SERVICES What works, what doesn’t, and what to do about the North Room, too.

Worship Committee Meets, Plans

By CANDICE CROCKER, Education Chair

is article is part of an ongoing effort by the Bishop’s Committee to inform the congregation of our sub-committees and the good work that they are performing.

The Worship Committee at Saint Andrew’s has undergone changes since the retreat of the Bishop’s Committee in February. The scope of the committee includes not only the text of the service but the music, and aspects of ensuring smooth flow. Christian education is also now under this heading. The group consists of:

Kathy Kuczynski, chair; Paula Ford, choir representative; Sandy Whittaker, acolyte coördinator; Kent Steinbrenner, communications B.C. member; Candice Crocker, education B.C. member; Nick Baldasari, usher coördinator; Rick Whittaker, lem representative; and, of course, Fr. Leland Jones.

The issues that this crew plans to examine over the next year are focused into two main areas based on feedback from the Mutual Ministry Review conducted in July of 1998. The two areas are Worship/Service and Children’s/Adult Education. The topics included under Worship/Service include a permanent awning for the front of the church, inclusion of more contemporary music (and new arrangements of older pieces), continuation of the children’s choir, and punctuality and length of the service.

The Children/Adult education focus includes ways to incorporate children into eucharistic and church life, Sunday school, what is next after the Alpha course, and issues around infants and toddlers (the North Room, nursery care, etc.).

Pulled from these broad areas are some 90-day goals. The refurbishment of the North Room to make it more infant friendly is one of the first. Be on the lookout for a baby-changing table in the near future, as well as a couple of other changes.

We are also trying to address the issue of ensuring that the speaker in the North Room is always turned on by incorporating it into the pre-service routine.

We are examining the feasibility of an awning for the front of the church. This awning will likely be expensive, but it will protect the beautiful front doors from the elements and replace the temporary awning we use now to reduce effects of the sun (and occasionally the rain) on Sunday morning. Finally we are beginning to consider possible changes to the music during the service.

Now this is where I ask for your help. If you have comments on or interest/information helping with any of these tasks please feel free to approach any of us on the committee. We welcome your input and I look forward to giving you further updates that will hopefully be more spirituality-driven in nature.