Your Response is Important

Part of the ongoing work of the Peace Church Worship Team is to maintain an atmosphere for vibrant and meaningful worship experiences for the Peace congregation. Thus, as the average attendance at our worship services has slowly declined in recent years, we have taken steps to modify our sanctuary space so that these smaller numbers do not detract from a positive feel of community and sense of full participation.

In reflecting on the congregation’s worship experiences from last summer (2014), it became apparent to the Worship Team that dividing our congregation between two Sunday worship services (outdoors at 8:30 am/indoors at 10:00 am) during the summer, when our overall attendance is lowest, was producing significant negative impacts to a sense of vibrant community at both of the services.

The Worship Team has thought of two possible ways to address this summer worship issue and would like some input from members of the congregation to determine what choices to make for our worship schedule this coming summer (2015). It should take only a few moments to complete the following survey and the team would be grateful for your help. As always, if you have further insights or input that you would like to share with team members, you are welcome to do this in person at any time.

The Peace Church Worship Team

Jill Denker, Kelly Duffy, Laurie Mazanec, Carol Mills, Barb Mons, Chris Shorter, David Tidball, Gary Walpole

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* 1. Scenario One – Moving to one worship service on Sunday morning

This service would be indoors except for our monthly Blessing of the Animals service when it would be in the outdoor worship area which, thanks to the Eagle project of Dante Patnode is now fully accessible, with a concrete walkway from the parking lot and concrete pad for wheelchairs. Folding chairs (some padded) or lawn chairs brought by participants could supplement the bench seating.

Are you in favor of there being just one worship service on Sunday morning during the summer months?

(Respond 4-strongly in favor; 3-mostly in favor; 2-mostly not in favor; or 1-Not in favor)

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* 2. If the Worship Team established a single worship service for the summer months, would your preference be for a 9:00 am, 10:00 am, or Other (write in) start time?

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* 3. Scenario Two – Retaining two weekly worship services, but moving the outdoor service to an evening weeknight

The hope of the Worship Team for this scenario would be to maintain a weekly outdoor worship experience. An added benefit could be to provide a weekly worship experience for congregation members who are out of town on many summer weekends, thus perhaps even expanding our weekly worship attendance. This scenario would continue the weekly use of our outdoor worship area, hopefully without significant impact to the attendance at the Sunday indoor service. The Sunday service would remain as it currently is, at 10:00 am and indoors.

Would you 4-very likely; 3-somewhat likely; 2-unlikely but possibly; or 1-never attend an outdoor weeknight worship experience?

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* 4. For those who answered 4, 3 and 2 to question three above – Do you foresee attending the indoor Sunday morning service some weeks and the outdoor weeknight service other weeks?

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* 5. For those who answered 4, 3 and 2 to question three above – Would an outdoor weeknight service allow you to attend summer worship at Peace more often than if services were only on Sunday?

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* 6. For those who answered 4, 3 and 2 to question three above – What weeknights would typically work for you to attend this outdoor worship service (please mark all those that apply)?

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* 7. For those who answered 4, 3 and 2 to question three above – what time in the evening would you prefer for this outdoor worship service?

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