Rethinking Sunday: A Time to Worship, Grow, and Serve
Are you looking forward to the reopening of our church ministries in September? We are, and we want to make a schedule change to allow our ministries to be more effective for God’s kingdom!
The prolonged disruption on Sundays during COVID gave us the chance to consider how to make our time together more meaningful. You may recall our sermon series in Acts 2, “Dead Church: Reviving Gospel Community,” taught about this.
We gather on Sunday mornings to do three things: WORSHIP the Lord, GROW together, and SERVE one another. With our current two-service schedule, many can worship, grow, or serve, but it is difficult to do all three. Also, many staff and volunteers are unable to participate in ministries outside of their area of service.
Starting in September, we would like to launch a new three-hour model that will provide more opportunities to better worship, grow, and serve together. We have already spoken with many ministry leaders and volunteers, and the response has been very positive. Now we’d like to share this plan with you.
Our new Sunday morning schedule will look like this:
- Worship Service 8:15 am
- Grow and Serve 9:30 am
- Worship Service 10:45 am
During the middle hour, we will have classes for all ages and stages of life as well as opportunities for special studies and gatherings. Some classes will meet during the worship services, but the updated schedules have not yet been finalized.
You undoubtedly have questions, and we want to answer them! There is a Q&A below. We will be providing regular updates to the congregation on this change. In addition, we have scheduled an Info and Q&A Session on Sunday, August 15 between services at 10am.
The Lord has graciously led us through a season of change over the past 18 months. This is a great opportunity to consider how we gather and make changes for the better. We will evaluate the new model during the fall and adjust as needed. We are excited for the future of CBC as we seek to glorify our Savior together. Please pray that God continues to lead us clearly into this next season of ministry as we seek to WORSHIP, GROW, and SERVE our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ together.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
Information on the 3-Hour Sunday Schedule
WHY DO WE WANT TO DO THIS?
We see a number of exciting benefits to this change:
- We can dedicate more time on Sunday for discipleship, fellowship, and service.
- Families will have more opportunities to engage in worship and church life together.
- People will be able to grow and serve each Sunday.
- We can offer new classes such as: new believers’ classes and other biblical and theological studies.
- Staff and ministry leaders will be able to worship with their families and participate in ministry.
It has been a blessing to see intergenerational fellowship taking place each Sunday, and we are encouraged by the number of families attending worship services together. We want to see this continue.