Like any community, including churches, it can feel like a challenge to get to know people and make friends. Vineyard OP wants to help you get connected with others in our community. We know that it is virtually impossible to grow in relationship with God if you are not also growing in relationship with others. That just seems to be the way it is.
So how do you get started here at Vineyard OP?
 It's good to know who we are, and what we are all about. That can help you know if you are in the right place. We think you probably are, but that's really up to you to decide. You can learn more about who we are and what we are up to by checking out our Vineyard OP FAQ. You can get there by clicking on the link up and to the left, or you can just click this handy little link. You may also want to check out the About Us section of the website. It's a good start. |
 One of the absolute best ways to get connected with the Vineyard OP community is to serve: go on an outreach, help paint or repair things at the church building, be the person who says "Good morning (or evening!)" to the people as they come to our weekend services. There are many, many, many, many ways to serve.
Serving others has a wonderful effect on people. You get to know others when you serve together, and now you have something in common to talk about. It also makes you feel better - it seems God made us so that serving others just feels good. It can also help you take your mind off your own problems: serving others makes it hard to focus on any of the bad stuff that might be going on in your life.
The Event Center is where you can find out everything going on here at Vineyard OP. Sign up for an outreach, or watch for some other opportunity to serve, or attend our membership class the next time it is offered to see what service opportunities exist. |
 One of the best ways to get connected in the Vineyard OP community is to join a small group. Small groups are just what they sound like: a small group of people, typically ten or less, who get together throughout the month at someone's house. They usually worship together and share what God is doing in their lives, and many of the small groups serve together doing outreach.
You can see the small groups we have by heading over to the Small Groups page. |
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 Welcome to the Vineyard is an event we hold once a quarter, where people get a chance to come to the coffee shop and meet Mark Warner, our senior pastor, and some of the other staff as well. He typically shares a little about Vineyard OP and then answers any questions you might have. It's a great chance to meet the staff and, more importantly, lots of other people who are new to the Vineyard OP community. Just watch for the next Welcome to the Vineyard over at the Event Center and sign up to attend.
You can contact Fred Hoffman, our Connecting and Small Groups pastor (contact info below) to learn more about Welcome to the Vineyard. |
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 Our membership class is called Fruit of the Vineyard and even if you're not sure if you want to be a member right now, you should still attend. It's a great place to find out about the things we believe, both as the national Vineyard Movement and as the Vineyard OP local church. We also talk about the history of Vineyard OP and our church structure, for people who like that kind of thing. Again, you get a chance to ask questions and meet other people who are new to the Vineyard OP community.
We offer the membership class three times a year, so just watch the Event Center for the next time it is offered. If you want to know more, please contact Fred Hoffman, our Connecting and Small Groups pastor (contact info below). |
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We hope this helps point you in the right direction. In the end, the key to community is finding a place where you fit nicely. That may be serving at the church, serving in an outreach, or attending a small group that suits who you are. You want to be persistent. Not every small group will be the right one for you, and some people are called to serve the homeless, while others are gifted to do repair work around the church or play on the worship team. What's most important to us is that you find a place here where you can use the gifts and talents that God gave you - this is the best way to grow in relationship with God and others.
If you visit and you find Vineyard OP is not the church for you, that's OK. We'll miss you, but we won't get all mad and pout about it. We are doing what God has called us to do, and we understand that may not be what you are called to. But we encourage you to find a church community where you can connect. Please visit our Kansas City churches page to see links to other churches in the Kansas City area that might be a better place for you to plug and serve.
