.
We are “green” and do not use paper bulletins. As our services are intentionally simple, you should be able to follow along with little effort. If you have any questions or want someone to sit with you to explain what is occurring, please feel free to ask.
DRESS - We do not have any expectations as to how visitors dress. If you wish to stand out as a visitor, a Hawaiian shirt will generally work quite well. If you wish to be more inconspicuous, men usually wear a button-down shirt and dress pants, commonly referred to as “business casual.” Women normally wear a dress or skirt. Many women in our congregation wear traditional dresses with a “cape” or layered top and cover their long hair with a covering or veil, but this is not expected of visitors.
ORDER OF SERVICE -The service typically lasts a total of about two hours, including both Sunday School and the main service.
We start by singing a number of worship songs from the hymnals in the pews. The congregation sings in four-part harmony without musical accompaniment. Don't worry if you have never done this before - we invite you to sing along however you are able and feel comfortable. You may think we all can sing well, but let me assure you, this is not the case. The point here is worshiping God, not performance, so please add your voice to ours!
Next, there will be Sunday School for everyone, divided into smaller groups - for men, for women and for children. If you have children, feel free to either let them go to an age-appropriate class or keep them with you.
Lastly, we will all come back together again for the main service. This typically starts with announcements and prayer requests. If the leader calls for people to kneel in prayer, we turn toward the back to face the seat we were sitting on. If you are unable or prefer not to kneel, just keep your seat. Some of us do this as well. After prayer, the pastor or one of the leading men will give a message from the Bible.
AFTERWARD - After a benediction the formal service is over, but folks stay to fellowship. If it is the first or second Sunday of each month, everyone is invited to share in a potluck meal at the back of the sanctuary (don’t worry about bringing something - guests are guests). These times after the formal service are a great time to meet others and have them meet you.
NOTE - No collection is taken during the service and visitors are not expected to make a donation. However, for those who are interested, there is a collection box at the back of the sanctuary.
A Perspective from Our Youth
<< I think that one of the things that makes our church special are the many potlucks we have. Many people from different backgrounds come to our church and no matter where you come from you will be welcome. Meals after church let everyone eat and fellowship with others in a group setting. Personally, I like all the variety of foods. When we have visiting choirs they often say that we have the most variety and quantity of foods they have seen at a church. We never have a planned menu, so anyone can bring whatever they would like. >>
Let us know that you are planning a visit
You don’t need to complete this form before you visit, but if you would like to give us a heads up (or be alerted to any special circumstances) this is a way to do it. (Your information is always kept within the church and never shared with others.)