What to Expect
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That was most of us at one time! We want to be a place for those who are curious about God but have never felt comfortable in church. We want to be a place where you can learn, ask questions, and wrestle with who God is and what He wants for you. It’s okay if you don’t have it all figured out.
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Christian worship is a meeting with God. When you arrive, you’ll be greeted and given a booklet with our “liturgy” to follow along and participate. We sing out of a hymnal. Can’t read music? No problem. Singing isn’t about us anyway, so sing out with all your heart to the Lord. We have simple and minimal instrumentation. The pastor dresses like a traditional pastor. We pray a lot. We read a lot of the Bible and listen to it explained. We partake of “communion” at the end of every morning service. You may be used to an evangelical church with lots of lighting, sound, a band, and where it’s almost a show; we believe the Word of God is sufficient and that Jesus is enough. He’s the main event at Oceanside United Reformed Church.
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“Communion” is the ritual meal Jesus gave his followers the night before he died. We call it a “sacrament” because it is a visible sign that seals or assures us of what God tells us in the gospel: “Christ died for you.” At OURC, we celebrate communion every Sunday morning. If you’re not a believer yet, please abstain. While we get up and go to the front to receive the bread and wine, just observe what we’re doing but after, find the pastor or just talk with your neighbor about what it means to follow Jesus. We welcome all Christians who confess their sins and trust that Jesus saves them from their sins, have been baptized in the name of the Triune God, and who belong to another Christian church.
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We are all sinners who have been saved by the grace of Jesus! You’ll find a diverse people at OURC. Despite our different ethnicities, ages, and occupations, we’re here seeking to know and love God better, live in community with each other, and transform the world by sharing the gospel with our neighbors.
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Absolutely! We want to be a welcoming environment for all kinds of people who are curious about Christianity or who are seeking to belong to a community of believers.
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Our church began in Oceanside and continues to serve Oceanside and the surrounding communities. Our meeting place is in Carlsbad near the border, and many of our members come from across North County.
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We belong to the **United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA)**—a federation of churches rooted in the Dutch Reformed tradition and the wider Protestant Reformation. We are committed to historic Reformed teaching, Scripture-shaped worship, and pastoral care.
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No. Many visitors come because they are looking for a church that is reverent, historic, and centered on Christ and the Scriptures. If you are curious, you are welcome to visit and ask questions
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The Bible is God’s Word and gift to us to show us who He is and what He’s done for us. Since the messages are focused on a passage of the Bible, if you don’t have you own copy, we have copies at our welcome table. Please take one as our gift to you.
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You’re our guest, so please don’t feel obligated to give. While the baskets are going around, just let them pass.
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OURC is a family-friendly environment. We believe that children are a blessing from God and are a vital part of every local church. We don’t offer any “children’s church” as we believe children are a part of the entire church family. Families are encouraged to worship together. We know that having kids in worship with us brings some extra “kid noise” with it – and we like it that way. We love having families with kids of all ages worshiping together with us! We do have several back rows reserved for you or you are free to use the space in the lobby if your kids get restless.
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You’re welcome to wear whatever you’d like. There is no set dress code. The pastor wears clergy attire to set the mood that we’re gathered to meet with God and while a few wear suits and dresses, most wear what they have or are comfortable with. Some of us even have tattoos! We’re in a beach community so the attire is more on the casual side.