Every year, churches around the nation set aside a special day called Back to Church Sunday. It’s more than just an event — it’s an invitation. It’s a chance for those who have been away from church, those who have never been, or those who simply need a fresh start to come and discover what faith and community are all about.
This year, Back to Church Sunday happens on September 21, 2025, and here at Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, we’re saving a seat just for you at 9AM & 11AM.
Why “Life is Better Together”
Our theme this year is simple: Life is Better Together. We live in a world where it’s easy to feel isolated, overlooked, or even unworthy. Maybe you’ve thought:
“They don’t really want me there.”
“It’s too late for me to go back.”
“I’m afraid I’ll be judged.”
The truth is, you’re not alone in those feelings. Many of us have walked through seasons of doubt, shame, or distance from God. But church isn’t a place for perfect people — it’s a family. And in God’s family, there’s room for your story.
When we worship together, pray together, and walk through life side by side, we discover something powerful: we were never meant to do life alone.
A Fresh Start Awaits You
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to come back to church, this is it. Back to Church Sunday is your opportunity to take that step. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to “clean yourself up” first. You don’t even have to believe everything to belong.
At Open Arms Community Church, you’ll find a warm welcome, a come-as-you-are environment, and people who will walk with you through life’s challenges. Most importantly, you’ll encounter the hope and love of Jesus.
Join Us in Bradford, PA
📅 Sunday, September 21, 2025 🕘 9AM & 11AM Services 📍 Open Arms Community Church, 71 Congress Street, Bradford, PA
Whether it’s your first time or your first time in a long time, we’d love to see you. Bring a friend, bring your family — or just bring yourself. However you come, know this: you belong here.
At Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, we recently celebrated 28 new lives in Christ through baptism. Baptism is a powerful step of faith—but it’s also a starting line, not the finish. The real question is: Now what?
That’s where our new series, Do As I Do, begins. Jesus never said, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Instead, He invited us to actually live the way He lived.
What Are You Following Right Now?
Whether we admit it or not, we’re all following something.
Culture and its shifting opinions 📺
Family and friends’ expectations 👪
Money and success 💼
Our own version of the “American dream” 🏡
But can these things really satisfy? Jesus said:
Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
In other words, you can’t follow both. At some point, you’ll have to decide which path you’re really on.
What Did Jesus Actually Invite People Into?
In the first century, rabbis (teachers) never pursued students. Students had to beg to follow a rabbi, like applying to an Ivy League school.
But Jesus flipped the script. He went out of His way to call people personally:
Mark 1:16–20 (NIV)
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Mark 2:13–15 (NIV)
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
Notice—He didn’t invite them to “become Christians” (that word came later). He invited them to apprentice under Him—to learn a whole new way of living.
What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus Today?
Pastor Zoe laid out three rhythms for what it really looks like:
Be with Jesus
Become like Jesus
Do what Jesus did
This isn’t a program or a checklist. It’s a way of life. Spend time with Him, let that time transform you, and then live differently because of it.
How Do I Actually Spend Time With God?
Being with Jesus starts with simple, practical steps:
Prayer: Talking and listening.
Abiding (meno in Greek means “stay”): Staying close to Him, like a loyal friend or even a lapdog at your feet.
Contemplation: Fixing your thoughts and emotions on Him. Making Him your true home.
An old peasant once described his prayer this way: “I look at Him, He looks at me, and we are happy.” That kind of relationship is what Jesus invites you into.
How Do I Become More Like Jesus?
Being with Him naturally leads to becoming like Him. That happens through:
Teaching: Reading Scripture, hearing preaching, listening for God’s voice.
Practice: Engaging in rhythms like Sabbath, prayer, fasting, solitude, generosity, and service.
Community: Real transformation happens with others, not in isolation. God Himself exists in community (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).
And there’s one clear test: Am I becoming more loving? Ask yourself—and even better, ask the people around you. If love is growing, you’re on the right track.
Why Does Following Jesus Involve Struggle?
Becoming like Jesus is not instant—it takes time, surrender, and yes, even suffering.
Matthew 10:24–25 (NLT)
24 Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!
Matthew 10:24–25 (MSG)
A student doesn’t get a better desk than her teacher. A laborer doesn’t make more money than his boss. Be content—pleased, even—when you, my students, my harvest hands, get the same treatment I get. If they call me, the Master, ‘Dungface,’ what can the workers expect?
If Jesus suffered, why would we think we get out of it? Hardship is often where real growth happens.
But here’s the encouragement: change doesn’t come from our willpower—it comes from surrender to the Holy Spirit.
What’s More Important: My Resume or My Legacy?
When life is over, people won’t remember us for our accomplishments as much as how we loved them. Are you living for your résumé, or your eulogy?
Funerals remind us of this truth: people share stories not of achievements, but of kindness, love, and presence. That’s what lasts.
What Did Jesus Actually Do?
We don’t just be with Him and become like Him for ourselves—we do it so we can do what He did.
Hospitality: Making people feel welcome.
Preaching the Gospel: Sharing good news with our words.
Demonstrating the Gospel: Showing God’s love through miracles, healing, justice, and compassion.
The end goal? To grow into the kind of person who can say and do the things Jesus said and did.
Am I Ready to Follow Jesus?
Following Jesus isn’t about trying harder—it’s about training with Him as your coach. Like preparing for a 10K, it takes small steps, consistency, and daily commitment.
As St. Augustine said: “Without God, we cannot. Without us, God will not.”
The same Spirit who empowered Jesus is available to empower you today. But discipleship means counting the cost:
Luke 14:25–33 (MSG)
One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple. … Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.”
It sounds harsh, but Jesus is honest: following Him means leaving behind competing loves. Are you ready?
What Do You Really Want?
In John’s gospel, Jesus asked a life-changing question:
John 1:35–39 (NIV)
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” 39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
Jesus still asks the same today: What do you want?
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’ve been chasing culture, money, or success and still feel empty, Jesus is inviting you into a better way.
➡️ You can watch this full message on our Open Arms YouTube channel. 🙌 Or better yet, join us in person Sunday mornings at 71 Congress Street in Bradford, PA. Find service times and plan your visit here.
At Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, you’ll find a community where hope, healing, and purpose are waiting for you.
The Least of These Riders is a motorcycle microchurch focused on serving others and living out faith on mission. This group combines brotherhood, service, and outreach to those often overlooked.
At Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, we believe faith grows best in community. That’s why our microchurches meet throughout the week in homes and creative spaces across the region. These smaller gatherings are where real relationships are formed, prayers are shared, and discipleship happens in everyday life.
Here’s what’s happening with our microchurches this September:
Engage Prayer
Every Monday | 6 PM | Open Arms – 71 Congress St Start your week in God’s presence. Join us each Monday night as we go deeper in prayer together.
Promises of God
Wednesdays at 6:30PM at 17 Vista Circle, Bradford A consistent midweek gathering for prayer, Scripture, and connection.
New Believers Group
Every Thursday | 6:30 PM | 65 North Center St, Bradford This group is designed for those new to faith, offering encouragement and teaching on God’s promises.
EmpowHer
Every Thursday | 6–8 PM | Downstairs at Open Arms – 71 Congress St A weekly women’s microchurch where ladies encourage one another and grow in Christ-centered sisterhood.
Homecoming Recovery – NEW!
Starting September 12 | Fridays | 6 PM | Downstairs at Open Arms – 71 Congress St A safe place for those seeking freedom from addiction. This recovery microchurch offers support, prayer, and hope.
Harvest of Faith
Saturdays 2–4 PM | Kitchen at Open Arms – 71 Congress St Join us for a hands-on experience of fellowship, faith, and baking.
Youth Group
Sept 7 & 28 | 5 PM | 869 W. Washington
Sept 14 | (TBA)
Students gather to build friendships, have fun, and grow in their walk with Jesus.
Sunday Dinner (Young Adults)
Sept 7, 14, 28 | 6–8 PM | Open Arms – 71 Congress St
Sept 21 | 6 PM | Hiking Trip at Marilla
A microchurch designed for young adults to share a meal, dive into God’s Word, and live life together.
Tribe of Lions (Men’s Microchurch)
Sept 1 | Labor Day – No Meeting
Sept 8 | 6:30 PM – Forge Night: Basic Home Repair
Sept 15 | 6:30 PM – Regular Meeting
Sept 22 | 6:30 PM – Forge Night: Trauma Response
Sept 29 | 6:30 PM – Chili Cook-Off
Men sharpening men through practical skills, spiritual growth, and authentic brotherhood.
Least of These Riders
Sept 2 | 6:30 PM – Meet at Charlie’s Cycle Shop, Minard Run
Sept 9 & 23 | 6:30 PM – Meet at Robinson’s House, Lewis Run
Sept 16 | 6:30 PM – Men & Women meet separately (TBA)
Sept 20 | 9 AM–3 PM – BTC 5th Annual Cruisin’ to Recovery @ Kane Family Drive-In
Sept 30 | (TBA)
A motorcycle microchurch for riders who want to combine faith, freedom, and fellowship.
New Microchurch Starting!
Later in September, we’ll have a new microchurch starting as well! Stay Tuned for more info!
Find Your Microchurch
Microchurches are where big church becomes personal. Whether you’re new to faith or have been following Jesus for years, there’s a place for you to connect, grow, and serve.
Looking for meaningful things to do in Bradford, PA this September? Open Arms Community Church has a full month of events where you can connect with others, grow in your faith, and make a difference in the community. From a brand-new teaching series to local outreach and fun gatherings, here’s what’s coming up:
New Series: Do As I Do
Starting Sunday, September 7
This fall, we’re launching a powerful new series called Do As I Do. Together, we’ll take a journey into living the way of Jesus. Each week, we’ll explore practical spiritual disciplines like Sabbath, prayer, fasting, and more.
This series is about more than belief — it’s about imitation. We’ll learn how to walk in His footsteps, shape our daily rhythms around His example, and experience the kind of life only He can offer. Don’t miss this opportunity to grow deeper in your faith and live it out in everyday life.
Walk for Life
Saturday, September 13 | 10 AM – 1 PM | Allegany River Park
If you’re looking for family-friendly events in Bradford, PA, join us at Allegany River Park for the annual Walk for Life, supporting Bright Alternatives, one of our mission partners. Bright Alternatives provides free care and resources for women and families facing unplanned pregnancies.
This is a chance to walk, connect, and make a real difference for people in our community. Bring your family and friends and help us support this vital ministry!
Destinations Chicken BBQ
Saturday, September 20 | 12 PM – 4 PM | Bradford Township Lions Club
Mark your calendar for a day of food, fun, and fellowship at the Bradford Township Lions Club. Enjoy a delicious chicken BBQ hot off the grill, along with activities and entertainment for the whole family.
Proceeds benefit Destinations Bradford, one of our Open Arms mission partners. Destinations serves as a resource for those in need, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, and offering care for our community. By coming out to enjoy great food and fun, you’ll also be helping to support this essential ministry.
This is one of those can’t-miss things to do in Bradford, PA if you love good food and supporting a good cause.
Community Fun Night at Pumpkinfest
Saturday, September 27 | 7 PM | After Bradford Pumpkinfest
We’ll be wrapping up the month with a Community Fun Night after Bradford Pumpkinfest! Join us for an outdoor movie night starting at 7 PM. It’s a great way to relax, have fun, and spend time with others in our community.
Be Part of What’s Happening!
September is full of opportunities to grow in faith, support local ministries, and enjoy time with friends and family. Whether you’re joining us for the Do As I Do series on Sundays at 71 Congress Street, walking for life, eating BBQ chicken, or catching a movie at Pumpkinfest — Open Arms is here to help you experience hope, healing, and purpose.
If you’re looking for things to do in Bradford, PA, we’d love for you to join us at any of these events. There’s a place for you here!
ne of our favorite Sundays of the year—our outdoor Baptism Service & Picnic at Marilla Landing Pavilion! Whether you’ve walked with Jesus for decades or you’re just starting to explore faith, this is the perfect moment to celebrate new life together.
All‑in‑One Sunday Schedule
Important: This week we will not meet at 71 Congress Street. Instead, our regular Sunday worship service, the baptisms, and the picnic will all happen right at Marilla Landing Pavilion. Come ready to sing, celebrate, and feast outdoors!
Bring a lawn chair for the service and baptisms—seating at the pavilion is limited.
Why We Celebrate Baptism
Baptism is a public “yes” to the new life Jesus offers. Going under the water symbolizes dying to our old, sin‑stained way of living, and coming up represents rising with Christ to a fresh start. It’s an outward sign of an inward change—simple, powerful, and open to anyone who has decided to follow Jesus.
Not sure you’re ready? Come anyway, ask questions, and see what it’s all about. We’ll have extra towels and friendly faces ready to talk.
How to Get There
Address:Marilla Landing Pavilion, 1131 W. Washington St., Bradford, PA 16701RunSignup
From downtown Bradford / Open Arms (71 Congress St.):
Head west on West Washington St. / PA‑346.
Keep going for about 5 miles until you see Marilla Reservoir on the right.
Just past the covered bridge, turn right when you see the sign for Luther Reservoir and follow the drive to the pavilion parking lot. Tip: Cell service can be spotty around the reservoir, so set your GPS before leaving town.
How to find Marilla Landing Pavilion #bradfordpa https://youtube.com/shorts/JuQgpdH6gmk?feature=share
What to Expect
Outdoor worship service under the pavilion roof.
Inflatable baptism tub front and center so everyone can celebrate up close.
Real‑life stories of transformation as each person being baptized shares what Jesus has done in their life.
Casual picnic vibe—kids playing, camp chairs, and plenty of food to share.
Picnic Details – Bring a Dish to Pass
Right after the baptisms we’ll break out the picnic tables. To make the feast amazing, bring a favorite side, salad, or dessert to share—homemade or store‑bought is fine. We’ll provide the main dishes, drinks, and paper goods so it’s easy for everyone.
Get Your Free Baptism T‑Shirt
Everyone who signs up for baptism ahead of time receives a Baptism T‑shirt. It’s our gift to mark this milestone and a great conversation starter long after Sunday.
Register today using the form below!
Ready to Take the Plunge?
Fill out the form below and let us know you’re in.
Invite friends and family—they won’t want to miss it.
Pack your chair, your covered‑dish, and plenty of excitement!
If you’re still on the fence, come anyway. Sometimes watching others take their step is exactly what God uses to nudge us forward.
We can’t wait to worship, celebrate, and picnic with you at Marilla Landing Pavilion. Let’s eat together, laugh together, and rejoice as lives are made new!
If you’ve ever wondered “Why do I have trouble trusting others?” or “Why do my relationships feel stuck?” — you’re not alone. Studies show that 75% of adults do not remember receiving comfort as children during times of distress. That lack of comfort often leads to insecure attachment styles, making it harder to build healthy relationships as adults.
At Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, Pastor Zoe Hatcher shared how God’s love offers a different way forward through a simple but powerful tool called the Comfort Circle.
What Is the Comfort Circle?
The Comfort Circle is a process that helps us build trust in our relationships by learning how to:
Seek Awareness – Identify what we’re really feeling.
Engage – Share those feelings honestly and vulnerably.
Explore – Listen with empathy, reflect, and validate the other person’s experience.
Resolve – Meet one another’s needs through forgiveness, compromise, and action.
This process doesn’t just apply to marriage. It can transform our parenting, our friendships, and even how we interact with coworkers.
Step 1: How Do I Become More Aware of My Feelings?
It starts with self-awareness. Many of us only describe emotions as “good” or “bad,” but God designed us with a wide spectrum of feelings. Tools like a feelings wheel can help us identify emotions such as gratitude, insecurity, irritation, peace, loneliness, or joy.
The Bible encourages this kind of reflection:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” — Psalm 139:23
When we invite God into our emotions, He helps us sort through them with clarity and grace.
Step 2: How Do I Share My Feelings Without Starting a Fight?
The next step is courage. Vulnerability is risky, but it’s how trust is built. Instead of blaming statements, use “I” statements to communicate your experience.
Example: ❌ “You never listen to me.” ✅ “I felt ignored and sad when you didn’t respond after I shared my heart.”
As Ephesians 4:25 reminds us:
“Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor…”
Step 3: How Do I Listen When I Don’t Agree?
Listening doesn’t mean staying silent while you prepare your defense. It means truly entering into the other person’s experience.
Use reflective statements like: “It sounds like you felt hurt and afraid. I’d feel that way too.”
Ask clarifying questions.
Resist the urge to interrupt, defend, or correct.
James 1:19 gives this timeless wisdom:
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
Step 4: How Do We Resolve Conflict and Restore Trust?
Resolution happens when the listener asks: “What do you need?”
The speaker should make one specific, reasonable request. For example: “I need you to wash the dishes on nights when I have late meetings, because I feel unappreciated when I come home to a full sink.”
Meeting each other’s needs, apologizing when necessary, and following through builds trust over time. Galatians 6:2 reminds us:
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
What Happens When We Complete the Comfort Circle?
Anxiety lowers — the relationship feels safer.
Closeness increases — bonds grow deeper.
Trust is built — love flows more freely.
As 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 says:
“God comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Can Broken Attachment Styles Really Be Healed?
Yes. While we can’t change the past, we can choose to live differently today. God invites us into a new way of loving:
“Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” — Colossians 3:12–14
Through the Comfort Circle, our avoidant, controlling, or anxious patterns can be healed. We move closer to secure attachment — the way God designed love to work.
What Does God’s Love Teach Us About Relationships?
The Comfort Circle is not just a psychological tool; it reflects the very heart of God. Jesus prayed in John 17 for us to experience the same intimacy He shares with the Father:
“…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” — John 17:21
That means our marriages, friendships, and families can become a reflection of the unity of the Trinity itself.
Final Thought: Choosing to Love Like Jesus
Every day, we have the choice to either repeat cycles of distrust and fear, or to lean into God’s perfect love. By seeking awareness, engaging vulnerably, listening with empathy, and resolving with action, we can reflect His love in our closest relationships.
At Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, our purpose is simple: Loving God. Loving People. And learning to love well is where it all begins.
Why do we keep having the same fight over and over again?
Why do I feel like I’m always chasing closeness while my spouse runs away?
Why do I shut down when emotions get intense?
These are the kinds of questions Josh and Zoe Hatcher wrestled with in their marriage. In Part 3 of the Language of Love series at Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, they shared openly about their struggles and the breakthrough moments God brought.
The truth is this: the drama in their relationship was tied to patterns they had formed growing up—patterns known as love styles.
What Are Love Styles and Why Do They Matter?
A love style is the relational pattern you learned in childhood based on how you received love, comfort, or connection. These early lessons often carry into adulthood, quietly shaping the way you interact with others.
Some common love styles include:
The Avoider – keeps emotions at a distance, minimizes conflict, avoids vulnerability.
The Vacillator – longs for closeness but fears abandonment; swings between high hopes and deep disappointment.
The Pleaser – works hard to keep peace but hides true needs.
The Controller or Victim – patterns that create chaos, tension, and power struggles.
Josh identified as an Avoider. Zoe discovered she was a Vacillator. Together, these styles created what they called a Drama Duo—a predictable cycle of frustration and withdrawal.
Have you noticed how the same arguments repeat—no matter the topic? That’s not coincidence. It’s what relationship experts call a core pattern.
For Josh and Zoe, it looked like this:
Zoe’s anxiety built up, and she expressed frustration to connect.
Josh felt overwhelmed and shut down.
Zoe felt dismissed and invisible, so she escalated.
Josh retreated further, waiting for it to “blow over.”
And the cycle started again.
This is what the Apostle Paul described in Romans 7:15: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
What Does the Bible Say About These Cycles?
The Bible doesn’t shy away from the conflicts in relationships.
Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
James 4:1–3 – “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?”
Ephesians 5:25–28 – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…”
Josh admitted he often used scripture the wrong way—seeing Zoe as “quarrelsome” and justifying avoidance. But God’s Word calls us to engage with love, not retreat in self-protection.
Can God Really Heal a Drama Duo?
Yes. God can bring breakthrough, even when patterns feel unshakable.
Lamentations 3:22–23 reminds us: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
For Josh and Zoe, healing began with:
Counseling — safe space to listen instead of react.
Vulnerability — learning to share grief, shame, and struggles instead of hiding.
Spiritual focus — inviting God into the heart of their marriage, not just trying harder on their own.
A turning point came when Josh finally shared the grief of losing his father. Instead of bottling it up, he let Zoe comfort and pray for him. That moment of honesty and vulnerability helped restore real intimacy.
What Other “Drama Duos” Exist?
Josh and Zoe’s Avoider-Vacillator pairing is just one example. Other love-style pairings create their own drama loops:
Pleaser + Vacillator → The Weary
Avoider + Pleaser → The Chase
Avoider + Avoider → The Roommates
Pleaser + Pleaser → Denial
Vacillator + Vacillator → Bi-Polar cycles
Controller + Victim → Chaotic tension
When you recognize your own dynamic, you can start to break the pattern.
How Do You Break Free from the Crazy Cycle?
Josh and Zoe described a biblical path they call the Comfort Circle:
Choose to Engage – Don’t avoid emotions; step into the conversation.
Explore Feelings – Reflect back what you heard so the other person feels understood.
Resolve Conflict – Work to meet needs instead of defending yourself.
As Jesus commanded in John 13:34–35: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Final Thoughts
Relationships aren’t doomed to repeat old cycles. The patterns you learned in childhood—your love style—may shape your struggles today, but they don’t have to define your future.
If your marriage or family feels stuck in a Drama Duo, take hope: with God’s love, vulnerability, and practical steps toward healing, you can break free from the crazy cycle and experience real connection.
