In Good Order

But all things should be done decently and in order. I Cor. 14:40

St. Paul was very familiar with the logistical issues of holding worship services. He addressed issues like how communion should happen and who should be preaching and teaching. So it comes as no surprise that a church named after him should encounter some of those issues and take his advice on how to address them—decently and in order.

This coming Sunday at 9:00 we will be holding an ushers’ meeting to make sure we’re all on the same page in terms of how we come forward for communion, dismiss the sections, and even how we help people find a suitable place to sit. That’s because we’re encountering the joyous difficulty of dealing with bigger crowds. We want as many people as possible to come to church, but we also want everyone to be (and feel) safe while they are here.

Yesterday at the 9:30 service we had a large crowd. We had space available toward the front, but few people willing to sit there. We also had several families who were back in church for the first time in a long time and who were therefore unfamiliar with the communion process. We definitely want to continue having greater attendance, so we’re having the meeting to make sure we can do everything decently and in good order.

Some things you can do to help out if you are able and so inclined:

• Come to a different service other than 9:30. The old Sunday School/Bible study hour is when most families were in the habit of showing up to church before all this. Also, when the school choirs sing it is most often at the 9:30 service, and those service are always better attended.
• Sit toward the front. Doing so leaves room in the popular seats for the less daring among us to sit.
• If you attend alone or as a couple, sit in one of the shorter pews. That way, larger family groups can have the longer pews. Also, if applicable, sit in multi-generational family groups or together with people you have regular, consistent contact with outside of church. Family groups take up less space than smaller groups.
• Be flexible and patient if things change on the fly to accommodate the situation.
• If any service is extremely crowded, the pastor might ask everyone to wear a mask the whole time. Should that happen, please comply.

Also, listen for the following in the readings for this Sunday—“Do everything without grumbling or complaining.” An usher might ask you to move to a different seat in order to accommodate others. You might be asked to wear a mask. You might not agree with the procedures we have in place. But it is all doable by people of good will. But those who are contentious or obstinate will make everything uncomfortable for the larger group. It comes naturally to all of us sometimes, but especially in trying times we have to resist the urge to have a bad attitude.

We have holiday services on the horizon. We all want to be able to celebrate in church with Christ as the center. And do so decently and in good order, we’ll need to hone our procedures and policies. Everyone has a role to play in that that blessed, ongoing process.

In Christ, Pastor Speckhard