Last Sunday, Kevin Emmert, Chairman of the Staff-Parish Committee, announced that on July 1, 2011, Pastor in Suk Peebles and Pastor David Scifres will each be appointed to new pastorates. Soon, I expect, Kevin will make another announcement naming the pastor who will become our new associate pastor on July 1. We will only have full time ordained associate at that time. The savings from ending one of the pastoral positions will be redirected to add lay specialists and possible part-time retired pastors to the staff in areas such as missions, family ministry, member assimilation and compassionate care for our home bound members.
As a result in the change in the number of pastors, it seems wise to review our current worship schedule of English services at 8:15, 9:30; 10:45 & 11:00. The current schedule makes it extremely difficult for one pastor to preach at four services. With only two clergy, it doesn’t seem feasible to commit the pastoral resources to have two pastors each preparing a sermon each week. Sermon and worship preparation frequently requires a fourth of a pastors time for each week. Only one pastor will preach each Sunday.
I am also aware that church people tend to have no objection to making changes in worship schedule, AS LONG AS the service they attend remains unchanged. However, something will need to change. We need to think beyond our own preferences and seek a worship plan which will be most attractive to those we wish to reach with the gospel.
I think there is great value in maintaining the variety of worship styles we currently offer. However, it also seems most wise to me to move back to just three Sunday morning services.
One suggestion is a schedule of 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00. The 8:00 would meet in the sanctuary. The music for this service would rely on solos and small group ensembles. The 9:30 service would meet in the Celebration Hall and pretty much remain unchanged with the Chancel Choir helping to lead the music. The 11:00 service would meet in the Celebration Hall and have a contemporary worship format. The folk who have normally worship at 10:45 who prefer to worship in the sanctuary could do so at 8:00. Those from the 10:45 service who prefer the worship time can join the 11:00 worship. This format continues the use of the major worship sites and styles.
Another suggestion has the 8:00 remaining in the chapel, the 9:30 in Celebration Hall and the contemporary style worship would be at 11:00 in the sanctuary.
A third suggestion would retain the same four service schedule, however the sermon at 11:00 would be videotape of the morning message recorded at one of earlier services.
Each of these suggestions has strengths and weaknesses.
One commonality is that each of these schedules will require that we update the video capability into all worship sites. If a pastor plans a sermon using a video clip in one service that pastor needs the capability of using that same clip in all services for that sermon. Without such common capabilities, the pastor would need to prepare two different sermons, one with video and one without. We lose the some of the time savings of having only one preacher per Sunday if the preaching pastor has to do different messages. For instance, we could install fold out and drop down screens in the sanctuary which could be hidden behind the beams in the sanctuary, lowered when needed and raised out of sight when not in use.
What I am looking for is to receive comments and suggestions from your individual perspective. Please take a few minutes and let me know what you think at this point. Help me to know what the discussion points will be.
Thanks for your help.
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