We're glad you're checking us out! Whether you've attended church your whole life, or never stepped foot in a church even once, Joy is a safe place to bring your doubts, questions and curiosity, regardless of your beliefs or background. We invite you to take a look around and see some of our opportunities. With wonderful programs for children, youth, and adults alike, there is a place for you to get connected. When you experience our Joy family, you'll find:

• A casual atmosphere
• Friendly faces who'll help you find your way around
• Energizing praise and worship and engaging teaching directly from the Bible
• Amazing children's spaces (Kid Kountry & The Wave) and youth space (The Bridge)
• Common Grounds—relax, grab a coffee and spend time with friends
• You matter to God and to Joy!

Wondering what Joy is like on the weekends? We've assembled answers to the most common questions. Read up to learn more about Joy, and then come be a part of our worship gatherings!

How do we worship at Joy?We believe true, heart-felt worship should lead to an encounter with God. Worship is not a consumer event, but something for everybody in the community to participate in.

How often do we have communion? Who is welcome to participate?We serve communion the first full weekend of the month. All who believe that Jesus is their personal Savior are welcome to participate—regardless of whether you are a member or regular attender of Joy. Children who have not yet received communion instruction may come forward for a blessing.

How should I dress?Joy has always been a "come as you are" church. Jeans or ties are equally welcomed.

What's available for my kids?We love kids here at Joy! We have an abundance of Children's programs running throughout the year designed just for them. Kids in Children's Ministry programs learn about God's love for them every week in a vibrant way.

Parents may park near the Kid Kountry building for easier access. You do not need to pre-register your children. Helpful staff will be available in Kid Kountry to assist you.

JoyKids Weekend offers a wide range of children's programming from infant to sixth grade. A Children's Worship Service is offered during the Sunday 10:00 AM worship services. A traditional Sunday School is offered during the 11:30 AM service. Children may be dropped off in their respective areas before each service. Please see below for where your child's age group meets:

• Infants - Young Threes (not potty trained): Kid Kountry Nursery. Parents must sign children in and out of class and take a pager for security.
• Preschool - Kindergarten: Kid Kountry. Parents must sign children in and out of class and take a pager for security.
• Grades 1-6: Building 7

What if my kids get noisy during the service?Children are always welcome in the Worship Center. Should children become restless or noisy, we have a quiet room available on Northwest side of the Worship Center equipped with sound so you can continue to enjoy the worship experience.

What's available for my teenager?We offer several exciting opportunities for students to engage with one another and with God here on campus, including the Vox for middle schoolers, Amplified for high schoolers, and the Vibe, a hangout time for all students on Wednesday evenings. All of these are held in the Bridge. New this year, sixth graders are encouraged to join Junior High activities in The Bridge. In addition, we offer many off-campus events and turn-around trips throughout the year. To find out more, visit our Students page.

What if I'd like to pray with someone?We have a passion for prayer at Joy. There's ministry time offered during each of the weekend services with a member of our prayer team. They are also available to pray with you before and after every service in the Prayer Room on the side NE side of the Worship Center. Look for anyone wearing a Prayer Ministry badge. You can also submit your prayer requests online.

Tithes & OfferingsOfferings are given as an act of worship for attendees who consider Joy their home. For new visitors to Joy, we want you to be blessed by the worship gathering and to give as God inspires you.

DirectionsJoy is located on the NW corner of 75th Ave. and Loop 101. 21000 N. 75th Ave., Glendale, AZ 85308. 623-561-0500. Get directions to Joy from your location.

ParkingIf you are new to Joy, we'd like to welcome you with a great parking space. First-time visitor parking is available on the East side of the Worship Center. We also have shuttles running regularly throughout the parking lots during weekend worship gatherings to give you a lift if you'd like one. Handicapped parking is also available. Please check the map below for designated Handicapped parking areas.

Other helpful tips for your first visit:

• Before the service, check out the worship bulletin to see what's going on at Joy.
  
• Enjoy a free cup of coffee and treats in the Lobby while making new friends before and after the service. If specialty coffee is more your style, you can visit the Common Grounds Coffee Shop for lattes and cappuccinos, as well as a wide variety of other beverages and snacks. Common Grounds is located in Bldg. 16 on the SW side behind the Worship Center. Hours are: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM & occasionally on Sundays 9:00-11:30 AM.
  
• Make sure to fill out a Connection Card which can be found in your bulletin. This will help us get to know you, allow us to answer any questions you may have, and let you know what's happening at Joy.
  
• Be sure to stop by the Starting Point table after the service to receive a special gift and have any questions that may have come up during your visit answered. The friendly volunteers can also direct you as to how you can get connected at Joy.
• Meet one of Joy's pastors at the Welcome Guests banner in the Lobby.
• Spend some time walking around our campus. You'll get to meet some great people, and get a feel for what's going on at Joy.
  
• Feel free to ask as many questions as you can think of. We're here to bless you and to help you feel at home.

How do I get connected at Joy?Volunteers at the Welcome Center will be happy to assist you with this during your weekend visit, but you can also research the following list to give you an idea of how to get connected at Joy.

• Meet with God in worship
• Check out our Resource Wall in the Worship Center Lobby, filled with cards about Joy's ministry and small group offerings
• Attend a Community Group (small group) gathering
• Participate in various ministry opportunities (see links under Ministries)
• Check out upcoming events
• Serve at Joy or with a missions team
• Attend a New Member class to learn how to become a member of Joy (offered several times per year)

Like a rudder sets a course for a ship, what a church believes determines its direction and destination.

At its core, our belief is that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and that through His death our relationship with God is reconciled. This belief about Jesus steers our actions as a church.

We also believe that empowered followers of Jesus continually seek to enhance their relationship with Him. Followers of Jesus share five characteristics of a vital faith:

• Regular participation in worship.
• Daily devotion and personal prayer.
• Personal growth through Bible study and group learning opportunities.
• Financially supporting the Kingdom of God by tithing.
• Sharing God's love in mission and service to others.

Community Church of Joy is affiliated with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC).

Statement of Faith

We believe in the Triune God—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge one God in these three persons.

We believe that God the Father created the universe. He is loving, compassionate, just and kind. His deepest desire is to live in an intimate relationship with all people.

We believe that, because of His desire to live in a relationship with us, God became a human being. Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, is fully God and fully man. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus made it possible for all people to live in a relationship with God. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Through Him and Him alone can people enter into a relationship with God.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the presence of Jesus Christ among us. Through Him God loves us, empowers us and lives in us. The Spirit gives gifts to all believers. We believe in all the gifts of the Spirit and encourage their use.

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Through it, God reveals Himself to us. The entire Bible is God-breathed and God-inspired. The Old and New Testaments are the norm and guide upon which we base our faith.

We believe that the church, be it a local congregation or the worldwide fellowship of believers, is the body of Christ. As His Body, we are called to worship Him, serve Him and be the vehicle through which the Good News in its fullness is shared with the world.

We affirm and identify with the confessions of the Lutheran Church. We affirm the centrality of grace alone, faith alone, and Word alone.

We believe in and practice the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. We believe that through the waters of Baptism, God comes to us to adopt us as His children. Through Baptism, God gives the gift of new life. We affirm the baptism of infants.

We believe that through the Lord's Supper, God comes to love us and forgive us. It is a meal of renewal. Jesus is really present in the meal.

We believe in the worth and value of the human being. Created in God's image, humans have dignity. Their worth is dependent not on accomplishments, but on God's love. Because God sees humanity as worth dying for, we affirm and acknowledge the dignity of humans.

At the same time we acknowledge that humanity is separated from God because of sin. We joyfully proclaim the Good News that because of Jesus Christ, forgiveness is a possibility. It is that forgiveness that restores fallen humanity's worth.

We believe in and anticipate the return of Jesus Christ. Though we don't know the day or hour, we joyfully proclaim His soon return to inspire all people to make the most of life today.

Gospel

We are passionately committed to the message that God has acted on our behalf in Jesus and that through Jesus we can experience a life-transforming relationship with God. A Lutheran understanding of this Good News with a commitment to Word alone, Faith alone, and Grace alone undergirds and shapes our ministry.

Mission

We are passionately committed to sharing the love of Christ in relevant and engaging ways with those not yet connected to Christ or the church, and to training, equipping and empowering transformed people of all faith levels to live out a Christ-centered life. Because lost people matter to God, we will make them the priority of our mission. We will continually seek to create an inviting climate of warmth and hospitality that welcomes all to come and hear about Jesus at their own pace.

Innovative Excellence

We are passionately committed to doing whatever it takes within the context of the Gospel to build a community of faith that reaches new people and helps them grow in their relationship with Christ. Risk, relevance, change, flexibility, excellence and the freedom to fail grow out of the desire to connect the Gospel to the community.

Healthy Relationships

We are passionately committed to affirming and upholding the God-given worth of each individual. We want to help people discover the God-given potential through a relationship with Jesus and to encourage them as they use their gifts to serve Christ and the community. We are committed to helping people foster, build, and experience dynamic, vital relationships with others.

Integrity

We are passionately committed to honesty, openness, fairness, and grace in dealing with others and in managing the mission of Community Church of Joy.

Interested in Membership?

At our Discover Joy New Member Class, you'll find out about:

• The story of Joy—our history, mission, and vision for serving people
• Living by faith
• Involvement opportunities—ministry information, community groups, grown and service opportunities
• CCOJ Membership option
• Tour of campus

Dr. Walt KallestadSenior Pastor—Assigned to a tiny Lutheran congregation in Glendale, Arizona in 1978, Walt Kallestad quickly learned humility and value of strong communications: Within the first few months, the congregation had dropped by 50 percent, and the young idealist was faced with the challenge of rebuilding constituency or finding a new profession. The challenge has obviously been met. Today, under Walt's direction, Community Church of Joy supports thousands of participants. Walt is a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and Luther-Northwestern Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and received his doctorate at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He spends his leisure time with Mary, his wife and best friend, their grown children and grandchildren, pursuing interests in writing, music and golf. walt.kallestad@joyonline.org

Derik HinesTeaching Pastor—Pastor Derik Hines is the Teaching Pastor at Community Church of Joy where he directs the Missions Ministry and oversees various other ministries. Derik has been married to his bride Deborah for almost 28 years. They have been blessed with five daughters, three sons-in-law and two grandsons. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, taking walks with God, working out, reading, frequenting coffee bars and looking for ways to share God's love. His passion is to "Live like Jesus, Love like Jesus and to Leave what Jesus left behind." As a teacher, his passion is to help others do the same. derik.hines@joyonline.org

Derek JohnsonCommunity Life Pastor—Pastor Derek Johnson joins the Joy staff as Community Life Pastor. A 2011 graduate of Bethel Seminary, Derek has served congregations in Minneapolis, MN and Fargo, ND, where he met and married his wife Lisa in 2007. They celebrated the birth of their daughter Annika in 2010, and she has become the center of the Johnson household. Derek enjoys golf, hockey, biking, and cooking meat on his gas grill. He and Lisa enjoy road trips, camping, and spending time with family. derek.johnson@joyonline.org

Rev. David TombWorship Pastor—Dave and his wife Barb make their home in Surprise. Their three married children have provided them with seven beautiful grandchildren. Dave earned a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and Master's of Arts Degree in Leadership and Ministry from Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois and received ordination in 2003. Dave has been in worship leadership for over 30 years, serving churches in Iowa, Illinois and Arizona. david.tomb@joyonline.org

When we obey God and give, He blesses our storehouse and the work of our hands...

God has given us a wonderful opportunity to give back to Him through our tithes and offerings. His Word includes promise after promise of the blessings He will pour down on us as we are faithful with our time, talents, and finances.

At Joy, we encourage anyone who considers Joy their church home to follow the Biblical practice of tithing, or giving 10% of your income back to God. If you are a new visitor to Joy, we want you to be blessed by the worship gathering and to give as God inspires you. Giving brings us so much joy and we are "Blessed to be a Blessing."

You can give to Joy in the weekend offering, via Simply Giving (a simple and convenient way to have your giving taken directly from your checking/savings accounts, or by making an online payment.

To sign up for Simply Giving, you can download this form and either mail it to Joy, bring it by the church office, or put it in the offering basket on the weekend.

StewardshipStewardship is defined as "using God-given abilities to manage God-owned properties to attain God-ordained results."

The Lord owns all of our possessions—as stewards, we simply manage and administer things on His behalf. He entrusts possessions to us and then holds us accountable for their use. The recognition that God owns it all is crucial in allowing Jesus Christ to become the Lord of our money and possessions.

To assist you in attaining your stewardship goals, please read about The Joy Foundation, or the church office at 623-561-0500.