11 a.m. Contemporary Service Announcement

As our church grows in so many ways, we are overjoyed to be able to offer a new opportunity to worship.

This additional contemporary service will be in Founders Hall at the same time as the 11 a.m. traditional service, and both services will have the same preacher. The newly added service will closely mirror the current 9 a.m. service with the same music, style of worship, and weekly communion. This new option will help make more space for our growing congregation and will provide more opportunities to worship together.  
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Hear Senior Pastor Matthew Ruffner and Contemporary Worship Leader Kendall Payne talk more about the service in the video abThis service is a direct response to our mission at PHPC. In our effort to awaken all to God’s presence in every season of life, we are glad to be able to offer more opportunities for all to join.

FAQ

Why are we adding an additional service?
The primary reason is due to the growth we have experienced in the last year in the 9 a.m. contemporary service. The worshipping community has steadily increased to the point where it often feels crowded. We have run out of places to add folding chairs! Since we expect to exceed capacity regularly, we began to seek an alternative option. We were in the middle of discussing how to transform another space into a worship space when the idea to add an additional service in Founders Hall occurred to the group. This option is more economical, efficient, and expedient than moving to another space and we feel that this is the next right step.
Why not move the 9 a.m. service to the Sanctuary?
While the sanctuary is larger than Founders Hall there are many issues that make it a poor choice for a contemporary service: 1) the space is too live for drums; 2) there is no place for screens; 3) the band would be too far removed from the congregation; 4) flipping the space for traditional service would be challenging, especially when special events are scheduled at 11 a.m.; 5) it doesn’t have a contemporary “vibe.”
Why not use Jubilee Hall?
While Jubilee Hall is a larger and more flexible space than the sanctuary, it is also not suitable for contemporary worship without significant and expensive ($100k+) modifications. Because it is acoustically very “live” it would require soundproofing material to be added to the floor and walls. The short ceilings make it challenging to add screens. It would need to be wired for sound and A/V equipment. Furthermore, part of the space would need to remain set up, limiting the use of Jubilee Hall for other events such as receptions, classes, and meals.
Why 11 a.m.?
Offering the additional service at 11 a.m. allows us keep the same musicians and the same preacher for both the 9 and 11 a.m. services. It makes logistical sense for our building and our staff, while making it easy for attendees to still be a part of Connection Hour.
Why not 5 p.m.?
Adding a service at 5 p.m. will likely not alleviate the crowding at 9 a.m. since many of the families who attend a morning service have children who also attend Sunday School at 10 a.m. Additionally, the musicians who play at 9 a.m. frequently have other jobs and will not be able to come back at 5 p.m. We also do not have enough pastoral staff currently to facilitate a Sunday evening service.
What is the new Sunday worship schedule?
We will now offer one traditional service at 11 a.m. and two contemporary services: one at 9 a.m. and one at 11 a.m. The additional contemporary service will be in Founders Hall and run at the same time as the traditional service (11 a.m.) The Connection Hour will not be affected.
What’s changing for the 9 a.m. contemporary service?
The 9 a.m. contemporary service will have minor changes in the order of worship to mirror the order of worship in the 11 a.m. contemporary service. The 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. contemporary services will be nearly identical, with the same preacher, band, music style, and weekly communion.
What’s changing for the 11 a.m. traditional service?
The traditional worship service will still be in the Sanctuary at 11 a.m. each Sunday led by the Sanctuary Choir and organ. There will be small changes to the order of worship within the service. For example, the offering will take place before the sermon instead of after it.
Who will preach at the service?
Both of the 11 a.m. services will have the same preacher. The order of service will be slightly different for both services to allow the preacher to give a full sermon in each.
What about Connection Hour and Sunday School?
There will be no changes to Connection Hour or Sunday School.
What opportunities will we have to come together as one church?
There will still be many opportunities through Connection Hour, seasonal events, intergenerational workshops, and more. Stay up to date with our Thursday emails for invitations and announcements.
How does this affect Children’s Chapel?
Children’s Chapel will still be offered during the traditional service.

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