Who are you?

Good question.  We are still working on that one, or rather,  God is.

We are a group of people who have been saved from sin by the grace of God through Jesus Christ and His death on the cross.  We have the Holy Spirit living in us,  working to continually mold and shape us into the image of Christ, which is an ongoing process until Jesus Christ returns.  Come to think about it . . . it's really not about who we are, but who God is and what He has done for us through Jesus Christ and what He is doing in us, through us, and among us through the Holy Spirit.

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What is the history of the congregation?

The East Hill Church of Christ began with about 70 members in 1956.  The church has grown considerably since its beginning.  Today there are about 460 members that make up the body of Christ at East Hill.  

What do you believe? 

Anything we read . . . that is, anything in the Bible, the Word of God . . . at least that is our goal.  We take the Bible seriously.  It is not the words and wisdom of men but the inspired Word of God recorded by men who were led by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:16-21 &  2 Timothy 3:16-17).  It is our desire to live according to God's Word.  We do not "have it all figured out," but we are still learning and growing in our relationship with God and with one another.  We diligently strive to base our lives and actions on the Word of God.

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What is the history of the Church of Christ?

The Church of Christ is a non-denominational group of Christians who desire to be like the early church in the first century.  In the United States in the 18th century, a group of people from various denominations decided that they wanted to "just be Christians", get rid of their man-made creeds, organizations, etc. and follow the Bible.  This movement back to the Bible became known as the Restoration Movement because of its goal to restore New Testament Christianity.  

Today, this is still our desire - to simply be Christians who follow the Bible and ultimately who follow Jesus Christ.  It is an ongoing process requiring a continual openness to listen to what God says in His Word and then to obey.  Like a lot of things, this is easier said than done.  We do not claim to be perfect, but are simply striving to follow Jesus Christ - the one who is perfect - and to be like Him.

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What is Your Purpose/Mission ?

The purpose and mission of the East Hill Church of Christ, in accordance with the Word of God, is to glorify God by:

• Worshiping Him

• Spreading the good news of Jesus to the lost  

• Nurturing believers to maturity in Christ 

• Serving others.  

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What can I expect when I visit with you?

You can expect to find a diverse group of people from many different backgrounds and walks of life.  You'll find some happy people, some sad people, some funny people, some mad people, some grouchy people, some glad people--this is starting to sound like a Dr. Seuss book!  In all seriousness, you'll find people at different points all long the social and emotional spectrum, and people at different points along the theological spectrum ranging from  conservative to progressive, and a lot of people somewhere in between.  The bottom line is that you'll find people who are on a journey to God--people who are at various stages in their faith and spiritual growth.  Some are just beginning their journey, some are struggling to stay on the journey, some are excited and taking new strides in their journey, and some are near the end of their journey.  

But what is so exciting is that we all have something in common--our sins, no matter how bad or how big, are removed by the blood of Jesus!  It is our bond in Christ and the fellowship of the Spirit that makes it possible for us to live, love, worship, and serve together.  So if you can deal with an imperfect group of people journeying together to God, then we welcome you to come and join us. 

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What is a typical worship service like?

Singing

Sometimes we sing songs from the song books in the racks on the back of each pew, and sometimes we sing songs displayed on the overhead screen. Usually there will be someone in front leading us in the singing (a song leader/worship leader).  Something that you may find unique about our singing is that it is done a cappella (vocally without the accompaniment of musical instruments).  We are not singing this way just to be different or weird.  We do this because of our desire to model our worship according to the way the early church worshipped.  Most people, once they get used to it, actually find a cappella singing to be very meaningful because it allows one to really focus on the message of the words that are being sung.  

One other thing concerning our singing - it is a time when everyone has an opportunity to participate.  You do not have to be a gifted singer or know how to harmonize to join in the singing.  You only need a desire to praise God and sing from your heart.

Prayer

We believe that God hears and answers prayers.  During the worship service several public prayers will be led by different people.  Some of these prayers may deal with specific needs and requests that are of particular concern to the church family.  You will also likely hear some prayers of praise and thanksgiving to God for who He is and what He has done and is doing.

We continually strive to be more dependent on God, and prayer is a key way for that to happen.  As a visitor, you may be given an opportunity to fill out a prayer request form and/or someone may even ask you one-on-one if you are in need of prayers in any way. Don't be alarmed or offended by this.  If you have a prayer request and you feel comfortable sharing it with us, then we would love to pray for your specific need or concern.  This is not a gimmick, but a way of ministering to each other with the power of God!

Preaching

At some point in the worship service, the preacher will speak to us from the Word of God.  He will not be dressed in any special robe or clothing and he won't have any special title.  This is because we believe that in Christ we are all equal and a part of the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5, 9).  Our desire is to have the focus on Christ and His Word. 

The Lord's Supper

Every Sunday in our worship service we celebrate the Lord's Supper or communion.  The purpose of this is to remember Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, as well as His promised return.  It is a time for us to celebrate the forgiveness of sins that we have through Christ, and that, as Christians,  we are all a part of His body, the Church (Matthew 26:26-29 & 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).  

During this time, plates will be passed around that contain unleavened bread (we use crackers) which symbolizes Christ's body that He sacrificed for us.  Each participant  breaks off a small piece of the bread/cracker and eats it.  Next, trays will be passed around containing the fruit of the vine (usually grape juice) which represents Christ's blood that He shed on the cross for our sins.  Each participant drinks the juice out of one of the little cups and then places the empty cup back in the tray.  The plate or tray is then passed on to the next person. 

Offering

Each Sunday during the worship service we also pass around a plate to take up a monetary collection.  This is a time for the members of the local congregation to give back to God in appreciation for the blessings He has given them.  This is so the various ministries of the church can continue to function and so the good news (the gospel) of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection can continue to be spread throughout the world.  As our guest, you are not expected to put anything in the collection plate - feel free to just pass it on to the person next to you.

Invitation

At some point in the worship service there will usually be a time when the preacher will offer an invitation.  This is a time for anyone who feels convicted by the Holy Spirit to respond by making a first-time commitment to Christ (to become a Christian), a renewed commitment to Christ (ask for forgiveness, repent of sin in their life, etc.) or request prayers, etc.  During this time, everyone is usually standing and singing a song (an "invitation song").  Anyone who desires to respond does so by walking down front and sitting on one of the front pews in the center rows.  On any given Sunday you may see one person, several people, or no one respond to the invitation.  Some may choose to respond privately rather than publicly by talking one-on-one to the preacher (or elders/shepherds, ministers, or other Christians) after services.  

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How does someone become a member of the church?

Through the door . . . the door is Jesus!  Jesus says it this way, 
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).  What Jesus is saying is that He is our only hope for dealing with the sin problem that we all have (Romans 3:23-24 & 6:23).  We are powerless to save ourselves (Romans 5:6-8).  If we could save ourselves, then Jesus would never have had to die on the cross.  But we thank God that He sent Jesus Christ to this earth to live a perfect sinless life and then to die on the cross at Calvary for you and me!  He died to take away our sins.  And that's not all.  Not only did Jesus wipe away all of our sins with His own blood that He shed on the cross, He transferred His righteousness (His perfect, sinless life) to us!  That's the good news of God!

There is only one requirement--that we surrender completely to God by turning away from sin and turning to Jesus through faith recognizing that He is our only hope for salvation--that He is our Lord and Savior.  Through faith we actually put on Christ and have our sins washed away by His blood in baptism (having our old sinful self buried in water and our new self raised up through faith in Christ--Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-27; & Colossians 2:12).  Not only does God promise that when we turn to Christ in faith and obedience that He will take away our sins, but He also promises that He will send the Holy Spirit into our lives to empower us to live out our new life in Christ and to mold and shape us into the image of Christ (Acts 2:38-39 & 2 Corinthians 3:18).  

That's it!  That is our response to what God has done for us through Jesus Christ.  That's how we become a Christian:  we come to Jesus just as we are and through faith and obedience He transforms us!  The exciting thing is that God is the one who adds us to the church, the body of Christ (Acts 2:41, 47b).  

If you already are a Christian, then you already are a member of Christ's church.  It is helpful, though, for those who move into town to let us know that you want to be be a part of the local body of believers at East Hill by worshiping and supporting the congregation (monetarily and with your time and God-given abilities).  You can express this desire by letting one of the shepherds or ministers know so we can then introduce you to the rest of the congregation and welcome you into the family.

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When do you meet?

Whether you have lived in York for a number of years, are new to the community, or are just passing through, we would love for you to come and visit with us.  If we can help you in any other way then feel free to contact us at:  

Or you can e-mail any of our Shepherds/Elders, Ministers, or Deacons