Fall Event: There's Room at the Table
Does Easter seem like a distant memory? Does Christmas still seem a long way off? Right now we’re smack-dab in the middle of the eight months that separate these two high points in the church’s worship and outreach life. What does the worship-and-outreach-minded pastor do?
Why not put another great worship and outreach opportunity on the calendar by planning a fall series. Here are some reasons to consider it:
- Families are getting back from summer travel and settling into the school-year routine. Worship attendance is up, which means it’s an ideal time to get your members excited and mobilized for a great worship and outreach opportunity.
- Most choirs resume rehearsals in August or September, enabling congregations to plan special music for the series.
- Since 2009, the third Sunday in September (September 16 this year) has been dubbed National Back to Church Sunday (www.backtochurch.com). Even for churches who don’t participate in this nationwide, cross-denominational movement, the result might be that more people in your neighborhood are looking for a place to go to church that day than usual.
Wouldn’t it be nice if, the week before, they received a postcard or flyer from your church advertising your new worship series? Starting a series on the third Sunday of September usually leaves 6-7 weeks before Reformation Sunday, a good length for whatever series you plan.
Along with this article, you will find a document that outlines the series we’ll be using starting September 16. It’s entitled “There’s Room at the Table.” It focuses on the Sacraments (Thematic worship series provide a great opportunity for catechetical preaching. We’ve also done a series on the Lord’s Prayer and one on Christian Vocation that made use of the Table of Duties). The document includes weekly themes, Scripture lessons, hymn and music suggestions, and other notes.
Obviously it's too late to plan, advertise, and execute a fall series between now and Reformation. Feel free to keep it for next fall or use it during another part of the year. Either way, keep looking for additional worship and outreach opportunities to put on your calendar.