Why doesn't the Church operate on a Shift Pattern?

[Truly1999]

I've recently started a new job in a nearby city some 30 miles away. I work Out of Hours each week on a rota basis - four days on, four days off - and so my life is running upside down to Church life. A considerable percentage of the working population in my county in the UK works shift pattern. The number of people who work Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm is in the minority.

So why does the Church continue to operate on a regular office hours basis? Surely, in proper Outreach, there should be a main meeting on Sunday and during the week. People working shifts should be able to attend a small group on whatever evening is convenient according to the shift pattern. Why isn't Church open 365 24/7?

 

[seashale76]

It depends on the church you go to, I suppose. My parish has daily services, though divine liturgy (where we receive the Eucharist is on Sunday mornings). We do have liturgy at other times, though it isn't daily. We even have chapel keys if you want to go to pray when there aren't scheduled services.

ETA- There's always something on the Church calendar for literally every day of the year and it has a specific cycle.

 

[RC1970]

I agree. The Lord is available 24/7, shouldn't His servants be as well?

 

[Tigger45]

I've recently started a new job in a nearby city some 30 miles away. I work Out of Hours each week on a rota basis - four days on, four days off - and so my life is running upside down to Church life. A considerable percentage of the working population in my county in the UK works shift pattern. The number of people who work Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm is in the minority.

So why does the Church continue to operate on a regular office hours basis? Surely, in proper Outreach, there should be a main meeting on Sunday and during the week. People working shifts should be able to attend a small group on whatever evening is convenient according to the shift pattern. Why isn't Church open 365 24/7?

I hear your frustration. I love going to church and when my schedule doesn't line up I am disappointed.

 

[oi_antz]

I've recently started a new job in a nearby city some 30 miles away. I work Out of Hours each week on a rota basis - four days on, four days off - and so my life is running upside down to Church life. A considerable percentage of the working population in my county in the UK works shift pattern. The number of people who work Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm is in the minority.

So why does the Church continue to operate on a regular office hours basis? Surely, in proper Outreach, there should be a main meeting on Sunday and during the week. People working shifts should be able to attend a small group on whatever evening is convenient according to the shift pattern. Why isn't Church open 365 24/7?

Yup. People who treat His work as a job, as a profession, who have a lifestyle away from work. Though, you should be able to arrange a suitable time for regular study if it is a church that cares.

I was most horrified to see all churches locked closed on Christmas day.

 

[Truly1999]

Surely, one solution is to put more of the Church online. Many websites used by churches are merely advertising boards - providing information about meetings held at the church building or someone's home. There is no interaction between church and people via the Internet.

I know that Lifechurch.tv casts its services live, but this is interaction with Christians who are not part of your local church. This channel shouldn't be a service for Christians who have dropped out of church. But live broadcast - which is possible via the Internet - could be used by your local church when you cannot attend because of work or sickness.

Small group live broadcast is probably too intrusive, although one dedicated person could provide live Twitter feed, with interaction between those at the meeting and small group members who are at work or home. I have seen where people at a Sunday service tweet, but this is usually only to say "come on down, see what you are missing".

Church is often dominated by older people who do not understand the digital possibilities, who are often technophobes and fear increasing numbers of members would become lazy and stay at home and watch online. So, change has not happened so far because grumpy old men forbid it.

 

[seashale76]

You can't take communion online or participate in other sacraments.

 

[dcalling]

The church is operated by people, and it takes people to run a church. You can actually get more people in your shift and try to build a church up (not a building, but just group of people studying together).

 

[stevenfrancis]

I've recently started a new job in a nearby city some 30 miles away. I work Out of Hours each week on a rota basis - four days on, four days off - and so my life is running upside down to Church life. A considerable percentage of the working population in my county in the UK works shift pattern. The number of people who work Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm is in the minority.

So why does the Church continue to operate on a regular office hours basis? Surely, in proper Outreach, there should be a main meeting on Sunday and during the week. People working shifts should be able to attend a small group on whatever evening is convenient according to the shift pattern. Why isn't Church open 365 24/7?

Hi: You're saying the Church with a capital C, (usually meaning the Catholic Church, but your info on the sside says Protestant. Just in case you DO mean the Catholic Church, unless you live in a small town, no matter what your Sunday schedule is like, you can find a mass at a time that will for you. If not, most parishes have a vigil mass sometime after 4:00 PM on Saturday as well. Most Catholic parishes offer a morning mass on Monday - Friday, and if you live in a larger town or city, you can probably find weekday masses which will accomdate your needs as well. If you are of a protestant Christian denomination, and you're in a large town or a city, there may be 2 or three different branches of your church. I know in Vegas, we have 4 or 5 Lutheran, perhaps 20 variants on Baptist churches, 3 Eastern Orthodox or more, and several Episcopal and Presbyterian churces also, so there's a variety of service times for most of them.

Too many people have too many different schedule to accomodate all persons, at all times. I know my sister-in law, rarely gets to attend, as she is Lutheran, and works from early morning to later evening on Sundays. In Catholicism, (though many modernist Catholics take it pretty lightly), we are required to attend mass, if there is no physical condition or circumstance preventing it, at some point between Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening.

If you make your attendence a priority, then pray, and look around, you're bound to find a way to worship pleasing to the Lord. Best wishes and may God bless.

 

[oi_antz]

You can't take communion online or participate in other sacraments.

OP, I do not agree with this.

 

[paul1149]

So why does the Church continue to operate on a regular office hours basis?

Traditionally the church has tried to meet the needs of families, and the largest population segment has always been the intact family on a typical schedule. But your point is good. These days little is as it was, and mere scheduling is the least of it.

There's a really dynamic series on youtube called, The Cross in China, which documents the birth and growth and daily reality of life in the underground church in China. They have endured decades of ferocious persecution, and have only grown at a breathtaking rate. The intensity of their worship is something to behold. They have had to meet remotely, in the deep of the night, with lookouts posted, and they continually have to walk the dangerous line between guarding against false brothers and being too closed off. It truly is the Book of Acts relived.

I think that the church is headed there, and that things will be getting less formal. The internet at the same time is also contributing a democratizing influence to the church.

 

[As I was saying]

I've recently started a new job in a nearby city some 30 miles away. I work Out of Hours each week on a rota basis - four days on, four days off - and so my life is running upside down to Church life. A considerable percentage of the working population in my county in the UK works shift pattern. The number of people who work Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm is in the minority.

So why does the Church continue to operate on a regular office hours basis? Surely, in proper Outreach, there should be a main meeting on Sunday and during the week. People working shifts should be able to attend a small group on whatever evening is convenient according to the shift pattern. Why isn't Church open 365 24/7?

That is one of the problems created when the church stopped going from house to house on a daily basis as they did in the New Testament. In those days anyone could drop in anywhere and have fellowship with others and enjoy the apostles teaching, a meal together and prayer for one another.

Today the church is no longer "from house to house" but from religious building to religious building and it is all in the hands of professional christians who are paid to be christians. If they are not there nothing can happen. As a result so many churches totally ignore the priesthood of ALL believers which means that any believer can minister in any way according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

In my area, every church except two meets Sunday morning. As a result 90% of the population does not darken the door of a church. It has never occurred to the professional leadership that there are other more appropriate times to meet i.e. afternoon when young people are getting up. It seems to be my way or no way.

No wonder the church is slipping into irrelevance.

 

[graceandpeace]

I've recently started a new job in a nearby city some 30 miles away. I work Out of Hours each week on a rota basis - four days on, four days off - and so my life is running upside down to Church life. A considerable percentage of the working population in my county in the UK works shift pattern. The number of people who work Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm is in the minority.

So why does the Church continue to operate on a regular office hours basis? Surely, in proper Outreach, there should be a main meeting on Sunday and during the week. People working shifts should be able to attend a small group on whatever evening is convenient according to the shift pattern. Why isn't Church open 365 24/7?

Many churches do offer weekday services, Bible studies, or small groups.

Internet can be a great resource, but you can't receive the sacraments there or be part of authentic community that way. I'm sympathetic to your work situation, but I encourage you to look around - maybe there is somewhere that offers a weekday Eucharist.

I don't know your affiliation, but I'm part of the Episcopal Church in the U.S. (member of the worldwide Anglican Communion), & I know many churches here offer prayer services or the Eucharist during the work week. I'm willing to guess various Church of England parishes offer similar services in the U.K.

Good luck.

 

[Truly1999]

You can't take communion online or participate in other sacraments.

The problem with the Church today - is that if you want to take Communion, you have to sit through a boring sermon, too. There is a local church I can rely upon to take Communion as and when I need. Sadly, the trend in the Protestant Church seems to move away from Communion each week and there is no public advertisement to tell you in advance of the next Communion.

Hi: You're saying the Church with a capital C, (usually meaning the Catholic Church, but your info on the sside says Protestant. Just in case you DO mean the Catholic Church, unless you live in a small town, no matter what your Sunday schedule is like, you can find a mass at a time that will for you. If not, most parishes have a vigil mass sometime after 4:00 PM on Saturday as well. Most Catholic parishes offer a morning mass on Monday - Friday, and if you live in a larger town or city, you can probably find weekday masses which will accomdate your needs as well. If you are of a protestant Christian denomination, and you're in a large town or a city, there may be 2 or three different branches of your church. I know in Vegas, we have 4 or 5 Lutheran, perhaps 20 variants on Baptist churches, 3 Eastern Orthodox or more, and several Episcopal and Presbyterian churces also, so there's a variety of service times for most of them.

Too many people have too many different schedule to accomodate all persons, at all times. I know my sister-in law, rarely gets to attend, as she is Lutheran, and works from early morning to later evening on Sundays. In Catholicism, (though many modernist Catholics take it pretty lightly), we are required to attend mass, if there is no physical condition or circumstance preventing it, at some point between Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening.

If you make your attendence a priority, then pray, and look around, you're bound to find a way to worship pleasing to the Lord. Best wishes and may God bless.

Hi: You're saying the Church with a capital C, (usually meaning the Catholic Church, but your info on the sside says Protestant. Just in case you DO mean the Catholic Church, unless you live in a small town, no matter what your Sunday schedule is like, you can find a mass at a time that will for you. If not, most parishes have a vigil mass sometime after 4:00 PM on Saturday as well. Most Catholic parishes offer a morning mass on Monday - Friday, and if you live in a larger town or city, you can probably find weekday masses which will accomdate your needs as well. If you are of a protestant Christian denomination, and you're in a large town or a city, there may be 2 or three different branches of your church. I know in Vegas, we have 4 or 5 Lutheran, perhaps 20 variants on Baptist churches, 3 Eastern Orthodox or more, and several Episcopal and Presbyterian churces also, so there's a variety of service times for most of them.

Too many people have too many different schedule to accomodate all persons, at all times. I know my sister-in law, rarely gets to attend, as she is Lutheran, and works from early morning to later evening on Sundays. In Catholicism, (though many modernist Catholics take it pretty lightly), we are required to attend mass, if there is no physical condition or circumstance preventing it, at some point between Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening.

If you make your attendence a priority, then pray, and look around, you're bound to find a way to worship pleasing to the Lord. Best wishes and may God bless.

Indeed, the Church - Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox - cannot properly meet the needs of the people, and should use the Internet to supplement physical attendance at a local church.

 

[Truly1999]

OP, I do not agree with this.

A lot boils down to power and authority. If you believe that the authority does not belong solely to the priests, then any "lay" person can serve Communion.

Using apps such as Ustream, it can take just one person to act as " minister for the day " and the audience the congregation who can communicate through texting the "minister" and Holy Communion can take place.

 

[oi_antz]

A lot boils down to power and authority. If you believe that the authority does not belong solely to the priests, then any "lay" person can serve Communion.

Using apps such as Ustream, it can take just one person to act as " minister for the day " and the audience the congregation who can communicate through texting the "minister" and Holy Communion can take place.

There is just one intercessor between God and man. He is the High Priest.

 

[Truly1999]

There is just one intercessor between God and man. He is the High Priest.

This is true, but I reckon that very little changes are made because the deck is stacked against the individual Christian who is overwhelmed by the Church government, from the priest to the Archbishop and the dozens of clerical positions between them.

However, one big change occurs - thousands of Christians stop going to Church each year

 

[oi_antz]

This is true, but I reckon that very little changes are made because the deck is stacked against the individual Christian who is overwhelmed by the Church government, from the priest to the Archbishop and the dozens of clerical positions between them.

However, one big change occurs - thousands of Christians stop going to Church each year

I am not certain I am following you in this. I think probably you are trying to tie my comments to the OP, but my comments have been made independent of the OP, as I observed some questionable doctrine. AFAIC the blessing of Holy Communion is given by God, made effective by Jesus Christ's work of propitiation, and the one partaking of it must do so in a worthy manner. To that effect, anyone saying you must attend a church for the ritual to be effective has confined their faith to that belief. But church services are great, if led by a spiritual preacher, as it gives us the opportunity to hear The Holy Spirit's message to us. But to that effect, all exposure to His Word is useful, so that too could be achieved through online discussion and televangelism.

I do not know why you have said the deck is stacked against the individual Christian. Can you please explain that to me?

 

[Truly1999]

In the Church of England, it took years to ordain women vicars because the cards were stacked by the patriarchal attitudes against women. Even pastors are sometimes constrained by the leadership and simple obvious changes take decades to implement because of a few power-mad elders.

 

[RDKirk]

There is just one intercessor between God and man. He is the High Priest.

Communion isn't so much about you and God as it is about you and other members of the Body of Christ and God. God does not need communion, we do.