Has your church cancelled any services?

[Diakoneo]

I've heard about this in some places... A church will anticipate a bad turn out over the holiday seasons, especially when Christmas and New Years are so perilously close to weekends, and so some pastors will cancel services. Usually Sunday PM services.

We've never done this at our church, but this year there was a really small turn out for the Christmas Eve service, so our pastor was tossing around the idea of cancelling this coming Sunday evening's service. He sent us (the deacons) an email asking for our thoughts.

I've replied that I think it is a horrible idea and that I'd even preach the message that night if he liked, although he absolutely wasn't thinking about cancelling it to take the night off. I haven't heard back from him yet but I expect to tomorrow.

Anyway this got me thinking about this whole idea of cancelling services for one reason or another and I was interested in finding out what you folks thought of the notion...

[aReformedPatriot]

Our service has been cancled twice this year. Once was for an insane blizzard in which 2 feet of snow got dumped in a couple of hours. And the other was the sunday evening service the day after Christmas. Im not sure as to the reason, probably to just let people have a quiet time.

The bible says not to get in the habit of skipping church but I must confess the other day, I just needed to stay home and rest. It was refreshing and I cannot wait until the next Lord's Day.

[rural_preacher]

We had a great turn out for our Christmas Eve service...I was really surprised. I was thinking not too many people would bother to come out, but we even had several visitors along with our regular people. That brings joy to this preachers heart!

However, in contrast, this Wednesday night (between Christmas & New Years) we only had six people come besides my wife, kids & me. I still taught the Bible study and we still had a great time of prayer and fellowship. I think everyone else in the church really missed out on a great time...their loss.

Holidays are an important time to have the doors open. You never know when someone might really need to be there for the encouragement, or an unbeliever might be particularly open to the Gospel during that time.

On the other hand, Super Bowl Sunday is definitely the time to cancel services...(just kidding!!) :D


--

[Steve_SandbachBaptist_UK]

Sandbach Baptist Church cancelled its evening service on Boxing Day night but that was understandable after 3 services in 3 days (Christmas Eve, Christmas morning and Boxing day morning). Also I think our evening service this Sunday has been cancelled, don't know why.

Steve

[pressingon]

Our church traditionally cancels Sunday evening services on Labor Day, Memorial Day, and on some days near Christmas (the 26th, for example), in order to allow families "to spend some more quality time together". We also did not have a service last night.

I see the logic to some extent... attendance usually is down those days, including in leadership positions, so it's often hard to keep all our ministries running on those days. However, I personally think we're encouraging misplaced priorities by doing so... what better way to spend "quality time" as a family but by worshipping together?

If you can do it, by all means... keep those church doors open!

[crossrunner]

Our church cancelled services this past sunday due to about 2 inches of snow and some sleet. My city dies at the mere thought of snow.

[RED that's ME]

My church has also cancelled evening services example Labor Day weekend we will have a morning service, a huge church-wide picnic for several hours afterwards and no evening service that night.
We didn't have evening services this past weekend the Sunday after christmas. My pastor really encouraged members to make it a special family time since most families are so hectic in their schedules they sometimes don't plan special quality times together.

[DiscipleOfIAm]

I have never understood the reason for cancelling church services. Even if 1 person comes, it is necessary to have the church service open for that 1 person. Like the OP stated, I'll preach the service!

The church I currently attend, the pastor said if McDonald's is open, we're open! If the snow is deep and the roads are rough, but the McD's employees can make it to work, we can make it to church!

I have attended churches where they cancel all Wednesday night services in the summertime and Sunday nights are used for "leadership" meetings and prayer. I think that is ridiculous! People need more than just a couple of hours on Sunday morning. Just MHO.

God Bless

[ZiSunka]

Maybe the quality of the service is more to blame than the busy-ness of the people?

I know that at a church I used to go to, we had Lord's night services and wednesday night services, and the pastor's heart was really not in them, he only wanted to do Lord's day morning services, and his resentment showed up all the time in the quality of his teaching and preaching. He really just sort of phoned it in, so to speak. Eventually, attendence dropped so much that people stopped coming. But they replaced the services and studies with home cell group studies and services. Everyone still wanted the "extra" services that the pastor was kind of too lazy to provide. Half-hearted pastors can kill a service just as fast as a half-hearted congregation, in fact, maybe even faster.

Just a thought.

[ps139]

The bible says not to get in the habit of skipping church Where does it say that? I agree with you fully about not skipping, I am primarily interested in the chapter & verse so I can use it in discussions. :)

[SumTinWong]

Where does it say that? I agree with you fully about not skipping, I am primarily interested in the chapter & verse so I can use it in discussions. :) Hebrews 10:24-25

[ps139]

:thumbsup: thanks very much

[RED that's ME]

Hebrews 10:24-25

I use those verses a lot but that doesn't mean that you MUST have 2 services on Sundays. My church has things going on all through the week too not just on Sundays.

My church has Bible studies throughout the week on different nights and prayer groups that meet. We have Bible studies for women during the morning weekdays even Saturday mornings we have men that meet for Bible study and prayer time. Some people have to work 1st or 2nd shift which causes them to miss certain services on Sundays doesn't mean it's bad they miss a service just that they miss out in other ways.

[newlite]

theve had one sevice instead of 2. never heard of them cancelling them...

the pastor once told this story. (or parible. i dont know) there once was a horrible bizzard. the only ones who made it to church were the pastor and a local farmer. because it was only them the paster said why dont you go home and ill tell the sermon next week. the far,er replied, pastor, even if only one cow shows up during feeding time, i still feed it...(something along the line...) i dont think the pastor would cancell it.

i havent gone to church for two weeks. my family is lazy and not really chirstains. i sucks cuz sunday is the only day i can get some understand of the bible, someone will translate it from greek to the actually everyday english i speak...i used to play 'count how many ppl are sleeping and try to break a record' during church. ive changed alotttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt! (except for that one day another guy came and man, he talked english but not my eglish. i do believe we broke a record...)

[GuitarMia05]

My church use to have 2 services, well during holidays we would only have one..and not do sunday school...but it's very rare when church is cancelled...unless it's bad weather.

[aReformedPatriot]

My church use to have 2 services, well during holidays we would only have one..and not do sunday school...but it's very rare when church is cancelled...unless it's bad weather.
you wouldnt have sunday school? That seems like one of the most important ministries being neglected.

[Gwenyfur]

So far no services have been cancelled. For which I'm grateful. I am in a way blessed though to have keys. Times when services have been called because of weather, I'm still there, playing the piano for the Lord on His day :) I guess I'm a little quirky that way.

[aReformedPatriot]

thats awesome. there are times when I wish i had the keys. Id goto the sanctuary in the middle of the night and just pray.

[Gwenyfur]

thats awesome. there are times when I wish i had the keys. Id goto the sanctuary in the middle of the night and just pray.
I do that too :prayer: It's a wonderful time with Him, all the more special to be at the altar alone and in the dark...

[ZiSunka]

In a couple of churches I went to, all the members had keys, so we could let ourselves in any time we wanted. I found myself at church all the time, praying and worshipping and it was easier to set up for sunday school and the church generally got very good care, becasue anytime anyone had time, they could go and clean or fix things or take care of the flowers or paint a room or whatever. We did all our own maintenance and took turns with the janitorial duties and I can say that we were a much closer body of Believers because we shared this trust in each other and shared the work of keeping the church beautiful. :)

I don't know why more churches don't do this!

[DiscipleOfIAm]

you wouldnt have sunday school? That seems like one of the most important ministries being neglected.
I agree 100%. There are a lot of churches where I live that are doing away with Sunday School. They are having two worship services instead. I say have both. People can either go to Sunday School at 9 and worship service at 11 or the other way around. If the church is getting that big where they feel they need 2 services, they should be able to have Sunday School fit in there somewhere.

Some churches around here are also doing away with Sunday night and Wednesday night services.

[Gwenyfur]

Not have Sunday School!?!?

That's where 2/3 of the equipping of the saints occurs. If my church did away with Sunday School, I'd be finding a new one. That's where we have our indepth verse to verse studies...event to event...I learned so much about the apostles when we went through Acts, and Romans now we're going through 1Corinthians...I never knew....
even though I'd read all these books...

Do away with Sunday School?

*sits stunned*

[newlite]

In a couple of churches I went to, all the members had keys, so we could let ourselves in any time we wanted. I found myself at church all the time, praying and worshipping and it was easier to set up for sunday school and the church generally got very good care, becasue anytime anyone had time, they could go and clean or fix things or take care of the flowers or paint a room or whatever. We did all our own maintenance and took turns with the janitorial duties and I can say that we were a much closer body of Believers because we shared this trust in each other and shared the work of keeping the church beautiful. :)

I don't know why more churches don't do this!sounds like a very nice church. it would be awsome if my church could do that. sure the janitor would appereiate it. :) unfortunatly, there some really rather mean ppl out there would like nothing better to steal a church key and help paint some walls with spray paint. even do it for free...my dad has a church key so i really have complete access to everything. one key fits all locks...

my church sometimes cancells sunday school. its rather sad yes, but sometimes there no one there...plus its at 9:00. if they had it at 10:30 like the second service, it would be alot better...

[P_G]

I never cancel!

Not for any reason not even for the weather

I figure if I can make it then you should too


OK yes I live upstairs from the church but still :)

If it was just me and my wife we would have church


PG

[QuagDabPeg]

haha. Catholic churches have a service weekday, two on Saturday, and about 5 on Sunday . . . and they're never canceled, even if no one shows up! (I guess it helps that the priests normally live next door to the Church =P)

[ZiSunka]

sounds like a very nice church. it would be awsome if my church could do that. sure the janitor would appereiate it. :) unfortunatly, there some really rather mean ppl out there would like nothing better to steal a church key and help paint some walls with spray paint. even do it for free...my dad has a church key so i really have complete access to everything. one key fits all locks...

Only the full members were given keys, and I guess having that trust made us trustworthy, because no keys ever went missing and no vandalism ever occurred. :)

And as I said, having that trust in one another made us closer and more loving toward one another, because family members always have a key to the family home, don't they? ;) I don't think I'd join a church that doesn't let the members have keys.

[AJ]

I am glad that my church does not cancel the evening services (that I am aware of).... Since my wife and I attend only evening services, due to my chaotic work schedule. We have spent a lot of time visiting various churches that have an evening service on Saturday or Sunday night.

[Monica02]

haha. Catholic churches have a service weekday, two on Saturday, and about 5 on Sunday . . . and they're never canceled, even if no one shows up! (I guess it helps that the priests normally live next door to the Church =P)GGGRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! :( :cry:
Please tell that to my parish. I tried to go to our 5:00 pm Saturday on New Years Day but it was cancelled. In fairness, this was announced the week before but I forgot. I normally attend the noon Mass on Sunday so I guess I did not keep the New Year's cancellation on my mind.

I woke up Sunday with a nasty headache and could not attend the 7:30 that I had planned, figuring I could still get to Chicago in time.

I took some pills and went back to bed for an hour, telling myself that I would make it back from the city in time for the 6:00 pm Sunday.

Well, to add to my difficulties, we get to the museum, only to dicscover backed up traffic due to a stupid football game. We wait and wait for parking only to be informed after we have waited that parking is $35.
Could someone, perhaps, have put up a "PARKING $35" sign? Helloooooo.

We cancel our plans for the Field Museum and decide to go to Mass at Holy Name. I was sooooo mad at because of the stupid Bear's game that I did not enjoy Mass. I felt bad about that. We then went to the Lincoln Park Zoo and later to a fine meal at Bob Chin's. Macedamia crusted tilapia with mango salsa and mashed sweet potatoes. MMMMMMMM :yum:


And after all of that, I made it back in time to attend my own parish's 6:00 pm. The day turned out okay afterall.

[Monica02]

I wonder if the 5:00pm Saturday was cancelled so that the priests could watch all of those stupid New Years Day football games????????

GRRRRRRRR!!!!!

I hope the Bears LOST.

[SumTinWong]

I heard God has season tickets for the Bears. Maybe I heard wrong ;)

[RED that's ME]

:hug: Sorry you had a bad day Monica but I'm glad it got better. :angel:

[Monica02]

I heard God has season tickets for the Bears. Maybe I heard wrong ;)
HA! Maybe He has His own parking spot -- He could have given it to us! :clap:

[Monica02]

:hug: Sorry you had a bad day Monica but I'm glad it got better. :angel:
Thanks! :thumbsup:

[TheSheep]

I know this is an old thread. But this is today and~ I'm just in time to post this...

I have been very bothered lately because our pastor seems to want to cancel services at the drop of a hat. Of course, there isn't any preaching going on on Christmas or Easter. These holidays are overcast by music events and plays. The evening services for other governmental holidays are cancelled (even if they don't directly fall on Sunday.) This past July all evening services were cancelled to allow more "family fun time." Now, in the wake of the Katrina hurricane, he has cancelled all Wednesday night services until further notice...and we're not even close to the Gulf Coast, we're in a different region of the country. The full explanation has to do with the price of gasoline, he says. He won't take a vote on these issues. He just makes the decision after consulting with some of his close friends in church. So~ the doors are closed quite often and he doesn't even spend prayer time at church on other days than Sunday. There is no secretary either, so basically the church is just....closed all the time (most of the time.):confused:

I have been feeling a deep sense of conviction about this as a church member. As a child of God, I'm afraid that God is getting the message that "we" don't love Him as a church. I love God.:help:

[FreeinChrist]

My church canceled services once - it was in the middle of summer in Arizona and the air conditioning went out. All those people in a builiding with few windows (windows let heat in), no air, in 112 degrees F. :eek: It would have been awlful. That was the week it got up to 121 degrees F and the airport had to close.


Other than that, no cancels.

[Hisbygrace]

Our church has no evening service on Father's Day, Mother's Day and Christmas Day, but we hold two services in the morning. We are encouraged to spend this time with our families.

[Andyman_1970]

I personally think we're encouraging misplaced priorities by doing so... what better way to spend "quality time" as a family but by worshipping together?

With all due respect, it’s this kind of thinking that ends up burning out more lay volunteers than you can imagine……….it’s sad really. When my family goes to church, it’s not “quality time”, my wife sings in the choir and is on the praise team, my son is in the nursery, so it’s not really time together. Most Sunday’s between my teaching, my wife’s involvement in the choir, attending Sunday School teacher meetings and Sunday night services, we spend upwards of 8 hours at church on a Sunday………..to be honest it’s not real relaxing (which is why we take Saturday as our Sabbath) and it’s not quality family time.

Remember God created the family before He created the church, Paul even says that if things are not right at home then you shouldn’t be involved in a ministry outside the home until things are straightened out.

I cannot find a Biblical reason that canceling or not attending services on the Sunday nights of say holidays and such is a sin or a bad idea.

[jusluvm]

With all due respect, it’s this kind of thinking that ends up burning out more lay volunteers than you can imagine……….it’s sad really.

I love my church :kiss: , but sometimes it does feel more like a job than the "worshipful time" it should be. (I know, I know---I am worshipping Him while I'm lending myself to His service.) Every worker, besides our pastor, is a volunteer.

There are times that we cancel a Sunday evening service when we know that we will have a very small group (due to illness of members, vacations, etc). Maybe 3 or 4 times a year. Our pastor lives about an hour away, so this is a consideration for evening services that might have only 3 others in attendance.

Our church is very small, averaging 20 for Sunday school, 30 for Sunday morning service, 10 for Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

And, my husband and I are the two youngest adults there on a regular basis! :eek:

[TheSheep]

Most of these responses are sensible. I know it's OK to cancel services now and again and that people really can get burned out. But it's the frequency that our pastor cancels that disturbs me most and, as I mentioned above, he doesn't spend all that much time there to begin with. I also think that it could be an abuse of authority to close the doors so that NO ONE can worship together just because a few may be too tired. It's overall impact is that it's create a mode of corporate worship that is.....a lesser standard. Everytime I drove by the church on Sunday (or Wednesday) night and saw how vacant it was because he had cancelled, I felt God's sorrow piercing my heart. A few times, I took my family elsewhere to worship. God wants us to be near Him more than anything! I'm feeling compelled to seek another church.

[Hisbygrace]

If you feel in your heart that you should seek another church, then pray about it and if God moves you to have a stronger feeling for change, then by all means go where He leads you.

[JPPT1974]

Yes many times due to snow. Other than that, the services are on.

[TheSheep]

We have left that church now.......

[Happy to be His]

We have been going to parkview for about 3 years now. Even though we have missed some services the only time pastor cancelled a service was just recently when Ophelia came through the area

[jesus died for ME!]

My church cancelled service like once 20 something years ago because there was so much snow you couldn`t open the door and no one could get there cars out other then that one time my grandpa has never cancelled church the world could be blowing up and we would still have church.