A New Format for Sundays at Church

Over the last 20+ years of ministry, I’ve done my best to live and lead by two key principles:

Begin by listening—really listening—to each other, to history, to the present moment, to patterns and possibilities. Listening like this is not about fixing, saving, advising, or setting each other straight. It’s not about looking for confirmation of our own beliefs or ideas or experiences or hopes. It is about seeking to understand with curiosity and compassion, and ultimately, it is about being willing to be changed by what we hear. 

The wisdom of the group is greater than the wisdom of any one individual. For me, this speaks to the power of shared imagining, creativity, and wonder. It means that while we may start with one idea or need, when we bring it to the group it will likely expand, change shape, and emerge with different—and better—solutions or possibilities than where we began. 

I’m grateful to be able to say that this has been a year of listening at church. In a series of intentional conversations within and among the Children, Youth and Families Advisory Team, the Worship Team, staff, ministers and the Board of Trustees, along with input from many of you (including some 140 of you who responded to the survey), we have trusted that the wisdom of the group can be greater than the wisdom of any one individual, and together we are emerging with new and expanded directions this fall.

Here’s what we’ve seen and heard: 

• Religious education registration and attendance trends here mirror what is true nationally in church membership and attendance. Shared identity (registration and membership) remains strong, but attendance is less frequent. 
• In worship, in-person attendance over the past several years has averaged around 250 across both services—in a sanctuary that comfortably seats more than 500; livestream attendance averages about 40.
• People are engaging with the church outside of Sunday mornings. For many folks, these are their primary connection points—whether that is Saturday Sprouts, Daytime Connections, Community Dinners, or Wednesday night programming for kids and families. This is true across ages.
• Wednesday night programming that includes dinner is a big success with solid attendance.
• There is a need for consistent childcare if families, especially single adult families, are going to be able to participate in the community.
• Not having food on Sundays is not working. The start time of 1 pm for programming is not working, and a worship service with a variable length is not working well for many folks.
• Many of you are longing for opportunities to build stronger relationships and friendships with each other.

Here’s what to expect:

In the fall, we will continue to have one Sunday morning worship service at 10 am, rather than two services. Sunday morning worship services will last approximately one hour. Religious education for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade will take place from 10-11:15 am, with all adults and most kids and youth starting in worship together at 10 am. There will be food for everyone, mindful of the variety of needs in our community, in the Social Hall from 11-11:30 (stay tuned for a start date on food). Programming for adults and high school youth will begin at 11:30 and end at 12:45. There will be childcare, provided by adult staff members, from 9:45-11:15, and from 11:30-12:45. 

If you haven’t yet, register your children and youth for Religious Education at First U—classes begin on Sunday, September 20. Priority registration runs through August 31. The Children, Youth, and Families team will communicate with registered families after that date about times and sessions. Families registering after August 31 are still welcome to register—they may not be able to sign up for a preferred time/session.

We’re excited for these changes, and many of you are, too. We’re excited to worship as one community, to see and know each other, to sing and learn and share food together. We’re excited to have the right number of children and youth in our Religious Education rooms and to have opportunities for youth to join us in worship as choir members and worship associates. We’re looking forward to small group opportunities for adults for shared spiritual practice, relationship building, and learning. 

For some members of our community, these changes will present challenges. We heard not only your excitement, but also your concerns. Will there be enough room in the sanctuary and in the breakout rooms? What about parking and an earlier, or later, start time than you hoped for? As the year progresses, we’ll be monitoring these concerns and learning together as we go. We’ll also be continuing to listen through one-on-one and small group conversations, trusting that together, we can find the best ways forward.

As always, let me know what questions, concerns, and hopes you bring to this new experiment of Sunday mornings. See you in church.

In gratitude,

Rev. Jen