You begin to leave the sanctuary hesitantly after the worship service on Sabbath morning. You can still hear the organist playing the postlude as the worshipers make their way to the back of the church. You feel a little bit uncertain because you haven't been attending church all that long. In fact, it is your first month in your new church family.

The minister is at the door warmly greeting the worshipers. You make your way past the older folks, the kids from the mothers' room, the church members chatting together, and Mrs. Grable, the church matriarch who seems to know everyone and everything.

You finally stand, hand outstretched, before the minister. As he grasps your hand, you hear those new, wonderfully caring words: "Welcome to the family."

Your hair is damp from the baptismal font. You feel the rush of joy and hope in your heart. People are smiling at you.

"Thank you, Reverend. I'm so happy!" comes your almost automatic response.

As you move into the foyer, a friend who was baptized a few months earlier whispers, "We don't call pastors 'Reverend' in the Adventist Church."

You feel slightly embarrassed, but your excitement about baptism and new life covers up your nervousness. You think, "Well, I'd better not say that again! Adventists don't call their pastors 'Reverend,' hum … " Maybe you should call him "Father." But you don't hear anyone calling the minister of your new church "Father," either. Then someone says, "Lovely service, Elder Blain."

Ah-hah! In Adventism, the minister is called "Elder" or "Pastor." You realize that you have a lot to learn.

Just as no one expects a baby to know all of the family traditions, no one will expect you to know everything about your new church. Do you remember making a decision about when to open your Christmas gifts when you were a child? Should you do it on Christmas Eve, or on Christmas morning? The decision about that was made by family traditions that you accepted and adopted as you were growing up.

Like your family, your new church has traditions that have been passed from generation to generation. As a new member, you assimilate these traditions as you grow in the church family. Soon what seemed foreign becomes familiar. The newness wears off and you "belong."

This new Herald column, "Adventism 101," is designed to help you develop a sense of belonging by giving you a working knowledge of the language and culture of your new Adventist Church family. Throughout this year, we plan to acquaint you with your Adventist family roots, help you understand Adventist jargon, give you ideas on how to celebrate the Sabbath, and maybe even share some traditional Adventist recipes you can take to potluck.

We might not be able to help you avoid the rocky road of "newness," but we hope that we can cushion the ride a little bit. When the honeymoon is over and you begin to see the flaws in your fellow family members, remember that we are all sinners saved by grace. Look to Jesus. Never take your eyes off Him. And if you don't understand, ask.

This article was adapted by Ann Fisher, Lake Union Herald managing editor, from Welcome to the Family, an out-of-print book published jointly by Home Study International and the North American Division, and used with permission.