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July 2001, Page 1.
Index of articles.
Vicar's Letters:
index,
Racism,
Jesus risen,
World faith,
General election.
Joint services,
Race & Faith.
Services:
index,
11.15am changes,
Regular 10.30am,
"3+1" Sunday Club.
In this issue:
(July 2001)
Vicar's Letter,
Money,
Teapot,
Question.
Regular joint services
In accordance with the article in the March issue of the Link, our Church Council discussed the possibility of moving to “a regular pattern of ’joint services’ at 10.30am on Sundays, instead of the present pattern where every joint service is an exception. Maybe once a month on a definite Sunday.” The PCC wants to hear your views on this before a final decision is made in July.
As you will all know, the present system of holding two main morning services was introduced ten years ago. It aimed to provide two styles of service: one which would appeal to the more traditional members, and one to those who like a more modern approach to worship. Its track record shows it worked well: attendance increased from 90 to 120 per week in the first few months, and rose to about 160 five years ago. It is still a good system, and there are no plans to go back to having just one service.
However, every system has strengths and weaknesses, and one weakness has been that the two congregations have not been kept well in touch with each other. For a number of years the two services used different teaching schemes, music, liturgy and books. The “joint services” held on about five occasions per year were all for “exceptional” occasions: Harvest, Christmas Nativity, Mothering Sunday; and these services were viewed as “one-offs”.
The key word in the suggestion before the PCC is regular. The intention is that our whole church will be brought back together on a regular basis. The words “once a month” are a secondary issue, and it may be that the PCC adopts a less frequent joint service.
During the PCC’s discussion no-one spoke absolutely against the suggestion. There were however a lot of different points made, and here are a few:
• some 9.30am folk won’t come;
• the dates need to be regular so people can remember, and the most memorable day is the first Sunday of each month;
• having Communion each time might attract more 9.30am-ers;
• there’s value in being the Lord’s family at the Lord’s Table;
• keep the service not too long!
• Morning Prayer is shorter than Communion;
• Morning Prayer is part of the Anglican tradition and needs bringing back into our lives;
• we should have a six-month trial period followed by a review;
• perhaps it should be “all age” with the children in throughout?
Over to you - please tell PCC members what you think.
John Hartley