Worshipping as One Family
Dear West Side Family,
It has been a joy to journey through Advent together, and I am so looking forward to our worship this coming week as we complete our Advent journey in Christmas Eve celebrations. I also have exciting news on behalf of the staff and leadership here at West Side as we close out 2024 and look ahead to the New Year: we will continue to worship as one family at 10:00am in January!
Why is one 10:00am service in January exciting?
Our sincere hope is to be one church family that worships at two different times. Lately, however, it's felt like we were becoming two different families, with a 'first service' and 'second service' generational divide. That divide is troubling. We did not combine services in December with any idea that it would continue into the New Year. However, we have loved the vibrancy of combined worship during Advent — loved seeing the full range of generations together at one time in our sanctuary and building — loved the opportunity to experiment with different ways of worshiping together. The hope in remaining together for one service in the New Year is that God strengthens our mutual worship and friendships.
There is another very important reason for going to one service in January. Remaining together for one worship time on a Sunday morning is also essential for the wellbeing of our staff and volunteer leaders. We are stretched thin. We do not have robust children, youth, and Sunday hospitality teams. We need a season to simplify and regroup so that we do not burn out key leaders among our staff and volunteers.
So here is the plan: We will continue to worship at 10am in the New Year.
How long are we going to do this?
Honestly, we don't know. We know that Easter Sunday is a definite two service celebration! Between now and then the goal is to renew relationships around a shared vision and dedication to discipleship regardless of our preferred service time or worship style. It may be that by Lent we have the depth of relationships and breadth of volunteer teams to restore both worship times. Wouldn't that be exciting? Or it may be we need until Easter. Until then, let's celebrate the new thing that Jesus is doing among us and will do through us as we gather to praise him together.
Blessings,
Pastor Laurie
It has been a joy to journey through Advent together, and I am so looking forward to our worship this coming week as we complete our Advent journey in Christmas Eve celebrations. I also have exciting news on behalf of the staff and leadership here at West Side as we close out 2024 and look ahead to the New Year: we will continue to worship as one family at 10:00am in January!
Why is one 10:00am service in January exciting?
Our sincere hope is to be one church family that worships at two different times. Lately, however, it's felt like we were becoming two different families, with a 'first service' and 'second service' generational divide. That divide is troubling. We did not combine services in December with any idea that it would continue into the New Year. However, we have loved the vibrancy of combined worship during Advent — loved seeing the full range of generations together at one time in our sanctuary and building — loved the opportunity to experiment with different ways of worshiping together. The hope in remaining together for one service in the New Year is that God strengthens our mutual worship and friendships.
There is another very important reason for going to one service in January. Remaining together for one worship time on a Sunday morning is also essential for the wellbeing of our staff and volunteer leaders. We are stretched thin. We do not have robust children, youth, and Sunday hospitality teams. We need a season to simplify and regroup so that we do not burn out key leaders among our staff and volunteers.
So here is the plan: We will continue to worship at 10am in the New Year.
- Pastor Laurie will be preaching a sermon series called, "A New Song" that explores how God connects our worship to the new thing that Jesus is doing in our lives and our world.
- Our music teams will work together to provide whatever music is most edifying for the worship on that day.
- Our Sunday morning instruction and hospitality teams will offer classes and gatherings before and/or after the 10 o'clock hour to gather and equip us to follow Jesus' lead in our daily lives.
- We will make the most of our combined Sundays to share the vision for West Side moving ahead in 2025 and prayerfully recruit and rebuild teams that support our Sunday gatherings for all ages.
How long are we going to do this?
Honestly, we don't know. We know that Easter Sunday is a definite two service celebration! Between now and then the goal is to renew relationships around a shared vision and dedication to discipleship regardless of our preferred service time or worship style. It may be that by Lent we have the depth of relationships and breadth of volunteer teams to restore both worship times. Wouldn't that be exciting? Or it may be we need until Easter. Until then, let's celebrate the new thing that Jesus is doing among us and will do through us as we gather to praise him together.
Blessings,
Pastor Laurie