Change of Sunday Worship Time

Starts September 17

Our Vestry has agreed, along with the Leadership Team from Saint John Vineyard, to implement a change in our worship times this fall. Beginning Sunday, Sept. 17, when we start up our Sunday School again, we will move our worship time at Stone up to 10:00 am. We will attempt to keep our service to 1 hr. 15 mins. and hold our coffee hour immediately after the service, as normal. On Sunday, Oct. 1 Vineyard will move their worship time to 11:30 am. We feel this will be a beneficial change for both congregations for a number of reasons:

1. John Paul will be able to attend both main services and connect pastorally with everyone. Presently he is only able to attend two services a month at best.
2. This will increase greater cooperation and planning between the churches as we share the same scripture reading for both congregations each Sunday. If you attend the other congregation than you normally attend on a given Sunday you will not break the succession of the sermon series.
3. The change will enable our people to choose which service they might want to attend, enabling greater freedom of movement between congregations, as we learn from one another.
4. Having two different times of worship allows our two churches to offer a greater opportunity for people from our community to attend one of our services.
5. Those who want to get up early and get their day going at church and then move on, and those who want to sleep in a bit longer and saunter to church a little later, will both have an opportunity to do that.
6. We will not continue with Guest House as the greater variety of worship styles will now be available to everyone every Sunday morning. We may, from time to time, have different kinds of services offered at different times. We will keep you posted.
7. Of the options provided for different worship times in the evaluation this spring, the majority at Stone chose the more familiar 10:00 am time which we had for years every summer.
8. Making the change now will enable us to evaluate how the changes are working and allow us to make adjustments, if need be, before our first agreement between our congregations expires on Dec. 31. We thank you in advance for your understanding and patience. We know that change is always difficulty but we believe this change will be best for all concerned, our congregations and those who do not yet attend either church. We ask for your support and prayers as we continue to move forward in this exciting venture in faith which the Lord has made possible for our churches.