Pastoral Reflections Rev. Dr. Jack Haberer Beloved FPCA Friend,


If you could help your congregation to connect with the preaching pastor more readily, better participate in church school classes, and get to visit with one another more easily— by way of tweaking the worship schedule just a little bit— would you do it? Well, I proposed and the Session approved a set of small shifts in the schedule to help us achieve those goals, effective January 8.


Let me tell you what led us here. Last spring, when I was a candidate to join your staff, I studied eagerly the awesome things about this church. I was amazed again and again as I kept discovering points of missional passion that we share. But one thing struck me as odd: the fact that the incoming pastor would not get to greet folks leaving the two most highly attended Sunday worship services. I always have cherished such moments of visiting with my church members, friends, and guests.


Right after arriving here I heard many of you expressing that same dismay—especially attendees of the traditional service. I began exploring our options, expressing my desire to facilitate such conversations.


In December I surveyed you all to ask which style of service and worship time (in rounded-off hourly numbers) you prefer. Over 500 of you responded. Style preferences: 51 percent traditional, 32 percent alternative, 9 percent traditional with communion, 5 percent Arabic language, 2 percent Chin Burmese language. Timing preferences for each formed bell curves around the present times. Also, half of the parents/guardians wanted their children to attend church school while they worship; half wanted church school to be scheduled before or after worshipping together.


In the light of all of these inputs, we elders and pastors formulated the following schedule:


STYLE


Traditional with communion Church school Alternative


Arabic language Alternative Traditional


Chin Burmese language


BEFORE 8:00


9–10:00 9:00


10:00 10:30 10:15 12:15


NOW 8:00


9–10:00 8:45* 10:00 10:10 10:30 12:15


“I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my


heart.” —PSALM 40:8


So five of the services remain unchanged. Te other three shift by 15 or 20 minutes.


Also, we will set up a fellowship gathering in the atrium area to be serving coffee, etc., from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. for folks coming from and heading into services to visit together, thereby helping us all build our friendships with one another.


Te benefit for me: I will get to visit with folks leaving most of the services and, in a couple of cases, prior to entering. Te benefits for you: You’ll get to visit with each other and your preaching pastor, plus you parents will be able to choose which schedule works best for your children.


Tis plan has been shaped by direct feedback from you by way of the survey and many conversations. We will survey again down the line and have lots of conversations to see how it is going.


Looking forward to getting to know you better in this new year, I am …


Your brother in Christ,


* Te early Alternative Service is set at 8:45 so families can worship together for 15 minutes, enjoy a children’s message, and then walk the children to their church school classrooms. Afterwards parents can visit with other adults prior to picking up the children.


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