St. Paul's Focus Group

Worship

Focus on worship that attracts new members

Worship is central & binds us together

Excellence and dignity matter

Contemporary worship may be key for attracting new folks

Parallel Development – if a contemporary service is developed, must be in addition to existing services, not in place of any of them [mentioned by 4 groups]

Liturgical structure with contemporary music

Service Booklets might help those unfamiliar w/ Episcopal worship [mentioned by 2 groups]

Music would be nice sometimes at 8 am [mentioned by 2 groups]

Tres Dias/Cursillo music a possibility sometimes at 10:30?

Regular education about our worship would be helpful

Participatory character of our worship is part of what sets us apart from other denominations

We should get word out to community about Wednesday noon service

More relaxed Holy Week services

More intimate space

More involvement (congregation) e.g. foot washing in circle

Stronger personal involvement

Use of recorded music before some services to set meditative atmosphere

Heated debate over not praying for individuals in Prayers of the People versus closeness of naming people

Articles (Epistle) about those on Prayer list to introduce them to congregation

Education about intercessory prayer needed

Present shape of worship works for those who are here (at this focus group)

Need an alternate worship style to attract younger folks (Sun. evening?)

Have youth bring other youth to church on “Youth Sunday”

Traditional worship = sung liturgy, gospel processional, music, communion, bells

Maintain balance of action and silence in Eucharist (time to meditate is important)

Atmosphere of reverence/awe important (“This is God’s House”)

Keep our worship different from the mega-churches: (where else do we encounter organ/stained glass)

More important to retain the structure we do well than to innovate

Special services are very important

Having evening services at 7 pm makes more accessible for some

Wednesday services are an important opportunity

Question: How does sung liturgy affect length of service?

Longer sermons, please

Floral cross desired on Easter

Altar of Repose important

Good Friday also important

Special prayer/laying on of hands very powerful

Take something out whenever adding something to a service

Add a second priest to staff for development of additional services

Explore alternative forms and places for worship (e.g. Wesselman Woods picnic) and retain alternatives we do have

Take our service to where events are (e.g. have worship at Riverfront on Thunder Sunday)

We should begin using the authorized Alternative Worship Services books [mentioned by 3 groups]

Alternative worship service (contemporary, built around Contemporary Christian Music)

How can we shorten special feast-day services to make more newcomer friendly? (like we do at 5 pm on Christmas Eve)

Ought to have an extra-special Children’s Chapel on major feast days

Part of what is attractive about the Episcopal Church is our liturgy – don’t change it

Change!?!?!?!?!?

Would like to try a U2charist [Eucharist using the music of U2]

If doing new alternative services, couple with food, maybe a concert

Morning Prayer on Sunday would be nice sometimes

Note importance of “common” in Book of Common Prayer [we are doing the same thing in Sunday morning worship as all of the other Episcopalians we know and love anywhere in the world]

Our worship has to be more than a good “God Show”

What about a contemporary music social event as an introduction for those who do not know the Episc. Church?

Teach congregation Anglican Chant

Carpool to church and special events (especially in evening) for those who need transportation (allows also for development of relationships)

A “Talents” fundraiser to celebrate the talents of parishioners

Rector can’t carry it all – need some additional clergy support

Get more people here regularly

Focus on why we believe what we believe

Our liturgy is very cool, moving

When we’re here, focus is (worshipping) God, not the style of worship

Excellence matters in whatever we do

We could do without the incense (or would prefer “incense lite”)

Instructed Eucharist occasionally

Need to keep traditions:

Maintain structure of liturgy

Keep Eucharistically centered

Theological balance of sin/salvation

Develop worship schedule that fosters diversity by appealing to different groups

Adult worship education specifically for newcomers focused on tradition

Tradition is part of what makes us who we are

Music that is more accessible (easy to singable) for the congregation

Do “familiar/easy” hymns at a point in service other than communion [we would rather be not singing as we come and go from communion, so don’t get to sing the “singable” hymns then anyway]

Goal: sanctuary full every Sunday

Diversity (less homogeneity) racial, gender, age, socio-economic

Be more clear in bulletin about order of service (note when to kneel, stand, sit)

Offer an adult ed on rubrics, meaning of each part of service

Layered repertoire of services

Contempory

High church

More modern spoken

More modern sung

More traditional

Exploration of diverse resources

Music during communion a distraction (maybe one hymn after communion)

Singing psalm distracts some from meaning of words.

Would like readings in bulletin or Bibles in pews (but, 1 more book or sheet of paper to handle!)

Desired goals: Frequent Evening Prayer, regular Morning Prayer, multiple weekday Eucharists, more Evensongs, Patronal Feast Day service, Bishop Kemper service.

Put sermons/services on website

Shorter services may invite more

Training in new service music/etc. prior to service

More accessible music for all hymnody

Have Ben offer a music literacy workshop (Erin and Domonic also)

Palm Sunday liturgical drama was great

Keep children’s sermons

Instructed Eucharist

Comforting to know we are doing same thing as family members in other locales each Sunday.


	Worship Focus on worship that attracts new members Worship is central & binds us together Excellence and dignity matter Contemporary worship may be key for attracting new folks Parallel Development – if a contemporary service is developed, must be in addition to existing services, not in place of any of them [mentioned by 4 groups] Liturgical structure with contemporary music Service Booklets might help those unfamiliar w/ Episcopal worship [mentioned by 2 groups] Music would be nice sometimes at 8 am [mentioned by 2 groups] Tres Dias/Cursillo music a possibility sometimes at 10:30? Regular education about our worship would be helpful Participatory character of our worship is part of what sets us apart from other denominations We should get word out to community about Wednesday noon service More relaxed Holy Week services More intimate space More involvement (congregation) e.g. foot washing in circle Stronger personal involvement Use of recorded music before some services to set meditative atmosphere Heated debate over not praying for individuals in Prayers of the People versus closeness of naming people Articles (Epistle) about those on Prayer list to introduce them to congregation Education about intercessory prayer needed Present shape of worship works for those who are here (at this focus group) Need an alternate worship style to attract younger folks (Sun. evening?) Have youth bring other youth to church on “Youth Sunday” Traditional worship = sung liturgy, gospel processional, music, communion, bells Maintain balance of action and silence in Eucharist (time to meditate is important) Atmosphere of reverence/awe important (“This is God’s House”) Keep our worship different from the mega-churches: (where else do we encounter organ/stained glass) More important to retain the structure we do well than to innovate Special services are very important Having evening services at 7 pm makes more accessible for some Wednesday services are an important opportunity Question: How does sung liturgy affect length of service? Longer sermons, please Floral cross desired on Easter Altar of Repose important Good Friday also important Special prayer/laying on of hands very powerful Take something out whenever adding something to a service Add a second priest to staff for development of additional services Explore alternative forms and places for worship (e.g. Wesselman Woods picnic) and retain alternatives we do have Take our service to where events are (e.g. have worship at Riverfront on Thunder Sunday) We should begin using the authorized Alternative Worship Services books [mentioned by 3 groups] Alternative worship service (contemporary, built around Contemporary Christian Music) How can we shorten special feast-day services to make more newcomer friendly? (like we do at 5 pm on Christmas Eve) Ought to have an extra-special Children’s Chapel on major feast days Part of what is attractive about the Episcopal Church is our liturgy – don’t change it Change!?!?!?!?!? Would like to try a U2charist [Eucharist using the music of U2] If doing new alternative services, couple with food, maybe a concert Morning Prayer on Sunday would be nice sometimes Note importance of “common” in Book of Common Prayer [we are doing the same thing in Sunday morning worship as all of the other Episcopalians we know and love anywhere in the world] Our worship has to be more than a good “God Show” What about a contemporary music social event as an introduction for those who do not know the Episc. Church? Teach congregation Anglican Chant Carpool to church and special events (especially in evening) for those who need transportation (allows also for development of relationships) A “Talents” fundraiser to celebrate the talents of parishioners Rector can’t carry it all – need some additional clergy support Get more people here regularly Focus on why we believe what we believe Our liturgy is very cool, moving When we’re here, focus is (worshipping) God, not the style of worship Excellence matters in whatever we do We could do without the incense (or would prefer “incense lite”) Instructed Eucharist occasionally Need to keep traditions: Maintain structure of liturgy Keep Eucharistically centered Theological balance of sin/salvation Develop worship schedule that fosters diversity by appealing to different groups Adult worship education specifically for newcomers focused on tradition Tradition is part of what makes us who we are Music that is more accessible (easy to singable) for the congregation Do “familiar/easy” hymns at a point in service other than communion [we would rather be not singing as we come and go from communion, so don’t get to sing the “singable” hymns then anyway] Goal: sanctuary full every Sunday Diversity (less homogeneity) racial, gender, age, socio-economic Be more clear in bulletin about order of service (note when to kneel, stand, sit) Offer an adult ed on rubrics, meaning of each part of service Layered repertoire of services Contempory High church More modern spoken More modern sung More traditional Exploration of diverse resources Music during communion a distraction (maybe one hymn after communion) Singing psalm distracts some from meaning of words. Would like readings in bulletin or Bibles in pews (but, 1 more book or sheet of paper to handle!) Desired goals: Frequent Evening Prayer, regular Morning Prayer, multiple weekday Eucharists, more Evensongs, Patronal Feast Day service, Bishop Kemper service. Put sermons/services on website Shorter services may invite more Training in new service music/etc. prior to service More accessible music for all hymnody Have Ben offer a music literacy workshop (Erin and Domonic also) Palm Sunday liturgical drama was great Keep children’s sermons Instructed Eucharist Comforting to know we are doing same thing as family members in other locales each Sunday.