Posted by sklein    0 Comment(s)    Add a Comment 
Feb 17 2017

We were told about Access a few years after we were married- and at a point where we were looking for community.  After being members and visitors of other churches, we knew we were wanting something different, something close-knit, something authentic. Visiting a new church is always intimidating, but Access felt welcoming, inclusive. The music is initially what lead us to keep visiting. The amount of energy and love put into the worship experience was inspiring. But it was our small group that made Access family. Now, 4 years and two kids later, we feel so blessed and lucky to call Access our home. This church and its diverse community is striving to make a big impact in the world, and we cannot wait to see what lies ahead.

Owen & Jennifer Smith, FUMCR members and ACCESS attendees

Posted by sklein    0 Comment(s)    Add a Comment 
Feb 17 2017

We joined FUMCR in January of 2012 and attend worship in the mornings. After having our first child, we started coming to Access because the evening time worked better with our daughter’s naptime. The relaxed style and more intimate services kept us coming back. The sermons always had fresh information or a twist to think about, and specific challenges to act on through the week. The music is always upbeat and refreshing and gets you motivated and excited during the service and sends you out into the week on a good tune. We found our church community in the small group ministry and have revolved our weeks around that as much as possible. The Access community has kept us involved with community projects and plenty of social activities to help grow the community. We’ve been attending access for more than two years now and can’t wait to see what the future holds in the new worship center.

Scott and Shannon Smith, FUMCR Members and ACCESS Attendees

Posted by fcollins    0 Comment(s)    Add a Comment 
Feb 17 2017

Our family began attending Access soon after it first began. We had already fallen in love with FUMCR and liked attending the traditional services.  But, we were curious about the different format and, frankly, the evening time slot was appealing during the summer. We attended Access more often than the morning services that summer, and, more than anything, that had to do with Rich. We really appreciated his academic but approachable teaching of the scriptures and his incredible approach to hands-on community service. We liked his silly sense of humor.  And we really liked that our pastor at our big church knew us by name.

I think that is why we return to Access.  We love going to the traditional service, and we love how comfortable we feel even in a large congregation. We love all of the opportunities that a large church can offer for community and involvement. But on those Sundays when we go to Access, we know that there will be people who call us by name and ask how Wes’s work and our kids are doing. And they trust us to help in their growth and ministry. Being made to feel known and valued is why we will continue to support Access.

Wes & Natalie Hendrix, FUMCR members and ACCESS attendees