Evening Services

[seeking_perfection]

In the parishes where I live and in my local cathedral, the latest services are usually around the 3/4pm on weekdays and 5.30pm on the weekend. I often wish that there were later services, say 6pm to 8pm, that I could go to as this is when I am usually free from work or have personal time on the weekend.

For example, today I visited a local parish church for morning eucharist and was disappointed to say the least by the heretical sermon (apparently Jesus made a grave (read sinful) mistake, who'd have thought it!) and the poor organisation, not to mention the odd eucharistic distribution and the guy sat next to me leaning back on his chair with his feet on the chair in front. I really feel in need of a quiet, prayerful service and would love to go to Evening Prayer at the cathedral later (perhaps in one of the side chapels) or something similar but the last service is already over.

I know that on special occasions when late services do take place, I always love being in church with christian people as it gets dark and leaving with a sense of 'ending the day in prayer'.

Does anyone else wish this were the case? Do your areas have later services that you are able to attend?

 

[Naomi4Christ]

Our Sunday evening service runs from 7pm till about 9.30pm.

I suspect it would not meet your exacting standards, though.

 

[MKJ]

I like evening services, though I don't get to them much these days. They tend to be right in the make dinner/get small kids to bed zone.

Our parish has daily evening prayer at 5:30, and on red letter days there is usually a Eucharist, but often a bit later, around seven.

I think a lot of the time it just comes down to the availability of the people involved, and then when the most people in the congregation can get there. But I would find three or four a bit early for a real evening service. Most people are not out of work by then.

 

[seeking_perfection]

Our Sunday evening service runs from 7pm till about 9.30pm.

I suspect it would not meet your exacting standards, though.

Why do you think you have services at that time? IIRC, you are based in London, so do you think its a city thing perhaps? More people and easier to get to = demand?

 

[R_A]

Our Sunday evening service runs from 7pm till about 9.30pm.

I suspect it would not meet your exacting standards, though.

I don't see anything wrong with those standards...

In the parishes where I live and in my local cathedral, the latest services are usually around the 3/4pm on weekdays and 5.30pm on the weekend. I often wish that there were later services, say 6pm to 8pm, that I could go to as this is when I am usually free from work or have personal time on the weekend.

For example, today I visited a local parish church for morning eucharist and was disappointed to say the least by the heretical sermon (apparently Jesus made a grave (read sinful) mistake, who'd have thought it!) and the poor organisation, not to mention the odd eucharistic distribution and the guy sat next to me leaning back on his chair with his feet on the chair in front. I really feel in need of a quiet, prayerful service and would love to go to Evening Prayer at the cathedral later (perhaps in one of the side chapels) or something similar but the last service is already over.

I know that on special occasions when late services do take place, I always love being in church with christian people as it gets dark and leaving with a sense of 'ending the day in prayer'.

Does anyone else wish this were the case? Do your areas have later services that you are able to attend?

It's a very positive sentiment you express here, I commend you

Oftentimes, what happens is that some of the unorthodox services which are not allowed to run during the day, or during the 'normal hours', are given room at the less common times, such as what you describe. When the Church is restored, one day , and we have enough people to fill all timeslots, we'll be able to hopefully squeeze out or pressure our bishops to not allow the things you describe to take place.

 

[HisHomeMaker]

...the guy sat next to me leaning back on his chair with his feet on the chair in front.

May he be blessed. I see this in my church, too, a downtown congregation. Our young people are prone to be "leaners" and often they wear t-shirts that suggest they are heretics or idol worshipers. I am thrilled that leaners find themselves in church with others ike themselves rather than elsewhere and doing much worse. Leaners are welcome in my church and what tends to happen, whether they have wandered in off the street or dragged in by their parents, is that they stay and eventually bring their friends. There are older leaners, too, but they are more likely to observe and copy the conservative examples of their pewmates, eventually, although it isn't required. God takes us as we are, His prodigal children.

Our only evening service is Saturday nights. Its timed for immediately after work for anyone who must work that day and it means a late supper for those who participate... often at the pizza place across the street or in the church basement where communion and fellowship continues. The evening service is worship-focused with lots of contemporary music. Who knows, some people may hit the night clubs after...

 

[Naomi4Christ]

Why do you think you have services at that time? IIRC, you are based in London, so do you think its a city thing perhaps? More people and easier to get to = demand?

We are in a medium-sized town.

On Sundays, most people are coming from fairly nearby. Our weekday evening activities usually run from 8pm - 10pm to allow commuters to get home and eat.

The big London churches that I have visited tend to have their Sunday afternoon/evening services in 2 hour slots, eg 4pm, 6pm, 8pm.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

I don't see anything wrong with those standards...

I didn't mention that we take out our chairs and throw some cushions on the floor, run a smoothies bar, have ministry, etc etc.