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Schedule in Bulletins?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by IFBChristian, Jun 1, 2006.

  1. IFBChristian

    IFBChristian New Member

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    Hello everyone. I remember attending a couple of churches that were part of the American Baptist Association and saw that in their bulletins, they had a schedule for that morning's services (i.e. Page # of Song going to sing in hymnal, when they're taking prayer request, when they are going to take up the offering, when the preacher is preaching and what he is preaching on, etc.) Does anyone know if the American Baptist require that churches have a schedule in their bulletin or is there another reason why there is a schedule in the bulletin?
     
  2. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    I'm not in the ABA (I'm SBC), but every church I've ever been in had an order of worship/schedule for the service.
     
  3. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    I'm in an Independent Baptist church and we do not put a schedule in the bulletin at all. The only thing that's in there is the sermon title and a paper for note-taking (sometimes with an outline and diagrams on there, other times just the date, sermon title and Scripture passage) - along with stuff for the life of the church (prayer sheet with prayer requests, upcoming events and such). The only ones who have a schedule are those running and taking part in the service - and the ushers and tech people.

    Annie
     
  4. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    We are ABC and no, we are not required to do anything.. the church is autonomous. We do have a printed order of service. It helps the worship flow smoothly...

    Every church has a order of service, some write it down, some don't, but it is still there... If you don't believe me, track the order of service over the next 4 sundays in your church and see that you do somethings the same time each sunday.

    God is a God of order. His house should be too.
     
  5. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    I'm independent. We have an order but it's usually only the song leader and the preacher that sees it. When we had published orders, we found them to hinder the fellowship some times because some people for some reason can't deal with it if you deviate from the schedule in the slightest way, such as singing hymn number 238 instead of 118 due to a last minute request. It becomes a law one must abide by or else!
     
  6. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    JD!! Son!!! Spare me!! I thought the only ones who were "hung up" on the order of worship were us's SBCer's!!! Don't tell me you IFBer's are infected too!!!:laugh: :laugh: I tease my wife all the time----"Honey! We treat the bulletin like it were the Bible!!!":laugh: :laugh:
     
  7. mcdirector

    mcdirector Active Member

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    humpf! I wish those words weren't so true!

    We don't put our order of service in the bulletin either. All kinds of stuff is there, but not that.
     
  8. John of Japan

    John of Japan Well-Known Member
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    I'm IFB born and raised, but here in Japan we have the order of service in the bulletin because that is what the Japanese like. They'd probably be lost without it! They are a very disciplined people.
     
  9. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

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    Y'all have BULLETINS?!?!

    Down here in ole Mexico they'd think I went flip off the deep end.

    Yes, we have an order of service but only the songleader and I see it. Sometimes we follow it and sometimes we follow the Lord. :praise:
     
  10. John of Japan

    John of Japan Well-Known Member
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    Not only do we have bulletins, I have several folk who actually make it to the service on time! :thumbs:
     
  11. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    We don't have bulletins. We are really hi-tech. We have video screens built into the backs of seats, where all of the information is available by touch screen. We even have a debit / credit card slot and check scanner for the offering. During the music portion, you can plug your ipod below the screen and purchase the copywritten songs from the worship team.

    If you believe this, I have a tropical retreat for sale in Antarctica...
     
  12. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Why--that ain't nothin', JOJ!!! My central Mississippi church members start their "Siesta's" at about 11:30am!!!!:laugh: :laugh:
     
    #12 blackbird, Jun 2, 2006
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 2, 2006
  13. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    Say it ain't so, John... say it ain't so! And you call yourself a Baptist! :wavey: :smilewinkgrin: I have never seen a good baptist church where everyone gets to church on time...

    Next you'll be telling us that the church fills up from the front row back!
     
  14. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    I've heard it said that this is proof positive that Jesus could not have been a Baptist....

    He would always show up on time and is never late for anything! :thumbs:
     
  15. menageriekeeper

    menageriekeeper Active Member

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    I love our schedule being in the bulletin. It keeps Chris from asking me "how much longer"!:tongue3:

    Sitting still is not one of his talents.:laugh:
     
  16. genesis12

    genesis12 Member

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    While we don't have a significant problem with it, it can be somewhat distracting when one, seated in the choir loft, notices how often members "check the bulletin" to see what's next. Sort of takes away from an attitude of worship & praise. I think we could easily do without one.
     
  17. Karen

    Karen Active Member

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    I like a printed order of service and have always been in churches that have them. Nothing in the churches I have been in has prevented a pastor from changing something at the last moment.
    Sometimes it sounds like those who don't like bulletins are saying that God only leads in and blesses the spontaneous.
    I don't see that.

    Karen
     
  18. mcdirector

    mcdirector Active Member

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    I never make to church on time, but only because we have multiple services and the time I serve in the Media Center overlaps with the beginning of service. It didn't used to bother me when we sat in the balcony, but for some unknown reason, my husband decided he'd rather sit downstairs several rows from the front. *sigh* At least it's on the side.

    I did think about protesting once and sitting with some other man in the back, but I decided that would be more to gossip about than some of our church members could handle. :smilewinkgrin: :tongue3: :laugh:
     
  19. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

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    One thing that I think schedules in the bulletin really helps with is visitors. Imagine how people would feel who have never been to church before, if they are just expected to know what to do next? I know most of our churches have men who lead the services pretty clearly, but having the schedule there before them could help releive some of the unfamiliarity and anxiety.

    I remember once I visited a Nazarene church. It was very different from my church, and there was nothing given to me to tell me what was going to be happening next, and what I was supposed to be doing next. They had responsive readings and all sorts of interactive parts of the service which left me totally clueless. I was so embarrassed and concerned with what I ought to be doing next that I never had any idea what the message was about....not even sure that there was one.

    Just a thought...:type:
     
    #19 bapmom, Jun 3, 2006
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2006
  20. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    OK - I see, when you have responsive readings and such, that you'd need to know what's going on but we're pretty simple. I just put together the service yesterday and this is our basic run down for a typical Sunday:

    Worship - we do most of our worship up front - a package of 4-5 songs
    Pastoral Prayer - people are invited to come to the front for prayer by the worship leader and then one of the pastor prays
    Greeting each other and Sunday School kids dismissed (announced from the pulpit)
    Announcements
    Sermon
    Closing worship song that ties in with the sermon

    That's pretty much it. Tomorrow will be a little different with communion but it's directed by the pastors - they explain what to do each time because we always have new people.

    Pretty much anything that people may have to participate in is directed from the pulpit and I've put together stuff for the projector/screen (using Prologue/Sunday Plus). All words to the songs are on the screen as is all announcements and right now sermon notes too (not always but in this series, Pastor wants them up in Power Point because there's diagrams that he wants to show). It's really easy to follow the service and Pastor usually has us out between an hour and a half and an hour and 45 minutes after the service starts.

    Annie
     
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