I'm working off an assumption that most of the readers of this blog are either connected with a church or you have some experience of going to a church.
As someone who has been planning worship services for nearly a decade, the question always comes up, "Where do we place announcements this Sunday?"
No doubt that announcements can be beneficial. It's information about "body life" and it can serve in a way to help the body pray and function together.
On the other hand, announcements can easily disrupt a flow. Sometimes announcements are nothing more than reading everything in the bulletin which is already in the hands of everyone in the church.
So here is my question: What should be the function of announcements within the public assembly? What is the best way to inform people of things going on within the life of the church?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
either at the beginning or the end. Years ago SVCC used to send out the bulletin each week to each family at the church. It needs to be in print as well as announced at the service.
ReplyDeleteI find it hard to understand why people can not just read the announcements in the bulletin. Do people have someone reading their computer screen to them at work, or their books to them at school? At the congregation where I lead worship, we spend 5-10 minutes every Sunday on announcements. We normally have one song then announcements to start the service.
ReplyDeleteI like the way announcements are handled at my church. All of the announcements are online (one the church website) and then they print some hard copies of the full announcements and they are held at the information desk for anyone who doesn't check online and prefers a hard copy. Then, in the church bulletin that is handed out each week, they select about 4 announcements to highlight in that bulletin (that goes along with the order of worship and the sermon notes, etc.). Then, from the stage, they usually select one announcement to highlight (so it is whatever the most "important" happening is - VBS coming that week or a concert being held or a ministry opportunity, etc.). To me, it is an approach that allows everyone to have as much information as possible, but delivered in various methods and doesn't interfere with the flow of worship during the service.
ReplyDeleteI think the announcements should be read and placed in print. I find it better for the elderly people if the announcements are read at the serivce. Not everyone has a computer and not everyone remembers to pick up a bulletin. You have to take in consideration the different generations in your church which is why announcements should be both read and in print.
ReplyDeleteWith technology today, most announcemts can be placed on an projector system, printed in a bulleting, and sent by email. Thus, only urgent announcents would need to be made during worship. And by urgent I mean, for example, something like last week a family in the church lost everything in a house fire and they need your help or something like, we received a call last night that so and so has been in a terrible accident and we need you to start praying on their behalf.
ReplyDeleteI am of the opinion that most announcement, as good and important as some people feel they are, only distract us with business issues in what is supposed to be a divine gathering.
Grace and peace,
K. Rex Butts