At Ocean View CRC in Norfolk, VA, we have had a 6:00 pm service like typica crc's do. Last year however, we changed the format to eliminate a second sermon and replaced that segment with dissussion on the morning's message. Three discussion questions are included in the bulletin. While still a worship service, we include a time for audience selection of three or four song. Then we ask for prayer request and various people pray through the list. This format has had very good response and about half of our morning attenders come to the pm service. Last week we made another significant change to move the time of this service to 1:00 in the afternoon. Our schedule will look something like this: Sunday School at 9:45, AM worship at 11:00. A light lunch from 12:20 to 1:00 and then our new afternoon service (same format) from 2:00 to 3:00. The rest of the afternoon and evening will be free. One of the reasons for this change is that as a commuter church, some of our families drive too far to return for the pm service, especially those with small children. We also hope that having a lunch after each service will be conducive to inviting visitors to get to know us better over a meal. This proposal exceeded our minimum required vote (75%) by the congregation but, as you can imagine, there were a few people opposed to it. We agreed to try this for a period of six months. We will still have to see, how this will work out. Some may see this as a step to phasing out a second service all together but we hope it will enhance the member's understanding of the sermon as well as increase opportunities for deeper fellowship.
Posted in: Let's Keep Thinking about the "Second Service"
Hi all,
At Ocean View CRC in Norfolk, VA, we have had a 6:00 pm service like typica crc's do. Last year however, we changed the format to eliminate a second sermon and replaced that segment with dissussion on the morning's message. Three discussion questions are included in the bulletin. While still a worship service, we include a time for audience selection of three or four song. Then we ask for prayer request and various people pray through the list. This format has had very good response and about half of our morning attenders come to the pm service. Last week we made another significant change to move the time of this service to 1:00 in the afternoon. Our schedule will look something like this: Sunday School at 9:45, AM worship at 11:00. A light lunch from 12:20 to 1:00 and then our new afternoon service (same format) from 2:00 to 3:00. The rest of the afternoon and evening will be free. One of the reasons for this change is that as a commuter church, some of our families drive too far to return for the pm service, especially those with small children. We also hope that having a lunch after each service will be conducive to inviting visitors to get to know us better over a meal. This proposal exceeded our minimum required vote (75%) by the congregation but, as you can imagine, there were a few people opposed to it. We agreed to try this for a period of six months. We will still have to see, how this will work out. Some may see this as a step to phasing out a second service all together but we hope it will enhance the member's understanding of the sermon as well as increase opportunities for deeper fellowship.
Blessings to you all.