Worship Patterns

Rev. Joshua Patty

Regional Minister and President

Do you worship regularly with more than one congregation? Do you know people who worship with more than one congregation?

A recent report from Hartford Institute suggests this is a noticeable trend. According to a recent survey, 46% responded that they regularly attend/view multiple worship services and 7% claim multiple home congregations.

In recent years, I’ve heard a growing number of people share such things. They may attend a nearby congregation and then later join another one online. Or they may participate in online services in two or more congregations.

The hard reality is that there are fewer people who actively seek out worship communities – many of our congregations have less worship attendance than a decade ago. People connecting with multiple congregations suggests something more exciting – many of those who attend are looking for more opportunities to connect with God and other Christians.

How do we ensure that our worship services are welcome spaces – onsite and online – for people looking for more opportunities? What should we explicitly say? What type of insider language should we stop using? What avenues for participation can we offer people that are not just “here’s how you become a member”?

I don’t have confident answers, nor have I read or heard many from others. I imagine that a willingness to meet people where they are is paramount. I also think that offering online options is necessary – it makes it much easier for people to worship with you at different times and different places.

I suspect that participating in multiple congregations is going to be an important attribute of the church for the next several years – I don’t think it’s a “flash in the pan.” As such, it can be a great opportunity for us to connect with people and expand our ministries.