tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7132206171945839649.post8425566651143180511..comments2024-02-13T11:11:28.246+00:00Comments on Bishop Alan’s Blog: Back to Church Sunday Back to BackBishop Alan Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879516755776951638noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7132206171945839649.post-46540951284160324152008-10-03T07:03:00.000+01:002008-10-03T07:03:00.000+01:00I think the honest answer is that they're fairly n...I think the honest answer is that they're fairly new to doubing up, and wanted to try and avoid doubing up the preacher's preparation time — I suspect this is a parish where significant investment of time goes into preparing weekly teaching. Wendover's pattern is exactly what you're suggesting, with the 9.00 slightly more traditional and reflective, the 11.00 slightly more bouncy. Two things I noticed listening to members of the congregations in both:<BR/>(1) In Wendover last year there was a good interchange between congregations although the feel of services was significantly different. I think the management encourage this.<BR/>(2) One young family in Chesham were really keen on the earlier service, because it gave them a complete worship and teaching experience and the rest of the day together after 10.30. When I asked about the early start, they pointed out that their kids get up at 6.00 every morning anyway!<BR/>Now you mention it, we used to run Christingles in shifts in Sandhurst, because we had 800 odd people to get through a 350 seater Church. Those were the same services at 1500 and 1800, but it was quite a strain on the system. Everybody (including choir and Christingle band) ended up after the second one coughing up blood!Bishop Alan Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13879516755776951638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7132206171945839649.post-40255837219447665742008-10-01T12:17:00.000+01:002008-10-01T12:17:00.000+01:00I'm curious to know why they decided to go to runn...I'm curious to know why they decided to go to running the same basic service twice. It seems to me that the need to run two services gives you the opportunity to broaden the range of what you can offer as a Church.<BR/><BR/>In our pattern there are points in the year when we do run the same service multiple times, for example our Christingle service now runs four times on Christmas Eve to accommodate everybody, but in the regular weekly pattern in the 9:30am slot we provide services to appeal to more specific groups who wouldn't otherwise come at other times, for example by running a prayer book service for those who want BCP, and a short accessible non-eucharistic family service for families who are on the periphery and might not feel comfortable in the more traditional main 11am service.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com