Service Times Memo
SERVICE TIMES MEMO:
On Sunday, March 24th we will be going back to three services at Broadview. The change to our service times in 2023 was initially communicated as a “summertime” change but we continued that schedule throughout the rest of the year. There were multiple reasons for this, the biggest being the positive feedback we received.
Last year, I sent out a survey asking for your feedback about service times. A majority of people were indifferent as to whether we stayed at two services or went back to three.
Those who wanted to stay at two services liked…
•The “fuller/energetic” feel of the Sanctuary with everybody in there.
•More young adults being at the 8:15 traditional service.
•Their pastor only having to preach two times instead of three.
•A single, combined, small group hour for adult discipleship.
Those who wanted to go back to three services pointed to
•Scheduling conflicts that prevented them from attending at 10:45.
•The 10:45 service being overly crowded and full.
•Lack to cross traffic between services to meet people and interact.
•Lack of space for small groups because of them being combined at 9:30.
There are good points on both sides. Honestly, the positive aspects of each argument have made it difficult to know how to move forward. For months, we’ve been prayerfully reflecting on “what’s best” for the days ahead. But that time of deliberation has passed and a decision has been made. We will return to our traditional service times of 8:15, 9:30 and 11:00 on Palm Sunday, March 24th, 2024.
WHY MAKE THIS CHANGE?
The biggest reason we’re going back to three services is because we’re out of room in the worship center at 10:45 and small group space at 9:30.
The worship center “feels full” at 200 people even though there’s theoretically more chairs to fill. It sends a message to new guests that “there’s no room for me.” If we keep things as they are, we would stop growing in those two environments. If our church was “done growing,” it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. But that’s not the case in our church right now.
We need to make room for the new people God has added to our membership. We also need to make room for those unreached people who will be reached for Christ in 2024 and beyond. Even though there are really good reasons for staying at two services, our desire to reach unreached people ultimately outweighs them all.
BUT WHAT ABOUT?
Some might object, “If we go back to three services then 10:45 isn’t going to feel as “full and energetic” as it has recently been. Honestly, I share this same concern. Sunday service is so much more life-giving when you’re worshipping alongside a “room full” of other brothers and sisters in Christ. A half-empty room just doesn’t feel the same. I get it!
That’s why, between today and Palm Sunday we are going to make one of our major prayer emphases a request that the Lord “fill the room” on Palm Sunday and beyond. As you know, creating a culture of prayer in our church has been a top priority for me since coming back from sabbatical. I believe this decision is an invitation for us to believe God for something BIG to happen in our church family. Not only does it motivate us to persevere in prayer, it gives us a tangible and concrete request that we can see the Lord answer before our very eyes.
Over the past several years I’ve seen first-hand how the Lord is committed to his own glory. Time and again I’ve seen him answer the prayers of his people when they are in alignment with His will. I believe if we’ll partner together in prayer and allow the Lord to work in us personally through this season, that he’ll exceed our expectations in “filling the room.”
Over the next two months I’ll be sharing specific ways you can join us in this effort and practical ways you can join the Lord in bringing it about.
OTHER FAQ’S
Here are a few other FAQ’s to help orient you to the upcoming change.
Why choose 8:15, 9:30 & 11:00? We went back to our post-covid worship times because the vast majority of our evangelistic outreach material has those times on it and we want to leverage those in the days / weeks ahead. It’s also what most people are used to.
What will the 9:30 service be like? The 9:30 service will be exactly like the 11:00 service. It will have the same sermon, style of music and song selection.
What about my small group? Each small group will decide for themselves how they want to move forward. Those who want to stay at the 9:30 hour will do so. Those who want to attend the 9:30 worship service will move their group to 11:00. This change will require us to relocate certain classes so pay attention to related announcements in the days ahead.
What about student ministry and the young adult class? The student ministry will do their small groups at the 11:00 hour and attend worship at 9:30. The young adults/college age class will worship during the 11:00 hour and attend group at 9:30.
Are we ever going to go back to 2 services? While nothing is ever “off the table” this change is aimed at being permanent. The summer months will probably be lighter in attendance but given the groups structure we will continue with three service times.
Why wait until Palm Sunday? The reason we’re waiting until Palm Sunday is so we have time to communicate this change and center our prayer efforts around it. We are already “feeling the pressure” to make the change immediately but these two months of preparation will be important for a successful launch.
What if it doesn’t…? “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, everything you pray and ask for - believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:23-24)
In this season, the Lord is inviting us to believe him for great things. He has already been at work in our church in a special way just in the past few weeks and months. These past 2-3 years the Lord has been laying a foundation that will sustain and facilitate the special work he plans to accomplish.
We live in chaotic and crazy times. There is so much brokenness all around us. The world needs a Christ-centered, Spirit-filled, people-loving Church that will shine the light of Christ and penetrate the darkness of these days. There’s no reason we can’t be that church or play that role. If not us, then who? If not now, then when?
Let’s believe God for great things, play our part in what He wants to do and prevail in prayer until He brings it about.
Until He Comes,
Pastor Wes
On Sunday, March 24th we will be going back to three services at Broadview. The change to our service times in 2023 was initially communicated as a “summertime” change but we continued that schedule throughout the rest of the year. There were multiple reasons for this, the biggest being the positive feedback we received.
Last year, I sent out a survey asking for your feedback about service times. A majority of people were indifferent as to whether we stayed at two services or went back to three.
Those who wanted to stay at two services liked…
•The “fuller/energetic” feel of the Sanctuary with everybody in there.
•More young adults being at the 8:15 traditional service.
•Their pastor only having to preach two times instead of three.
•A single, combined, small group hour for adult discipleship.
Those who wanted to go back to three services pointed to
•Scheduling conflicts that prevented them from attending at 10:45.
•The 10:45 service being overly crowded and full.
•Lack to cross traffic between services to meet people and interact.
•Lack of space for small groups because of them being combined at 9:30.
There are good points on both sides. Honestly, the positive aspects of each argument have made it difficult to know how to move forward. For months, we’ve been prayerfully reflecting on “what’s best” for the days ahead. But that time of deliberation has passed and a decision has been made. We will return to our traditional service times of 8:15, 9:30 and 11:00 on Palm Sunday, March 24th, 2024.
WHY MAKE THIS CHANGE?
The biggest reason we’re going back to three services is because we’re out of room in the worship center at 10:45 and small group space at 9:30.
The worship center “feels full” at 200 people even though there’s theoretically more chairs to fill. It sends a message to new guests that “there’s no room for me.” If we keep things as they are, we would stop growing in those two environments. If our church was “done growing,” it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. But that’s not the case in our church right now.
We need to make room for the new people God has added to our membership. We also need to make room for those unreached people who will be reached for Christ in 2024 and beyond. Even though there are really good reasons for staying at two services, our desire to reach unreached people ultimately outweighs them all.
BUT WHAT ABOUT?
Some might object, “If we go back to three services then 10:45 isn’t going to feel as “full and energetic” as it has recently been. Honestly, I share this same concern. Sunday service is so much more life-giving when you’re worshipping alongside a “room full” of other brothers and sisters in Christ. A half-empty room just doesn’t feel the same. I get it!
That’s why, between today and Palm Sunday we are going to make one of our major prayer emphases a request that the Lord “fill the room” on Palm Sunday and beyond. As you know, creating a culture of prayer in our church has been a top priority for me since coming back from sabbatical. I believe this decision is an invitation for us to believe God for something BIG to happen in our church family. Not only does it motivate us to persevere in prayer, it gives us a tangible and concrete request that we can see the Lord answer before our very eyes.
Over the past several years I’ve seen first-hand how the Lord is committed to his own glory. Time and again I’ve seen him answer the prayers of his people when they are in alignment with His will. I believe if we’ll partner together in prayer and allow the Lord to work in us personally through this season, that he’ll exceed our expectations in “filling the room.”
Over the next two months I’ll be sharing specific ways you can join us in this effort and practical ways you can join the Lord in bringing it about.
OTHER FAQ’S
Here are a few other FAQ’s to help orient you to the upcoming change.
Why choose 8:15, 9:30 & 11:00? We went back to our post-covid worship times because the vast majority of our evangelistic outreach material has those times on it and we want to leverage those in the days / weeks ahead. It’s also what most people are used to.
What will the 9:30 service be like? The 9:30 service will be exactly like the 11:00 service. It will have the same sermon, style of music and song selection.
What about my small group? Each small group will decide for themselves how they want to move forward. Those who want to stay at the 9:30 hour will do so. Those who want to attend the 9:30 worship service will move their group to 11:00. This change will require us to relocate certain classes so pay attention to related announcements in the days ahead.
What about student ministry and the young adult class? The student ministry will do their small groups at the 11:00 hour and attend worship at 9:30. The young adults/college age class will worship during the 11:00 hour and attend group at 9:30.
Are we ever going to go back to 2 services? While nothing is ever “off the table” this change is aimed at being permanent. The summer months will probably be lighter in attendance but given the groups structure we will continue with three service times.
Why wait until Palm Sunday? The reason we’re waiting until Palm Sunday is so we have time to communicate this change and center our prayer efforts around it. We are already “feeling the pressure” to make the change immediately but these two months of preparation will be important for a successful launch.
What if it doesn’t…? “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, everything you pray and ask for - believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:23-24)
In this season, the Lord is inviting us to believe him for great things. He has already been at work in our church in a special way just in the past few weeks and months. These past 2-3 years the Lord has been laying a foundation that will sustain and facilitate the special work he plans to accomplish.
We live in chaotic and crazy times. There is so much brokenness all around us. The world needs a Christ-centered, Spirit-filled, people-loving Church that will shine the light of Christ and penetrate the darkness of these days. There’s no reason we can’t be that church or play that role. If not us, then who? If not now, then when?
Let’s believe God for great things, play our part in what He wants to do and prevail in prayer until He brings it about.
Until He Comes,
Pastor Wes
Posted in Pastoral Update
Recent
Archive
2024
January
2023
No Comments