A handful of individuals were asked to write about their experiences at Heritage Oaks Church. This is part #2 of a series that shares others’ perspectives of the church.
Before attending Heritage Oaks Church, I was struggling to find a church I could call home. It was full of setbacks, church hurt, and disappointment. I wanted my kids to be able to attend a church that they could feel they were a part of and participate in. My husband already attended Wednesday night services because his daughter was part of the youth group. He had started to take her and occasionally join in on Wednesday night meals and adult Bible study. The biggest thing that had stood out to him about the church was that the Pastor and church community genuinely cared and were very welcoming. He said that he felt included and like he was with family. He liked that the Pastor was relatable to him in a lot of ways, and that Bible study was informative and had sparked an interest for him in wanting to know and learn more. Going to church became something that he began to look forward to each week, and he finally convinced me to go with him.
What I found was not just a home church, but a sense of community and belonging, a place of spiritual growth, and a place that truly recognized service and action.
After a few weeks of attending, I realized the amount of love the leaders and elders pour into the kids and youth. They do their best to create an inviting atmosphere and make everyone feel included and a part of the family. I have love from so many in the church, and the love of Christ through them. It’s been in physical ways (cards, text messages, phone calls, baby shower, and hugs, just to name a few) and intangible ways as well (prayer, support and presence).
Through Sunday School, I have been able to learn how to look at things differently sometimes, how the Bible still applies to us today, and new things about different stories in the Bible that have been taught before. Wednesday night Bible studies have also done this as well. Sunday morning services can range from “toe stepping”, encouragement, soul searching, and diving deeper into Scripture. A combination of these have helped in personal spiritual growth. The church is about biblical truths, praise and worship, and creating a safe space no matter where you are at in your journey.
Heritage Oaks recognizes the importance of service and action.
The church isn’t just a place of worship, but also has community involvement, outreach with things like the blessing box, and supporting missions. These actions are driven by a desire to serve out of love and not personal gain.
I have a lot of hope for the future of Heritage Oaks Church as we grow and change as a community. I’m thankful that Heritage Oaks Church feels like family and am happy to be a part of it.
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