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Grand Opening Weekend: Because People Aren’t Done With God

May 24th 2015 is almost here!
If you’ve never felt like church was for you, or you’ve always had questions about God, then Sunday, May 24th might be your day.
The Grand Opening of the new central Connexus facility at 20 Mills Road happens THIS Sunday, May 24th at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Connexus is one church that meets in two locations. We’ve got a completely renewed Orillia campus open, and now we’re ready to throw the doors wide open at our brand new 20 Mills Road location in Barrie.
The real story isn’t what we’re doing, though. It’s why we’re doing it.
That’s a great question…why are we opening up a brand new church facility?
The big reason?
Because in Central Ontario, 353,354 people will not be in church this weekend.
If you’re reading this, chances are you might be one of them, because that’s about 96% of our community. 
Think about that.

96% Of People Believe This

96% of of the people who live in Central Ontario may not fully realize there’s a God who knows their name, loves them and actually forgives them in Jesus Christ.
What’s surprising is that most of the 96% are actually open to God. The majority believe in some kind of God.  And almost everyone is open to a community of hope, healing and practical help with faith and life.
For sure, there are some atheists and agnostics in the mix. But again, we’re a church we hope unchurched people will love to attend, and we’ve seen more than a few atheists and agnostics join us and even change their minds when it comes to God.
So what do the 96% have in common?
It’s simple: they just don’t think the church can help.
Some of the 96% went to church…and drifted away from a church that was boring, irrelevant, inauthentic or they just simply couldn’t connect with.
Some of the 96% didn’t grow up in church, and church never crosses their mind as a place that could help them in any way.
We’re out to help with that.
The church should be the safest place in the world to have the best—and the most difficult—conversations we face in life. A place to ask questions. To doubt. To believe. To hope. To forgive. To live life together in community. To discover all that Jesus is.
That’s why God gave us the gift of the church…as a place through which we experience this, together. The church wasn’t our idea….it was Jesus’ idea.

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That’s Why

That’s why we’re so excited to being moving into our new Mills Road location at 20 Mills Road Barrie and to be reopening our Orillia location at the Galaxy Cinemas.
it’s not about the building (as awesome as that might be), it’s about what’s going to happen through it as people meet God for themselves.
Just in case you’re wondering, should I come…or not…here are the answers to some questions you might be asking.

11 Frequently Asked Questions…Answered

1. Do I need to be a Christian to attend?

Not at all. Many people who are Christians attend Connexus church. But 60% of the people who walk through the door didn’t regularly attend church prior to Connexus.
You’ll feel right at home.

2. What should I wear?

Whatever you would normally wear heading to the mall. It’s that simple.

3. Do you have age specific programs for my kids?

You bet. We spend a lot of time and money investing in families.
We have great kids ministry programming from birth to grade 5 at our 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services.
We have Transit for kids in grade 6-8 during our 9 a.m. services. Inside Out for High School students runs Sunday nights at 7. Grade 6-12 students are welcome to attend the adult services Sunday morning as well. Chances are they won’t be bored.

4. When should I arrive?

Try to get there at least 15 minutes before services, especially if you have kids. That will give you plenty of time to check them into our secure children’s ministry environments and still find a seat in time.

5. Are the 9:00 and 10:30 services the same?

For adults, the experience is identical.
But our kids ministry and student ministry on Sundays is small group based. So for the sake of your kids, it’s best to pick a service and stick to it as much as you can from week to week. It guarantees them a small group leader who knows their name and their story and who can build into their lives.
6. How do I connect?
Drop by the New Here or Next Steps kiosks in our foyer on Sunday mornings.
The new here kiosks is for people who are new to Connexus. The Next Steps kiosk is designed to help you take a step beyond just attending on Sunday mornings.

7. What denomination are you?

We’re actually a non-denominational Christian church. That means we’re not part of any official denomination. We’re simply a Christian church.
That also means people of all denominational backgrounds and no denominational backgrounds feel comfortable here.
We’re also a strategic partner of North Point Community Church in Atlanta Georgia, and just under half of our teaching is from their Lead Pastor, Andy Stanley. Our lead pastor, Carey Nieuwhof, teaches the rest of the time. They’re a non-denominational Christian church too, in case you were wondering.

8. What are your services like?

Our services are about 65 minutes in length.
We sing some songs together with a great rock/pop style band leading us. Some weekends we baptize people. We always have a message based on the Bible that’s relevant, engaging and (we hope) extremely helpful.
Here’s a pic from a rehearsal service in our new facility at Mills Road.

Connexus Soft Launch Service

We also like to have fun…so you never quite know what to expect at Connexus. We want to create the kind of experience you and your friends want to come back to.
Above all, we want to help facilitate an authentic connection between God and the people he loves. That’s our greatest hope.

9. I’ve got faith questions. Who do I talk to?

Glad you asked.
We have a great environment for people starting out in their faith called Starting Point. You can learn more or even register here.
And hundreds of adults gather each week in community groups to talk about faith, life and more. You can register to be part of a community group here.

10. Can I bring my friends?

Absolutely. We’ve designed Connexus for you and your friends. Every Sunday is somebody’s first Sunday around here.

11. What if it takes me a long time to figure out whether I even believe?

That’s okay. We know everyone explores and discovers faith at their own pace.
Come explore..and we’ll give you as a much space or as a much help as you want.
So that’s the low down for Sunday…and a lot more!
Can’t wait to see you at 9 or 10:30! And yes, you’re invited.
– Carey

How to get to Mills Road Map

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Carey Nieuwhof

Written By

Carey Nieuwhof

Carey is the founding pastor of Connexus Church and has been serving in ministry since 1995. He is passionate about leading people into a relationship with Christ and helping people thrive in life and leadership.

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