We are so glad that you’ve visited us! Those looking for a church home often have many questions about a church before they visit – and rightfully so! Below, we’ve put together answers to many of the questions that you might have about us, and we hope you find them helpful. If you have a question that you don’t find addressed here, please feel free to contact us.
Answers to Questions…
What’s happening at Providence this week? A regular week at Providence begins on Sundays with Sunday School at 9:30am for all ages (currently all meeting together), followed by our worship service at 11am, and then we gather for an hour of prayer in the evening. During the week we have Bible studies (women’s on Monday; men’s on Tuesday) and every other Wednesday evening we all gather for a wonderful time over a meal for Praise & Prayer. For specific time and dates, as well as a description of all upcoming events, we invite you to visit our Events page.
What can I expect when I visit? We hope you’ll find Providence to be a welcoming community of people. Each week we have greeters who wait near our entrance to receive you and make you feel welcome. They can answer any questions you might have. They will also hand you a “worship guide” (bulletin) for our service. We have these available online to preview prior to worship (usually by Friday night).
What discipleship opportunities are available? We offer weekly Sunday School and mid-week Bible studies for all ages. There are also many other opportunities to join us for fellowship and Bible study (including Praise & Prayer, mentioned above). For those new to Providence, the pastor provides an “Inquirer’s Class” that gives a basic biblical overview of the Faith and the Church, answers questions about what we believe and why, and provides an avenue for membership at Providence for those desiring it.
What type of church is Providence? We have “PCA” as part of the name of our church, which stands for “Presbyterian Church in America.” The PCA is a conservative, evangelical, and reformed denomination of churches, holding strongly to the Bible as the revealed Word of God. To learn more about who we are, see questions two and three from our FAQ.
How can I find out more? You can learn more about church life at Providence by browsing our website, listening to sermons, reading through newsletters, or contact us to ask your question or to request to meet with the pastor.
What are the Sunday service times? 11:00 AM
What is the worship service like? Our worship would be described by many as “traditional.” However our concern is not to maintain a particular style. Instead, we seek to ensure the substance and style of worship are faithful to Scripture. We invite you to read more about our worship philosophy on the page we’ve put together specifically for that purpose. Please note that we joyfully serve the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of each month.
How long is the worship service? While it varies some week-to-week, it is typically just under 1.5 hours in length.
What is the music like? Our music for worship consists of hymns and worship songs accompanied by a worship team on several instruments (e.g. piano, guitar, mandolin, bongo drum), with voices leading the singing. We understand the central purpose of congregational singing to be the unity of voices lifted in praise to God (Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:18-20).
What are the sermons like? Our minister preaches from Scripture using an expository style, such that the sermon’s main point and structure arise directly out of a specific passage of Scripture, which is then explained, illustrated, and applied to the lives of the people. The intent is for it to be the text of Scripture itself, made plain and understandable, to be that which works upon our hearts and minds, rather than the ideas and thoughts of a particular speaker. Although we occasionally explore a particular topic, most of our sermon series work through entire books of the Bible, verse-by-verse. We believe this assists the congregation with hearing the whole counsel of God, given to us in His Word.
What should I wear? Scripture speaks to our dress in very simple terms, with the main idea being that no one should dress in a way intended to draw attention to himself. The key point is modesty. We therefore invite you to dress in a way that you find to be both comfortable, yet also fitting for this special occasion of worship. For some, this may mean wearing jeans, for others khakis, for others slacks and a tie.
Is there a nursery for young children? We welcome children of all ages into our worship service. This is an excellent way for children to learn who God is, how we relate to God, what worship is all about, what God has given us in His Word, and so much more! Children are able to absorb these things and to learn by watching and hearing, even when they are at the youngest stages of development. It is also true, however, that some children need to move about, so we provide a childcare space behind plexiglass at the back of our sanctuary for families with very young children, while still allowing for participation in the service. We also do have a nursery with a YouTube broadcast of the service that is available, when that is more suitable. Please ask a greeter for help with using these.
Who is the pastor? Our current pastor is David Hina. He has been pastor at Providence for the past ten years. His wife is Amy, and they have three (now grown) children – Kali, Jocelyn (aka Mei Mei), and Caleb. Pastor David grew up in Brevard, NC, graduated from Brevard High, and then graduated with a degree in Physics from DePauw University. After attending Aviation Officer Candidate School, he spent several years as an officer in the U.S. Navy, including deployments aboard the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier. Upon leaving active duty, he worked several years in civil service as a project manager leading a software team at SPAWAR Systems Center in San Diego, CA. During this time, he came to faith in Christ, which changed the trajectory of his life. After serving in several capacities at a local church in Rancho Bernardo, CA, David & Amy sensed his call to full time ministry, and they moved to Dallas to attend Dallas Theological Seminary (2009 to 2014), where he graduated in 2014 with a Masters of Theology. While there, he also completed a pastoral internship at Town North Presbyterian Church in Richardson, TX. David was very excited for the opportunity to return to the mountains of WNC, and to be installed as pastor at Providence in October, 2015.
Who are the officers of the church? We understand from Scripture that the Lord established two “offices” for the care and furtherance of His Church: elders and deacons. Our elders, which together are called the “session,” provide spiritual oversight for the local church. The session is made up of teaching elders and ruling elders, all of whom are elected by the congregation. Teaching elders are men who are in full-time, vocational ministry (i.e. pastor), while ruling elders serve bi-vocationally. The deacons serve alongside of the elders, looking especially to the physical welfare of our members and the material needs of the church. At Providence, we are currently blessed to have four elders and two deacons. Please visit our leadership page for an introduction to each.
How can I go about contacting one of these leaders? If you have questions for the pastor or any of our officers, please feel free to reach out to us by phone or email. This information, as well as a form for making requests, can be found on our contact page.
What are your beliefs? We are a confessional church (see the first question of our FAQ for more) and describe ourselves this way since we hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith as well as the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. The Westminster Confession provides a summary of what we believe the Bible to teach regarding 33 distinctive Christian doctrines (statements of Truth). Each of our officers, including both elders and deacons, have confessed their agreement with these Westminster Standards. This helps greatly to hold our leadership accountable in all of our teaching and preaching, and while it does not eliminate the possibility of error, it does serve to protect Christ’s Church.
What is your mission? We exist to worship God joyfully and faithfully, equipping the saints in truth and love to go into Cherokee County and beyond with the good news of Jesus Christ, reaching the lost for the Glory of God (taken from Providence Mission Statement, first adopted in 2016).
