New to Ethnos?
Thanks for visiting our site! Perhaps you're here because you're new in town and looking for a church community. Or maybe you're here because, for various reasons, you feel the need to look into the spiritual aspects of life. You may be latino or hapa, Buddhist or Christian, extrovert or introvert, gay or straight, retired or just starting a career, liberal or conservative. Wherever you're coming from, we're glad you're here. We hope this site gives you a decent glimpse of who we are.
Of course, checking out a website is one thing, visiting Ethnos in person is a whole other deal. We want to make that process as easy as possible. Below you'll find some basic info about some of our key connection points. We hope to see you soon.
Sunday Gatherings
People
What makes any community unique is the people. At Ethnos, people come from all sorts of places. Toddlers, college students, singles, young couples, and families come from all sorts of cultural, religious, political, educational, economical, and social backgrounds. Many first time visitors note this diversity when they first come, finding it refreshing. Expect to meet a few of these people as you come!
Music sung to Jesus
Throughout the centuries, seekers and followers of God have used music to communicate about and express themselves to God. At Ethnos, we spend the first 25 minutes doing this, often including songs in different languages to reflect the diverse nature of our community.
Prayer Together
One phrase you hear often at Ethnos is, "the church is not an institution- it's a community of people." And so we spend some time praying together in groups of 4-5 people. Those who aren't comfortable praying can feel free to just observe, but for many - seekers and believers alike - this is a refreshingly comforting time.
The Bible
Because we believe the Bible is the ultimate source of guidance and knowledge of God, we spend a good deal of time reading and thinking about the book together. We do this as a group - there are times of open question and comments - and many find this refreshing and engaging.
Sunday Gatherings typically go from 10:15-12noon when all is said and done. Dress is casual. Click here for more information on Sunday Gatherings.
Groups Investigating God
Typically held at the local Starbucks, these groups are for those who haven't committed to Jesus, and consist of 3-5 people. A Bible passage about Jesus is read, and the rest of the time is for questions and discussion about the passage and the person of Jesus. Meetings go for one hour, and are held on a week-to-week basis depending on who is in the group. Expect a freedom to really probe and ask questions, without a sense of someone judging you. Groups are formed as needed; please contact question@ethnos.us if you'd like to join a group!
Community Groups
Laughter, Sorrow
Community Groups are the main gatherings where relationships are developed. Some relationships take longer, others shorter. Whatever the pace, if God is present, soon enough the ability to both laugh and cry comes. It's a beautiful place. Typically up to half the time is devoted to developing relationships over food, prayer, sharing.
Growth
Each group goes through material from the Bible, a Christian book, or other curriculum, to stimulate spiritual growth. Typically each group decides together what topics they need and are interested in, and the course is determined from there. Periodically, the entire church will over the same material.
Mission
All of us are called to be on mission with Jesus in touching and healing this world. Community Groups offer a place to talk, pray, and do that together. Groups in the past have hosted parties for their apartment complexes, built houses with Habitat for Humanity, prayed for each others' friends and co-workers.
Community Groups typically run between 2-3 hours. Click here for more information on Community Groups.
For more information, please contact us below:
- 858.342.8362