This summer, we are experimenting with the structure of our summer services. We have a great line up of lay congregants to do half of the summer services, and this summer, the other half of the services will be led by our ministers, Rev. Jonipher and Rev. Erica. Services will be online only, with the exception of the last Sundays of June, July and August. These will be hybrid, streaming from the sanctuary, with trial use of a projector for those attending in person.
While we want to provide space for and hear from members of the congregation as we do each summer, there are a few factors that led to this decision. The worship associates have struggled in the past with recruiting a summer of twelve services that are fully lay-led. Additionally, there are quite a few lay-led and youth-led services throughout the year where we can hear from the congregation, including lay-member credos, the youth-led service, Coming of Age, the Alliance Sunday, the Shinn Service, etc.
We also acknowledge that lay-led summer services developed in part from a historical custom in many New England churches, when clergy would serve members of the congregation who relocated to summer homes. This is no longer a relevant practice, and having the ministers present for services in the summer balances the responsibilities of worship between the ministers and the worship associates more effectively.
Rev. Jonipher’s services this year will be hybrid, broadcasting from the sanctuary, and with the use of a projector in the sanctuary. Our goal is to experiment with projecting pieces of the order of service, visual aids for sermons, and making pieces of the service more accessible. The worship associates will be seeking feedback on the use of the projector in the sanctuary. We hope that many of you will join us in person for these special services on the last Sundays of June, July, and August.
