If you were around this morning you probably heard the announcement about changes in the activities for Sunday Morning. Maybe you weren't there but heard about it from other church folks. Either way, thanks for investigating to find out more information and take part in the ongoing discussion about the changes that will be presented at the next congregational business meeting. You may post comments either for or against on this blog. Other church members who visit will be able to see them and add comments of their own. Even if you don't know enough to form an opinion, please post a comment with any questions for which you may want answers. You probably will not be the only person for whom that is a question.
What changes are being considered?
The Church Council will present the following motion at the Congregational Business meeting next Sunday October 3. "Should IBC discontinues the Sunday morning Bible Study at 9:30 am and expand the current Children's church format to include several classes covering children and yout up to and including age 13?
Why are these changes even being considered?
These changes are being proposed for a variety of reasons:
- Sunday school attendance has been low for several years.
- We have identified Sunday school as one reason many one-time visitors do not return for a second visit.
- Finding teachers for the Sunday school classes has been a difficult task to say the least.
What will the new Sunday morning schedule look like if these changes are implemented?
IBC will continue to meet for morning worship at 10:30 AM on Sunday. We will not have Adult or any other Bible Study at 9:30 AM. We will being our fellowship at 10 AM on Sunday before Morning worship. Anyone who wishes to do so may stay and talk after church, bitings and snacks will be available before worship. Following the offering youth and children 13 and younger will be dismissed for youth and children's worship. As the program progresses, we would look into increasing the length of Youth worship.
When will we set aside time for Adult Bible Study?
Adult Bible Study will be conducted on weekday evenings at various locations around town. It is hoped by the committee that Midweek Bible Studies will increase in attendance and importance as a result of these changes. The intended purpose is for these bible studies to change in their scope to the point that they are the primary point of interaction for church members. Their purpose would include not only Bible Study but also, Discipleship, Evangelism, ministry and mission opportunities.
When will these proposed changes take place, and how long would they be in effect?
Pending congregational approval the proposed changes will take effect the following Sunday October 10. At first plans are only to implement the changes for the remainder of 2010 as a sort of trial run. One reason they would be implemented this quickly concerns timing of the arrival of expatriates in Dar. Many of the newly arrived Expats are still searching for a church home in Dar.
A second reason has to do with the timing of the Church nominating committee and fiscal year. If the changes produce the hoped for positive result there will be no need to identify as many Sunday School teachers for the upcoming year. If the changes are not satisfactory and the church decides the old method is better we still have time to identify and recruit adequate Sunday School workers.
I sincerely hope this question and answer format provides you with enough information to begin asking other questions. It is not my intent to answer all of your questions or provide enough information for you to make a decision on how you would vote. It is my intention to provide a starting point for the discussion that needs to take place. May God bless and direct our efforts as we seek the best methods to carry out the mission and vision He gives us for being His church in Dar es Salaam.
Blessings,
Pastor Eric
1 comment:
I think it is great that we are considering how our church structure is helping us to fulfill the Great Commission and to serve our members well. I like the idea of focusing on Mid-week Bible studies. Through it, I hope to become more involved in the lives of other members.
I have a couple of comments/questions for children's Sunday School. One is that you mentioned expanding the program. I took this to mean there will be more than 2 age-divided classes? If so, how will we also reduce the number of teachers?
Also, how long do you anticipate that children's worship will last? For the young kids, the time may be perfect, but for the older kids, it may not be enough time to delve into the Word. If it's too short, it might be more beneficial for the older children to listen to the sermon. Not sure, just something to think about.
Regardless of how it is structured, I think the best way we can serve the children is to provide a good curriculum that teaches the gospel clearly. This will help teachers too, especially if we need someone to fill in.
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