Sunday Afternoon Church

(For those that don't know, I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We don't just choose what congregation we want to attend, rather we are divided geographically into "wards". This allows us to fellowship with our neighbors and severely lessons inter-congregational competition among other advantages.)

Currently, four wards (congregations) share our church building. At the beginning of the new year the wards rotate as to which will start services at 9, 9:30, 1 or 1:30. We went from beginning at 9:30am to 12:30pm. After complaining a bit in December about the impending change of doom, I am here to eat those words. I was SO sure I would hate the new time and schedule--I was SO wrong.

See, the wards that start on the hour have Sunday school-type classes first from 9-10:40 or 1-2:40. Then these wards go to our main service, Sacrament meeting, from 10:50-12 or 2:50-4. The wards that start on the half-hour have Sacrament meeting first from 9:30-10:40 or 1:30-2:40 then they go to Sunday school-type classes from 10:50-12:30 or 2:50-4:30. Yes, we go to church for 3 hours almost every Sunday. Sorry if that was confusing but it pertains to the post.

I loved the 9:30 time slot last year and so I was sure the afternoon church thing was going to be annoying. We have done it before, but it has been many years and our family has changed significantly. We don't shop or go to movies on Sunday afternoons, but we do love to play games, take naps and partake in afternoon naps. I knew church at 1pm would end those things. Plus, I currently serve in our nursery--teaching and playing with children 18months old to 3 years old. Church at 1 makes nursery at NAP TIME. This is another reason I was not looking forward to 1pm church.

Let me share some of the benefits of our new time.

Reason #1: I now get the nursery children for the first part of church. Heeheehee...that means their parents get them when they are a little more tired and cranky for the last hour of church. Selfishly, this makes me giggle inside. Can't explain or justify it, that's just the way it is for me.

Reason #2: We are using Sunday mornings to the best of our advantage. Rather than sleeping in for a few extra hours we still get out of bed before 8am. We are enjoying a relaxing breakfast as a family. Dave and I have a quick meeting together to discuss needs, goals, and concerns. LOVE it! Then we have a family meeting to discuss calendaring, menus, needs, goals, and concerns. So nice :) Then we have calm, family time with Uno or some other card game. Soft, gospel-type music plays in background as we have lunch and get ready for church. It is a purposeful, peaceful time for our family.

As a result of our well used time on Sunday morning, everything is running better around here. Chores are getting done at a much higher rate. Savings accounts have been opened and children are adding to them regularly. I'm MUCH more relaxed when I get to church because I wasn't part of a crazy morning rush to get everyone ready.

I hope this post reminds me to be more open to changes in the future and to find the positive. But...now I am wondering about two years from now. In January 2012 we will go the 1:30 slot but in 2013 we will be back in the morning. How am I going to keep my Sundays so peaceful?