We are about to choose a new time for our Sunday service. This decision has the potential to bring us all together as a congregation on Sunday mornings, streamline the efforts of our staff and volunteers, and open up opportunities for new programming.

Your Board suggests that we choose from three service times --10:00, 10:15, or 10:30 -- and offers the following thoughts as to why we chose these times.

First, we do not want the new time to reflect a choice between the previous 9:30 and 11:00 services. Our thinking is rather to see this change as a matter of "moving to one service" and choosing a time that would take into account the desires and needs of as many people as possible.  

Second, the suggested options offer a compromise between the 9:30 and 11:00 service times that allow early risers to attend adult programming in the hour before the service starts. This might include the Forum as well as alternative Adult Faith Development courses (which many of you requested in the Congregational Survey).  These times would also allow for an earlier closing time for families with young children than is possible with an 11:00 start time.

Third, it has been made clear to us that the staff prefer an earlier start time than 11:00, to allow for an earlier start to afternoon performances, family needs, or other commitments.

Finally, by choosing a time close to our usual summer service time, we may find ourselves comfortable with this as a year-round option.  This would eliminate the problem of having to keep straight the time switch at the beginning and end of summer.

We hope you will take these considerations into account as you select the service times that will work for you.  This process challenges us to rethink the use of our time on Sunday and hopefully opens us up to new and creative possibilities.