Since I last wrote, three Sundays have come and gone, and I've been to four churches: Chelmsford Community Church, Danbury Mission, Holy Trinity Springfield and Immanuel Brentwood. The one I thought the church in Galleywood might most obviously learn from is Immanuel, so here is the account of my visit.
Immanuel is a newly planted Anglican congregation meeting in Brentwood High School. It has two forty-five minute approx 'slices' (as we would call them).
At 9.30 there's 'Sunday School' for all, in four groups (0-4 yrs, 5-11, 12-17 and adults). There is no music, and the adult teaching is very systematic (using Wayne Grudem's Systemaitc Theology). There was a ten-minute section in the middle in which we were given a bible passage to discuss with our neighbours. I was interested to learn that my neighbours used to attend a homegroup, but now felt that the 'adult Sunday School' did all the things they used to go to their homegroup for - with high quality children's provision going on at the same time! Then there is a 30-minute coffee break; I was made to feel very welcome, and we were all given badges to wear with our names on.
At 10.45 all-age worship begins. I was surprised that there was even less liturgy than at Galleywood (a printed confession was literally the only written prayer), that there were no intercessions as such, and that I knew none of the songs at all - from the authors' names (DA Carson, Michael W Smith, Bob Kauflin, Keith Getty) I assume that they are from the 'New Reformed' stream in the US. There was a small band (one keyboardist, one guitarist, one drummer and a vocalist whose volume was much louder than we ever experience in Galleywood). About 30 children and 70 adults, including a few retired people and some of student age, were present.The most encouraging thing was the number of children who stayed present and, as far as I could tell, engaged throughout, with activity packs handed to them. The minister was giving the talk, and it was clear from the way the children surged to surround him that he has a very good rapport with them; the talk consciously included them ('it's like when you're in the playground and someone pushes you and hurts you ...') but was still a credible short exposition of the bible passage.
Questions for us in Galleywood: how do we make sure that our 11.30 all-generation worship engages our young families as well as Immanuel engages theirs? Is it worth us introducing a badge system? Should including questions for discussion during 'learning slices' be the norm for us? Feel free to contribute your views!
Immanuel is a newly planted Anglican congregation meeting in Brentwood High School. It has two forty-five minute approx 'slices' (as we would call them).
At 9.30 there's 'Sunday School' for all, in four groups (0-4 yrs, 5-11, 12-17 and adults). There is no music, and the adult teaching is very systematic (using Wayne Grudem's Systemaitc Theology). There was a ten-minute section in the middle in which we were given a bible passage to discuss with our neighbours. I was interested to learn that my neighbours used to attend a homegroup, but now felt that the 'adult Sunday School' did all the things they used to go to their homegroup for - with high quality children's provision going on at the same time! Then there is a 30-minute coffee break; I was made to feel very welcome, and we were all given badges to wear with our names on.
At 10.45 all-age worship begins. I was surprised that there was even less liturgy than at Galleywood (a printed confession was literally the only written prayer), that there were no intercessions as such, and that I knew none of the songs at all - from the authors' names (DA Carson, Michael W Smith, Bob Kauflin, Keith Getty) I assume that they are from the 'New Reformed' stream in the US. There was a small band (one keyboardist, one guitarist, one drummer and a vocalist whose volume was much louder than we ever experience in Galleywood). About 30 children and 70 adults, including a few retired people and some of student age, were present.The most encouraging thing was the number of children who stayed present and, as far as I could tell, engaged throughout, with activity packs handed to them. The minister was giving the talk, and it was clear from the way the children surged to surround him that he has a very good rapport with them; the talk consciously included them ('it's like when you're in the playground and someone pushes you and hurts you ...') but was still a credible short exposition of the bible passage.
Questions for us in Galleywood: how do we make sure that our 11.30 all-generation worship engages our young families as well as Immanuel engages theirs? Is it worth us introducing a badge system? Should including questions for discussion during 'learning slices' be the norm for us? Feel free to contribute your views!
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