After a month of practice and trial runs, Signal Crest United Methodist Church parishioners and friends will gather inside the church's new Crest Center for the official launch of a new worship service Oct. 2 at 9 a.m.
Titled "The Crest," the service will feature musicians playing drums, guitars, a keyboard and more each week.
"The music will be upbeat and hip," said SCUMC Council chair Barbara Zellner, adding the dress will be casual. "We hope to target younger families and people not attending church on Signal Mountain."
She said the service will be a combination of prayers and sermons but with a more contemporary form of music, all taking place in an informal setting. A variety of multi-media experiences will be used to help support the message of the day. Dramas or taped interviews will also be a part of the The Crest experience.
"There are two main reasons why we will be adding The Crest service on Sunday mornings," said Zellner. "First, our main worship service has been at a high level of capacity over the last several years. In order to accommodate further growth of our church, we know that we need to add another worship option. Second, we have learned through a recent study that 28 percent of the Signal Mountain community is not attending church at the current time. Our goal with The Crest service is to reach out to those people in our community who want to find a church experience that fits their needs."
She said rows of chairs will face the stage as music plays; then a message will be presented the last half of the service. Signal Crest UMC pastor Mark Gooden will preach at all three of the church's services: the 8:30 a.m. service in the sanctuary, the 9 a.m. service in the Crest Center and the 11 a.m. traditional service in the sanctuary.
"I was the chairperson of the capital campaign to raise money to get the [Crest Center] building built," said Zellner. "It's exciting to have it at this point now. Now that it's open and beautiful, it's exciting because it's real."
She said the Crest Center includes a full-size gymnasium with a basketball court, stage and state of the art kitchen. In the space above is a large new space for youth with lounge rooms, a stage and canteen area.
"For me personally, I like the size of the church," said Zellner, who moved to Signal Mountain in 2000 and began attending Signal Crest 10 years ago. "The people are super-nice. The vision at Signal Crest United Methodist is to welcome people into the church."
To learn more, call Signal Crest United Methodist Church at 886-2330 or visit here. Signal Crest UMC is located at 1005 Ridgeway Ave. on Signal Mountain.