NEXT STEPS So you found the web site.  After looking around you think The Orchard might fit into your weekly schedule.  You see opportunity in this place for spiritual growth, friendships, service . . . or whatever.  We want to help you make the next step!  We want to help you get involved in The Orchard so you can experience everything God has planned for you.  At The Orchard, there are many ways to get involved and many levels of activity.  The steps listed below don't have to be taken in order, but each one is available for you. STEP ONE: Do Worship Come to a worship gathering at The Orchard if you haven't attended one already. The Orchard Welcome Center is available before and after worship and childcare is provided through 5th grade.  At an Orchard worship gathering you will be able to get a taste of life in The Orchard, meet some other Orchard folks, and experience an upbeat, unique, and meaningful time of worship with others.  STEP TWO: Go Beyond Once you feel comfortable at worship, look for an opportunity to take a step beyond worship.  Every opportunity listed below represents a step beyond worship, but a good start might be one of our special social or service events.  About once a month, we provide a church-wide social or service event.  These events are great places to meet people in an atmosphere other than worship and to get a taste of what Orchard people are like when they are not in worship.  Find out about special events here. STEP THREE: Attend Connections Connections is a one-hour gathering designed for people who are new to The Orchard.  Connections is a casual presentation hosted by Pastor Ben Cathey and the Ministry Support Team.  Connections provides a thumbnail sketch of Orchard mission and ministry, gives Ben a chance to get to know you, and is a place to ask questions. Contact Patty Garner with questions and times for the next class. STEP FOUR: Attend A Core Class Core Classes are a great way to find out more about The Orchard.  Find out more about Orchard 101, and Financial Peace University here. STEP FIVE: Serve With Others You don't really get to know someone until you work alongside them to accomplish a task or goal. You can't fully experience God unless you serve Him in some tangible way.  Volunteering through The Orchard is a chance to get to know friends, help others, and grow spiritually.  Find out more about the Ministry Teams in The Orchard here. STEP SIX: Join A Grow Group A Grow Group helps you grow stronger as a follower of Jesus because it creates an optimal environment for three keys to spiritual growth: relationships, transformation, and mission.  A Grow Group is a small gathering of Orchard people who meet in a host home.  Groups typically range from 8 - 14 people.  Find out more about Grow Groups here. STEP SEVEN: Become a Member Membership certainly isn't the end of the journey of Faith, but it is a definitive step of involvement in The Orchard.  You become a member in The Orchard by attending the Orchard 101 Class.  At the Orchard we understand that membership is a covenant we make with God and other members to accomplish the mission and purposes of The Orchard.  It is a commitment to participate in the life and ministry of The Orchard Church in a meaningful and effective way.  Active membership is defined by participating in the Worship+2 ministry involvement strategy. That's worship plus one way to serve others and one way to grow deep in faith.  A member is someone who has felt called by God to move from primarily being a consumer of church programming to primarily being a provider of life-changing ministry. STEP EIGHT: Consider God's Call Membership is not the end of the journey, it's just the beginning!  The life long adventure of following Jesus will be filled with many meaningful twists, turns, challenges, defeats, and victories.  The key is to keep seeking God's plan and purpose for your life.  The journey of following Jesus will not end or become commonplace and comfortable during this lifetime.