What We Heard About Worship
On August 9 the whole church worshiped together in one service. Afterward we asked what you thought, on paper that morning and online in the days that followed. Ninety-nine of you answered. For comparison, our Vision 2030 survey drew fifty-three responses in total, so this was the strongest response to a congregational question we have had in years. Thank you.
Eighty-one of you were in the room, four worshiped online, and fourteen were away that Sunday and answered anyway. We read every one of those responses.
The music worked
You rated the blended music 4.1 out of 5, and both congregations landed in almost the same place, 4.08 from those who usually attend 8:30 and 3.98 from those at 10:15. Whatever else the survey showed, the singing that morning did its job.
Each service has a musical home
When we asked what you would want going forward, the consistency was striking. Of the thirty-six respondents who usually attend 8:30, none chose mostly praise music. Of the fifty-seven who usually attend 10:15, one chose mostly organ.
That is not a division to fix. It is two real congregations, each formed by the music it sings. So the decision is to keep two services with two distinct musical styles.
How often to gather together is still open, and here is the honest reason
Asked how often they want the whole church together, 15 percent of the 8:30 congregation and 49 percent of the 10:15 congregation said at least monthly. That gap looks like disagreement about combining. It is at least partly something else.
August 9 was held at 10:15. That is the 10:15 congregation's regular hour, so they gave up nothing, while the 8:30 congregation was asked to come an hour and forty-five minutes later. When we asked what time would work, each group named its own: 61 percent of 8:30 respondents chose an early time, 62 percent of 10:15 respondents chose a late one. So the frequency answers are partly answers about start times, and we cannot separate the two.
One number cuts through it. Of the twenty-eight people who usually attend 8:30 and said they want combining rarely, seventeen still named an early time that would work. People who simply do not want this have no reason to answer that question at all. We're planning the next combined service for 9:30, the one hour with real support from both congregations, and we'll ask again then.
What changes regardless
Three of you named the same barrier: praise songs are hard to sing without printed music in front of you. One said plainly that seeing the melody would probably change her mind about the songs themselves. For combined services we will choose songs people already know, and we are looking at printing melody lines in the bulletin for those Sundays.
Several of you raised sound quality, especially for those who worship by television, radio, or livestream. That work is already underway with our tech team, and your responses moved it up the list.
Two of you mentioned background music playing under spoken words, especially during scripture. Our worship team is talking about it.
You can read the full results in the handout below, including the cautions that come with any survey. If something here surprises you, or if you answered and feel unheard, call the church office at 620-241-3626 and let's talk.