Highlights Live

The last four months have shown remarkable energy and vitality in the life of our church. This renewal has translated into an overall increase in worship attendance of 31%. This is good news – the kind of news that we have prayed for as lives are redeemed and changed through Jesus Christ.

This growth, however, is not without its challenges. If you have attended the 9:00 a.m. service on Sunday mornings, no doubt you have encountered a crowded parking situation and not enough room in the Sanctuary. With that service running at an average of 90% capacity, the Session realized that something must quickly change if we hope to accommodate the needs of the congregation.

Therefore, at a special meeting of the Session this week, the leadership decided to add a 3rd service on Sunday mornings, beginning February 28, 2010. Here is the new worship schedule (beginning February 28, 2010):

Saturdays
5:30 p.m. – Contemporary Worship Service

Sundays
8:00 a.m. – Classic Worship Service (Full choir and classic in style. Only nursery will be available from Children’s Ministry and kids [K-12] will sit with parents in service)
9:30 a.m. – Blended Worship Service
11:11 a.m. – Contemporary Worship Service

If you currently attend the 9:00 a.m. service, I invite you to prayerfully consider coming to the new earlier service in order to help make room for new growth and members in the body of Christ. When a worship space is more than 80% full on an ongoing basis, the research demonstrates that it no longer becomes a friendly environment to guests. I would also add that it is not quite as much fun for regular attendees as well.

I admit there is no such thing as a perfect schedule on Sunday morning. It is a “moving target.” We will continue to monitor and shape our worship experiences to be faithful to our mission and responsive to the needs of the community.

In the end, this change is about far more than just altering the timing of our worship services. It is about one of our highest values – extreme hospitality. I want to thank you in advance for your flexibility and willingness to join together for the purpose of the Gospel.

With great joy in Christ,
Richard Kannwischer
Pastor, Head of Staff
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church