Friday, July 18, 2008

Reflections on Tuesday's Meeting

We held a parish meeting on Tuesday evening to talk about what we might want to do if we decided to change our Sunday morning service schedule to 8:00 and 10:00 am.

It was pleasing to see 40 people attend in mid-July on a wonderfully warm evening. Most of us wishing we were at the beach. The discussion revolved around several issues: whether to make the change, music, service books, social (coffee) time and the Sunday school. There wasn't anyone in attendance who spoke against the proposed changes to the service schedule.

Parish Council is in the middle of an on-line meeting regarding a motion that would make the proposed change effective on September 7 for a trial period that would end in November.

In case the motion is carried the Worship Team will meet next week (July 23, at noon in the Parish hall), to plan as if the new schedule was in effect in September.

There will be a meeting of parents, teachers and other interested parishioners in the Sunday school in September to figure out how we will schedule the Sunday school. At this point, it looks as if everyone is willing to accommodate whatever the Sunday school feels it needs.

I will admit that at first I was dead set against the proposed time changes. But I am one who honours and values the opinions of others. Especially when it comes to parish ministry. It might not be the most effective way of doing things at first, but it can result in a wonderful and Spirit driven parish. It occurred to me, somewhere along the line, that it doesn't matter when the services are scheduled or how we will schedule the Sunday school it will only work if we want it to work. Lots of different Churches do different things and it works for them. The common thread, I think, is a willingness on the part of parishioners is to make it work. I call on all of us to make this work.

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