PUNCTUALITY

There has been an interesting discussion going on over the past couple of days on a Pastors' Internet Forum I help to moderate, centered on the issue of getting people to come to church on time.

For those who may be vaguely interested, my contribution to the accumulated wisdom of pastors from all around the country, was to suggest that there are certain things you can't change so you just need to get over them. Or in plain English, let it go!

We have a lot going on at The Regal Cinema on Sunday mornings and we have some great people who arrive at all kinds of different times.

+ There's a whole team who get there at 7.30 to offload equipment, lay wires, make coffee, set up tables and do 101 other jobs.

+ Other volunteers arrive during the next hour.

+ Our Cafe opens at 8.30 and from that time on folks start coming in for a healthy breakfast and to chat with friends.

+ Our service starts with the band's first song at 10.00am.

+ The teaching is generally underway by 10.30 or shortly after.

So what's late? Late for set-up? Late for fellowship? Late for the first song? Late for the preacher's opening comments?

The majority of our congregation are adults. They have busy lives. Many of them have children to get ready for the Sunday morning excursion. Some of our friends have other places they need to be before they come to us. Some stay in the cafe way after the first song because they are enjoying conversation with like-minded people in the cafe.

Church At The Movies is not a military base, it's a center of worship, motivation, teaching and mutual encouragement.

I'm happy for people to come and go as they please!

No one is ever late!

(Except the manager when he sleeps in and isn't there to open up for us)