S’funny thing happened this week—I found out the service is boring.  Interesting, because I don’t really have control over that.  The call to worship is a re-iteration of the Psalm reading—that’s the way it’s set up—I don’t do that.  Then, the service is too long.  The list can go on and on.

A Catholic Mass is 45 minutes—you can almost set your watch by it.  Most mainline service range between 45 minutes to an hour—usually closer to an hour.  Our service is usually an hour and fifteen minutes—on communion days and days of other special events, such as Confirmation—it can go an hour and a half.

When I first came here I was concerned about the length of the service; so much so that I brought it up to session, with a couple of suggestions: cut out the children’s sermons; cut out or limit Joys and Concerns. Or, lump everything together in one prayer.  In some churches when a joy or concern is lifted up the congregation responds with, “Lord hear our prayer.”  That does take out the personal touch.

I remember before becoming a pastor how bored I used to be in church—could hardly stifle my yawns—and, if the sermon went on too long I made sure they weren’t stifled.

It’s good to hear things like this once in a while, because they get me to thinking.  The first thing I wondered is, who is the service for—God or us?  That made me wonder if God is bored?  Probably.  Not because of what goes on in church, not because the pastor drones on and on, but because of the in attention of the congregants; if they’re bored, God’s bored. 

That brought me back to my first question, who is the service for?   And, is it supposed to be entertaining?

But, I think there is a more important consideration: what is the purpose of the service. 

One thing it isn’t for is to bring people to God.  Those who come to church are (normally) already believers.  So, it’s not to convince them.

Quakers have a good deal going—they just sit and meditate—at least that's what the one I went to did.  Then anyone can get up and speak as the Spirit moves them.  Usually the same people speak every Sunday.