Starting on February 23rd, we will begin using a new service script for our Sunday Service.

Since last fall, interested members from the worship committee, among the worship associates, and from the congregation, have been working toward allowing more options and flexibility in the words we hear and recite.  The script, which is now in the process of going through some test runs and final revisions, seems to have struck a good balance among the wide and varying expectations members of our congregation bring to the Sunday Service.

Actually though, not that much has been replaced; it is more a matter of having been “added to.”  If there is a particular line or phrase that you like, it’s probably still there, however it just may not be spoken every week.  Many of the familiar texts are now one option, and will be used at the discretion of the worship associate or the minister.  If there is a line that sets your teeth to grind, now there’s a good chance you won’t be hearing it every week.

Another aspect of the new script is that we hope to periodically change out the options.  The goal here is to keep the ritual, but also try to also keep it fresh.  Again, it is a matter of trying to strike a balance.

The ritual itself will stay pretty much the same, with some slight tweaks and some minor rearrangements.  One addition will be the lighting of a peace candle, which will be done by the minister before we begin our meditation section, to draw our attention to the wider world.

Of course it will take a little to get it running as smoothly as we are used to.  And there may be some modifications that will be done once it’s in place.  The only thing that never changes is that things change.

If you are interested in seeing the script ahead of time, let me know and I’ll make sure you get a copy, or I’ll also be happy to go over it with you.