Every Sunday morning is a time for one group of church members to literally unpack their church.
They start by backing up a big white truck to the entrance of the Rochester Christian School and start unloading large boxes of folding chairs, music equipment and nursery toys.
The team of volunteers then “carries” the church, box by box, into the sanctuary, which is currently the school gymnasium.
The set-up process takes almost two hours, but pastor Troy Bassett says the volunteers who make it happen have the right motivation.
“People are willing to do it because it’s worth doing in the end,” he said. “We feel like the rewards we’re getting are seeing people’s lives changed through the work of God, and I think people see those results.”
The name of the church is Freechurch.net, which is also the name of their website. Bassett says he and wife Diane often get asked where they got the name, and the answer is twofold.
Firstly, the word “free” is associated with the freedom from sin given by Christ as well as the Free Methodist Church. The “net” also serves as a reminder of Christ’s call to “be fishers of men,” Bassett explained. But the tactic was also intended to let people know what to expect.
“If we make the name the same as your website, people know exactly were to find you,” he said. “By doing that, you know that about 90 percent of people will check out your website before visiting your church.”
The website has videos of testimonials, podcasts of sermons and a basic outline of the church’s goals and beliefs. It even has an outline of what to expect when you arrive on Sunday, complete with how long the worship service lasts, available child care, and even what kind of clothing is acceptable (jeans and ties are both allowed).
Why the detail? Diane Bassett said that the modern, casual image is part of a larger effort to draw people to a place where they can be comfortable, especially when fewer people are coming to church.
“I look at the soccer games and see crowds of people there and wonder, what is it that keeps people from taking that energy to go to church?” she said. “Our goal is to eliminate any excuses they have and be welcoming.”
The Bassetts first met at Roberts Wesleyan College and later moved to Jamestown to help plant a church there. After three years, they were asked to do the same in Rochester and moved to Penfield with their five children. Last February, they joined a team of willing leaders and found Freechurch.net.
Before it came to RCS this past June, the congregation met at Spry Middle School until school renovations forced them to move to Bay Trail Middle School. When similar repairs caused them to move again, they started renting space at RCS.
Although they would like to one day have a permanent building, they say they’re happy where they are as long as people come.
“One thing our congregation has learned is that our church isn’t a building,” said Troy. “Our church is the people of God, so we can go anywhere.”
