2010 is off to a great start!  Our average attendance to date is 1022. That is tremendous!  God is doing so many great things in our midst and we are seeing people come to faith and grow in faith.

With all of the excitement that comes with a growing church, there are also challenges.  The biggest challenge in front of us is trying to balance out our three services so that we have space in the parking lot and space in the worship center.

Here are our averages for the three adult worship services:

1st service – 124
2nd service – 340
3rd service – 266

As you can see, our 10:00 hour is significantly more crowded than the other two, which also puts a strain on our parking lot.  This is one of the key reasons we felt it necessary to change our worship times.  An extra 10-15 minutes between services gives people adequate time to pick-up their kids and exit the parking lot before the next service starts.  Reason number 2 for changing our times was to avoid the “rush” that we feel every Sunday.  With such a short transition, we felt like we were simply programming to move people in and out as quickly as possible…and frankly, that’s no good.  We will still plan for a 60-65 minute service, but if we do happen to go long (which will happen occasionally), it won’t be such a detriment to our transition and to our children’s ministry.

Now, I know the question you’re asking… “What part can I play in helping our church continue to grow?”

I’m so glad you asked!  Church growth experts tell us that churches with multiple worship services on Sundays always see their largest crowds around the 10:00 hour.  That shouldn’t be surprising…it’s not too early and it’s not too late.  It’s a very conveniently timed service.  So…if the majority of our guests are going to choose the 10:00 service, we need to make sure there is plenty of room for them.  If you are a partner or a regular attendee and are attending the 10:00 service, PLEASE consider shifting to the 8:30 service or the 11:30 service. 

Balance.  That’s our operative word.  We need your help to achieve that in our services.  Your decision to give up “convenience” can help make that a reality and free up space for people who need to hear truth…who need to hear the gospel…who need to experience grace.  I hope you’ll consider it.

On the Journey,

Shawn