For at least for the last six summers, Calvary Church has had one worship service at 10:00 AM for the summer months and then two services for the remainder of the year. With the challenges of returning to in-person worship services during a pandemic, it made sense for us to hold just one service on Sunday morning. Now, since we are in August, what is the plan for the fall and beyond?
We have a large sanctuary that allows us to accommodate several hundred people at the same time. Even before the pandemic, attendance was typically 250 or so people on a Sunday morning, meaning that well, how should I put it, we all had lots of elbow room. We had already moved towards having just one choir that sang and rotated between the 8:30 and the 11:00 worship services. Going forward, there are still some uncertainties we face, one of which is how many people are likely to return to going to in-person worship.
I recognize that it’s nice to have a choice between two worship times. What’s too late for some is too early for others and vice versa. However, it’s also nice for us to be able to offer a worship service in which we can offer the best experience for all who come and not try to spread our resources too thin.
Looking back over the history of this congregation, the second worship service came along in the 1950 or 1960’s when the congregation was large and rapidly growing. Before that time, one service was the norm and worked well for everyone. I think that for the time being, that is the best option for us as we go forward. We might go back to having one service in the future, but for now, we will be sticking with one service at 10:00 AM. Right now, we are having the Sunday School classes for adults meet at 9:00 AM and we are looking at adding the Sunday school for the children and youth at the same time to start on Sunday, August 29. The fellowship time for coffee and donuts will be offered just after the worship service is over.
There’s room for discussion and considering alternatives, but I did want to share the plan such as it is for our immediate future.
God bless,
Pastor Steve