New Visitors

This website is an extension of our Church. As such, we pray that you will find the information you need to visit our Church and to find resources to nourish your spiritual life.

We strive to fulfill our mission statement which is: “Concordia is the Church where the love of Christ is shared through our hearts, our hands, and our voices.” Thus, below you will find the information about our worship services, our programs for spiritual growth, and our facility.

What To Expect

Your Initial Greeting: You will be greeted by our greeters and members who are glad to have you with us - for one Sunday or for a lifetime. You are welcome to join us not only in the Worship service, but in both our children's and adult religious studies which are available starting at 9:30. (See Schedule) You are also welcome to participate, in whatever capacity you are comfortable, in our fellowship activities. Oh yes, while you're waiting for the Worship service to start, please help yourself to coffee and donuts.

Worship Service:Our worship follows a structured, Liturgical form which includes recited prayer, scripture readings, the sermon, singing hymns, offering of gifts to God, and Holy Communion. Please speak to the pastor before service if you would like to receive Holy Communion. For more information on Communion go to "Communion". For detailed information about our theology, please go to “About Us.”

Become a Member

Here at Concordia, we are thankful for the many visitors and guests who come to our worship services. Our pastor and congregation love to meet new people, and to share the love of Christ with one and all. Our church is located in a growing community, and every week we meet newcomers to the Hagerstown area who are looking for a church.

Are you considering joining our congregation? Would you like to learn more about the Lutheran Christian faith? Do you want to know how to get involved in the ministry life of Hope?

If you would like to know more about the mission and vision of Concordia, we invite you to attend the next New Member Class. This 8-week class is held twice annually here at Concordia, and the next session is (TBA). Pastor Mark Moretz leads this class, which meets on (TBA). Activities for children and youth of all ages are available through Sunday School during the class time. All are welcome.

The New Member Class is a prerequisite for membership at Concordia, but there is no requirement to join the church if you do sit in on the class. It is simply a great opportunity to learn more about the mission of Concordia, build relationships, get to know the pastor, and discuss issues relevant to your faith journey. If you are interested in attending Concordia’s New Member Class, email Pastor Mark, to receive information as the next class approaches.

Communion

The following verses from the Bible explains the origin and purpose of the Lord’s Table or Communion:

“23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:23-32; The Lutheran Study Bible 2009).

Information for our Guests: As Lutherans, we believe that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in and with bread and wine when we receive the Sacrament (Communion is a Sacrament of the Lutheran Church). We do not believe that the bread and wine somehow mystically “change” into something other than bread and wine, nor do we believe that the bread and wine merely “represent” Christ’s body and blood; rather, we are bound by the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He said, “Take, eat, this is my body,” and “Take, drink, this is my blood.” We believe and teach that when we receive the bread and wine, we are also truly receiving the body and blood of Christ (because of His divine words). We, therefore, also believe the Sacrament of Holy Communion is more that just a memorial; we believe it is Christ truly coming to us and offering His body and His blood in an outward sign of His love for us and as an outward assurance of the forgiveness He won for us by His death on the Cross. If you are a Baptized adult and are able to accept our Lutheran understanding of Holy Communion, you are cordially invited to partake of the Sacrament with us. However, if you are in doubt, you may wish to consult with the Pastor beforehand. Children should receive basic Confirmation Class instruction before partaking of the Sacrament, however, they are invited to come to the altar rail with their parents for a pastoral blessing.

Common Cup or Individual Cup: During the distribution, both the common cup and individual cups will be offered. The individual cups will be presented first. If you prefer the common cup, simply point. When receiving Communion from the common cup, it is helpful to the server if you would reach up and take hold of the cup with your hands so that you control how much you receive (It is virtually impossible for the server to tell whether or not he’s touching your lips with the cup.).

Reaction to Alcohol: If you cannot, for medical reasons, receive wine, the center ring of cups on the individual cup trays contain non-alcohol white wine.

Unable to Come Forward for Communion: If you need to be communed in the pew, please don’t assume that the pastor will know. Please alert an usher or one of the Communion Assistants before the service or at the time when the usher is dismissing communicant from the pews-this way no one will be missed. Those with special needs will be communed after the general distribution.

Church Calendar