Dear Friends,
As you know, we are now just two months away from the launch of Rolling Worship at St Michael’s. I thought I should write to you with an update.
So far, we have received grant funding of £1000; this should be sufficient to hire an architect for an initial feasibility study. We hope to move out six of the pews in the week after Easter. The recent problems with the organ have been corrected – apparently the moaning noise was caused by a Christmas tree intruding into the reservoir. Like the organ repairer said, if you had a Christmas tree intruding into your reservoir, you’d moan too. On Thursday, the PCC will meet, and among the decisions we will make are
- the dimensions and features we require from temporary demountable classrooms in the churchyard (we remain hopeful that planning requirements can be met in the timescale)
- the procedure to set up fundraising and building management teams.
Meanwhile, we have set up a Rolling Worship Team to plan the actual services. This is co-chaired by Roger Gillingham and Travers Harpur, and includes Stephanie Gillingham, Sue Kitson and Andy Griffiths; Catherine Beales will be joining us, as will at least one other member. Among the decisions taken so far:
- We have a timetable for when various actions need to be taken between now and May 23.
- There will be one “big theme” per month, with all sessions, for children and adults alike, normally related to the theme. June, July and August’s big themes will be “Jesus the Healer”, “Heroes” and “Love Stories” respectively.
- Communion will be celebrated in the “Core” (10.30-11 approx) on the second Sunday of each month, Baptism in the Core on the fifth Sunday of the month. On these Sundays, there will be a short sermon during the 9.30 and 11.30 segments, and a “big sing” at the core combining all our singers and instrumentalists together. At certain festivals such as Father’s Day, the Core will be an all-age celebration.
- On other Sundays, the pattern will involve half an hour of choir-based worship without a sermon at 9.30; half an hour of teaching, sometimes introduced by a video clip or drama, at 10.30; and half an hour of band-based worship without a sermon at 11.30. Refreshments will be served between the segments. The main “children’s groups” will be at 10.30; we are working out how best to accommodate the needs of children in the other segments.
Four subgroups will be formed in the next two weeks.
- A worship in music subgroup, coordinating choir and band(s)
- A non-musical worship subgroup, dealing with such matters as intercessions, drama, video, prayer for healing, and liturgy
- A youth and children’s subgroup, co-led by Catherine Beales and Sue Kitson
- An adult teaching and learning subgroup, dealing with all the ways of learning we will be pioneering (discussion groups and craft activities as well as sermons).
All of this is taking a lot of energy and attention from a lot of people. I want to thank all those involved very warmly. If you have any questions – or would like to offer your help in one of these areas – please do talk to any member of the leadership team.
Yours fondly,
Andy
As you know, we are now just two months away from the launch of Rolling Worship at St Michael’s. I thought I should write to you with an update.
So far, we have received grant funding of £1000; this should be sufficient to hire an architect for an initial feasibility study. We hope to move out six of the pews in the week after Easter. The recent problems with the organ have been corrected – apparently the moaning noise was caused by a Christmas tree intruding into the reservoir. Like the organ repairer said, if you had a Christmas tree intruding into your reservoir, you’d moan too. On Thursday, the PCC will meet, and among the decisions we will make are
- the dimensions and features we require from temporary demountable classrooms in the churchyard (we remain hopeful that planning requirements can be met in the timescale)
- the procedure to set up fundraising and building management teams.
Meanwhile, we have set up a Rolling Worship Team to plan the actual services. This is co-chaired by Roger Gillingham and Travers Harpur, and includes Stephanie Gillingham, Sue Kitson and Andy Griffiths; Catherine Beales will be joining us, as will at least one other member. Among the decisions taken so far:
- We have a timetable for when various actions need to be taken between now and May 23.
- There will be one “big theme” per month, with all sessions, for children and adults alike, normally related to the theme. June, July and August’s big themes will be “Jesus the Healer”, “Heroes” and “Love Stories” respectively.
- Communion will be celebrated in the “Core” (10.30-11 approx) on the second Sunday of each month, Baptism in the Core on the fifth Sunday of the month. On these Sundays, there will be a short sermon during the 9.30 and 11.30 segments, and a “big sing” at the core combining all our singers and instrumentalists together. At certain festivals such as Father’s Day, the Core will be an all-age celebration.
- On other Sundays, the pattern will involve half an hour of choir-based worship without a sermon at 9.30; half an hour of teaching, sometimes introduced by a video clip or drama, at 10.30; and half an hour of band-based worship without a sermon at 11.30. Refreshments will be served between the segments. The main “children’s groups” will be at 10.30; we are working out how best to accommodate the needs of children in the other segments.
Four subgroups will be formed in the next two weeks.
- A worship in music subgroup, coordinating choir and band(s)
- A non-musical worship subgroup, dealing with such matters as intercessions, drama, video, prayer for healing, and liturgy
- A youth and children’s subgroup, co-led by Catherine Beales and Sue Kitson
- An adult teaching and learning subgroup, dealing with all the ways of learning we will be pioneering (discussion groups and craft activities as well as sermons).
All of this is taking a lot of energy and attention from a lot of people. I want to thank all those involved very warmly. If you have any questions – or would like to offer your help in one of these areas – please do talk to any member of the leadership team.
Yours fondly,
Andy
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