Our Church
There's something in a name! The Well is so named because the congregation understands two things clearly – everyone is thirsty, and there is only One who is the Living Water! Every Sunday morning a loving group of all ages gather for Sunday school classes, refreshments, a time of fellowship, and a relaxed, yet traditional, worship service. The service feels like the ones we remember growing up, where no one is a stranger, where love and respect are the spoken languages, where the Word is elevated, and where traditions are honored in an informal manner. And on top of this, there is a lot of laughter.
Joy is very evident. The Well functions as a healthy family, where every voice is equally important and where everyone is equally respected. Communion is received weekly, in obedience with Christ's teachings. The music is more contemplative than contemporary with the emphasis being on worship and reflection. There is a peacefulness that pervades every aspect of The Well. People actually seem to enjoy being here! But, by no means is the service superficial. The tag line of The Well goes further: The Well is a Simple Church with a Deep Faith.
What We Believe
We are firmly committed to the classic expression of the Christian faith through the received Sacraments and preached Word, which is Jesus Christ.
Why We Exist
The Well is about “Connecting Believers to Christ and Keeping Them Connected.” In the midst of life's struggles, we hunger and thirst for connection with a Holy God, but our sin keeps us separated from Him. Our Holy God, being also loving and gracious, bridged the gap through the death and resurrection of His son, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaim, thereby making us disciples with the Word and Sacraments.
The Baptismal Font
As the Laver stood between the congregation and the Altar, so too does the Baptism for the “remission of sins.” Therefore, our Baptismal Font stands at the entrance of our sanctuary reminding us that we gather only in “the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” which was placed upon us at our baptism. As you reverently enter to quietly prepare for worship, you may want to dip your finger and make the sign of the cross in remembrance of Christ.
The Service
We recite The Lord's Prayer in unison each Sunday, following the Pastor's prayer. At the presentation of our Offering, we stand and sing the Doxology (#668 in the Hymnal). The ecumenical Creeds (Apostles' and Nicene) are recited as directed; both can be found in the front flyleaf of the hymnal. This form of service connects us with the church worshiping around the world today and reminds us of the historical nature of our faith.
The Lectionary
You will notice that we read and hear a lot of Scripture during our worship. There are several reasons for this, the most important one being that the Word of God is eternally fixed in the heavens. It is able to keep us from sinning, always effective in accomplishing what God intends, creates and sustains faith in the believing, and is the only place where Salvation is to be found. When we say that the Scripture is the only infallible authority for us, it is not just a belief, but also our practice. We follow the historic three-year lectionary, where four readings (or “lections”) are used: a Psalm, an Old Testament reading, one from the New Testament letters, and at center, the Gospel reading. Beginning with Advent, these readings lead us through the life of Christ and cover the major portions of the Bible. Besides honoring the Word of God, the use of the Lectionary again reminds us that we are part of the “one, universal Christian Church.”
The Communion
The New Testament church is pictured as receiving Holy Communion every time that the disciples met together for worship. The finished work of Jesus Christ was truly central to who they were. The broken body and shed blood was not just something believed in, but actually received as Jesus promised. All who love the Lord Jesus Christ with sincerity and truth are invited to receive. We practice by Intinction – dipping the bread into the cup.
A Confessional Church
For more information regarding the biblical and theological basis of our beliefs, please click link (above) or contact the Pastor.
Our Pastor
Of all the titles that a clergy can use, Tom Bryant loves “Pastor” the most. This term captures the role and function of a leader of a local congregation. It combines the role of shepherding and loving a particular people with the function of leading through Word and Sacrament. Tom grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia as the eldest of four children. He began as a youth pastor at a very large church and then began lead pastoring in 1986. He has served as a church planter, a senior pastor, a professor, and a vice-president of a multi-million dollar mission’s agency. But his calling is to the local church. His joy is seeing that “a-ha” moment when one sees a new truth, or an old truth in a new manner; whether that is during a worship service, in a classroom, a hospital room or sharing a cup of coffee at a local diner.
Tom attended Liberty University, Concordia Theological Seminary, the University of Virginia, Bethany Theological Seminary, and Agape Theological Seminary, terminating with his Doctorate in 1995. Post doctoral studies include a Diploma in Forestry from the North American School of Conservation and a Diploma from Radford University in Non-Profit Leadership.
Tom has three wonderful children --Tommy, Jr., Taylor and Emma, and three absolutely precious grandchildren, Avery, Harper and Gabriel.
Tom loves to chat and would enjoy a phone call or a visit over a cup of coffee. Please call him at 434.610.9703
There's something in a name! The Well is so named because the congregation understands two things clearly – everyone is thirsty, and there is only One who is the Living Water! Every Sunday morning a loving group of all ages gather for Sunday school classes, refreshments, a time of fellowship, and a relaxed, yet traditional, worship service. The service feels like the ones we remember growing up, where no one is a stranger, where love and respect are the spoken languages, where the Word is elevated, and where traditions are honored in an informal manner. And on top of this, there is a lot of laughter.
Joy is very evident. The Well functions as a healthy family, where every voice is equally important and where everyone is equally respected. Communion is received weekly, in obedience with Christ's teachings. The music is more contemplative than contemporary with the emphasis being on worship and reflection. There is a peacefulness that pervades every aspect of The Well. People actually seem to enjoy being here! But, by no means is the service superficial. The tag line of The Well goes further: The Well is a Simple Church with a Deep Faith.
What We Believe
We are firmly committed to the classic expression of the Christian faith through the received Sacraments and preached Word, which is Jesus Christ.
Why We Exist
The Well is about “Connecting Believers to Christ and Keeping Them Connected.” In the midst of life's struggles, we hunger and thirst for connection with a Holy God, but our sin keeps us separated from Him. Our Holy God, being also loving and gracious, bridged the gap through the death and resurrection of His son, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaim, thereby making us disciples with the Word and Sacraments.
The Baptismal Font
As the Laver stood between the congregation and the Altar, so too does the Baptism for the “remission of sins.” Therefore, our Baptismal Font stands at the entrance of our sanctuary reminding us that we gather only in “the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” which was placed upon us at our baptism. As you reverently enter to quietly prepare for worship, you may want to dip your finger and make the sign of the cross in remembrance of Christ.
The Service
We recite The Lord's Prayer in unison each Sunday, following the Pastor's prayer. At the presentation of our Offering, we stand and sing the Doxology (#668 in the Hymnal). The ecumenical Creeds (Apostles' and Nicene) are recited as directed; both can be found in the front flyleaf of the hymnal. This form of service connects us with the church worshiping around the world today and reminds us of the historical nature of our faith.
The Lectionary
You will notice that we read and hear a lot of Scripture during our worship. There are several reasons for this, the most important one being that the Word of God is eternally fixed in the heavens. It is able to keep us from sinning, always effective in accomplishing what God intends, creates and sustains faith in the believing, and is the only place where Salvation is to be found. When we say that the Scripture is the only infallible authority for us, it is not just a belief, but also our practice. We follow the historic three-year lectionary, where four readings (or “lections”) are used: a Psalm, an Old Testament reading, one from the New Testament letters, and at center, the Gospel reading. Beginning with Advent, these readings lead us through the life of Christ and cover the major portions of the Bible. Besides honoring the Word of God, the use of the Lectionary again reminds us that we are part of the “one, universal Christian Church.”
The Communion
The New Testament church is pictured as receiving Holy Communion every time that the disciples met together for worship. The finished work of Jesus Christ was truly central to who they were. The broken body and shed blood was not just something believed in, but actually received as Jesus promised. All who love the Lord Jesus Christ with sincerity and truth are invited to receive. We practice by Intinction – dipping the bread into the cup.
A Confessional Church
For more information regarding the biblical and theological basis of our beliefs, please click link (above) or contact the Pastor.
Our Pastor
Of all the titles that a clergy can use, Tom Bryant loves “Pastor” the most. This term captures the role and function of a leader of a local congregation. It combines the role of shepherding and loving a particular people with the function of leading through Word and Sacrament. Tom grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia as the eldest of four children. He began as a youth pastor at a very large church and then began lead pastoring in 1986. He has served as a church planter, a senior pastor, a professor, and a vice-president of a multi-million dollar mission’s agency. But his calling is to the local church. His joy is seeing that “a-ha” moment when one sees a new truth, or an old truth in a new manner; whether that is during a worship service, in a classroom, a hospital room or sharing a cup of coffee at a local diner. Tom attended Liberty University, Concordia Theological Seminary, the University of Virginia, Bethany Theological Seminary, and Agape Theological Seminary, terminating with his Doctorate in 1995. Post doctoral studies include a Diploma in Forestry from the North American School of Conservation and a Diploma from Radford University in Non-Profit Leadership.
Tom has three wonderful children --Tommy, Jr., Taylor and Emma, and three absolutely precious grandchildren, Avery, Harper and Gabriel.
Tom loves to chat and would enjoy a phone call or a visit over a cup of coffee. Please call him at 434.610.9703