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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is a Bible church? Are you part of a denomination?

We are an independent church seeking to teach and follow God's Word in the Bible. We are not affiliated with any denomination, and therefore do not have outside control or interference from any head organization. Our congregation is elder led, and our leadership is accountable to one another and directly to the Lord.

Our church is a member of IFCA International, a support organization for similar independent churches. We also work with The Grace Network, a group of independent churches partnering to reach the world for Christ by helping send out missionaries. And we occasionally enjoy collaborating with other local churches to glorify God and further the Gospel in our region.

Why the name "Chatham?"

The church originally started on Chatham Ave. in Wellston, MO. When the congregation relocated to Hazelwood in 1967, the name followed. Visit our History page to learn more.

As a side note, we have discovered that the word "Chatham" is a Hebrew word meaning "to seal," as in the sealing of a letter, and is used several times in the Old Testament.

What do you believe?

The Holy Bible is God's revelation to us, inspired by God and without error in the original manuscripts, and is therefore the final authority for faith and life.

The living, eternal and true God is One, made known in the Trinity as the Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, was born of a virgin, died for sinful humanity, was physically resurrected and will come again.

Man, though created in the image of God, through Adam's willful sin became spiritually dead. Unable to save himself through his own efforts, man's only hope for salvation rests in the finished work of Jesus Christ and trusting in Christ alone for salvation

Our mission statement is, "To be a family of believers in Jesus Christ who worship and proclaim God and are built up to serve one another and the world."

You can view our complete doctrinal statement in our Constitution.

How frequently do you practice communion?

We partake of the Lord's Supper together each Sunday. Our elders and deacons distribute the elements of grape juice, representative of our Lord's blood shed for us, and small wafers or bread, representative of His body broken for us.

We practice open communion, meaning one does not need to be a member of Chatham to participate. However, in keeping with 1 Corinthians 11:20-34, we emphasize that communion is only to be taken by those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, and who are not harboring any sin in their life for which they have not repented.

What are your views on baptism?

Chatham practices believer's baptism by immersion under water as an act of obedience to the Lord's command in Matthew 28:19. The recipient should be old enough to understand this act so he or she may be baptized in obedience to this command following conversion.

Baptism is not a means unto salvation, but a one-time public act of submission to the Lord's will for those who trust Jesus as Savior. This outward act of inward faith shows our identification and union with Christ in His death and victory over sin and our commitment to Him, as well as our death to sin (going down into the water) and rebirth in our Lord (coming up again).

If you are a new believer in the Lord Jesus or a believer who has not yet been baptized, please contact one of our elders.

What is your style of music? Do you have a choir?

We worship with a mix of traditional and contemporary music. During morning worship, we typically have a full band and several vocalists on stage to lead our worship in song. We occasionally organize choirs for special events.

What version of the Bible do you use?

Scripture may be quoted from various Bible translations throughout our service; however most of our preaching is done from the English Standard Version (ESV). We also have ESV Bibles available in our pews. If you do not own a Bible or know someone who needs one, please take one of the pew Bibles as our gift to you.

Do you have ministries for children and youth? Do you have a nursery?

Nursery care is available on Sunday mornings and most Wednesday evenings, as well as for many special events. We also have several ministries for children and youth. Details on all these can be found on our Ministries page.

Who can I contact for prayer?

For urgent prayer needs, please contact the church office, your Life Community leader or any elder.

For general prayer requests and praises, we print a prayer sheet which is distributed Wednesdays during Prayer and Worship and e-mailed to our Life Community leaders for distribution.

Requests can be submitted by filling out a bulletin information card and placing it in an offering plate on Sunday morning, or you can contact the church office by e-mail or phone.

For regular attendees, we utilize an automated prayer phone line and/or e-mail distribution lists for matters of a critical nature such as emergencies, accidents, hospitalization, serious surgery or death in the immediate family. Based on the nature of each request, we will determine if it should be passed on to the entire church family or more appropriately shared with your Life Community.

How can I receive pastoral care or counseling?

If you need pastoral care or counseling, please contact the church office. For emergencies after hours or if no one is available, please directly contact your Life Community leader or any elder so we can assist you. Leadership contact information is available on back of our Sunday bulletin.

Is your building handicap accessible?

Yes. We have flat entries to both the Learning Center and Worship Center. We also have a lift accessible in the gym enabling those who cannot use stairs to reach the Learning Center's second level.

What is the size of your congregation?

We currently average around 250 people in attendance during Sunday worship. Monthly attendance averages are printed in the Connections Newsletter.

How many people does your Worship Center accommodate?

The Worship Center seats 140 in the balconies and approximately 250 comfortably on the floor.

I really liked that sermon! How can I get a copy?

Sermons are available to listen to or download for free on our Sermons page. You can also request a copy on CD by filling out an order form located by the giving envelopes in the pews. CD copies are $1.50 each.

How can I learn about what's happening at Chatham?

This website offers an interactive blog plus more on our ministries, missionaries and other resources. Please refer to our online calendar for the most up-to-date information. You can also “Like” Chatham on Facebook.

Members and those who attend regularly receive a mail folder in our building's Learning Center. These folders are used as a mailing center for printed information such as our Connections Newsletter, which is also available online, with the primary articles published on our Connectivity blog.

Our automated phone line is sometimes used to share details regarding weather cancellations and other information.

Of course, if you have questions about anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask.

How can I become part of the family at Chatham?

If you're interested in membership at Chatham you'll need to take our Newcomer's Class. These classes are usually scheduled for a single Saturday and will better inform you about Chatham's beliefs and practices so you can make a prayerful and informed decision. If you feel the Lord is leading you to join, you will then be interviewed by two of our elders.

We have periodic membership Sundays on which current members are asked to vote on accepting candidates into membership.

Members are asked to vote on matters within our church family, participate in a Life Community and regular ministries, and actively serve in areas of ministry for which God has them gifted.