Gathering as morningchurch is a very significant event. We gather to encourage each other to hold unswervingly to the hope we profess. We gather to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. God commands us to “not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10.23‐25)
Leading church is leading the structured part of our gathering and taking responsibility to ensure that the gathering meets the expectations of our Lord. Because of its importance, it's a ministry that should be taken very seriously and approached with humility & prayer.
Preparation for this ministry is very important. You should be clear about what passage the Bible talk is on & what it is about. Ask the preacher for a one sentence summary of their talk.
Be clear as to who is participating. Who is reading the Bible? Who is praying? Do they know? Write out what you are going to say & pray etc. Avoid jargon. And practice what you write aloud. (Note: It's important that you are yourself in your leading.)
We gather to hear God speak to us together in his Word & to respond to him together rightly.
There is a slight sense in which our gathering is in 2 halves. In the first half there is a bit more variety in content & focus. In the second half, after we 'say g'day' and the kids leave for kids church, it's much more focused on the Bible passage & talk.
The role of the leader is to lead people through the process of preparing to hear God in his word, hearing God in his Word and responding to God in his Word.
Clarify with the leader of the music team that there have been no changes to songs etc.
Make sure that the people participating are present & know when they’re required & what to expect.
Make sure that you are wearing your name tag.
Test that the microphone & PA system is working.
Make sure that you pray with either the music team or the preacher (or both!)
Make sure that the preacher has everything they require.
Make sure that the sound person knows that you are about to start.
Start on time. We advertise to new comers that we start at 10:30am. Sitting waiting can be an uncomfortable experience for many people. Don't exacerbate this by delaying for late regulars.
Introduce the first song. Get everybody's attention. Be bright & confident & friendly. We find the first song helps to settle the gathering and to call stragglers in from the hall and entrance-way.
After the singing, introduce yourself and welcome everyone, especially newcomers. You want them to feel comfortable.
Remind everybody of why we are meeting together & why it matters. Perhaps read a short portion of Scripture that supports this exhortation.
Mention the program on the front of the bulletin so that they can know what is coming up. Invite them to remain for morning tea (or first Sunday lunch) at the end of our time together.
Introduce the second song. Remember to 'keep your commands in sub-clauses' by saying “As you stand, let’s declare God’s praises to each other with the song ….”
Introduce this spot & the person presenting.
These should be concise, enthusiastic, engaging & clear.
Don’t just read the bulletin out. That's boring.
If others are giving announcements (which is good variety) make sure that they will be concise, enthusiastic, engaging & clear too.
Introduce this spot & the person presenting.
Direct the kids to kidschurch and/or crèche.
Invite people to briefly say g'day to someone they haven't met, for about 2 minutes, as the kids depart.
Give 2 minutes
Newcomers need to know why the collection is taking place and that they aren’t expected to give. A good stock phrase is "As we stand for the next song, we'll take up a collection. It's how our regulars invest in the work of the church here in our community and further afield. But if you're visiting today, you're our guest, so please feel free to let the bag pass you by."
Introduce the person doing the Bible reading and the part of the Bible they will be reading.
Invite people to find and open their Bible as they come to the microphone.
Immediately after the Bible reading the preacher should begin. (Check they know to do so before the service.)
Briefly introduce the reflection time for newcomers and explain that it's a short time (2 minutes) to reflect on what we’ve heard God speak to us. (The preacher may do this.)
Give 2 minutes.
At the end of the reflection time, encourage everyone to note 'one thing' that stood out for them, that they might consider sharing with others over morning tea / lunch.
Close briefly in prayer and introduce the last song.
At the end of the last song ...
On a normal Sunday, invite people to continue to gather in the hall over morning tea
But if it's a First Sunday there is no morning tea, so invite people to stay for lunch, and briefly give thanks for the meal before they adjourn.
This link gives 'ten tips for leading church well' and is an excellent read:
http://gotherefor.com/offer.php?intid=29247&utm_term=Ten+tips+for+leading+church+well