Many congregational programs, from soup kitchens to counseling centers, have counterparts outside the church walls, run by governments or charitable organizations. What is unique to congregations, whether Catholic or Protestant, Christian or Jewish, is the regular opportunity they provide for public worship. The PC(USA) is no exception.
Almost every Presbyterian congregation provides at least one time weekly when people may gather to worship God, and many offer more. Following a long tradition, most of these services are held on Sundays, primarily during the morning. The most popular hour is 11:00 a.m.: in a recent Presbyterian Panel survey (May 2000), almost two-thirds of pastors (62 percent) reported a service that begins around that time. Other earlier times on Sunday are also well represented, with a third of pastors reporting services at each of the hours of 8 a.m., 9 a.m., and 10 a.m.
Congregations that offer a single worship opportunity on Sunday mornings tend to hold that service later in the morning, either around 10 a.m. (44 percent) or around 11 a.m. (44 percent). Few (1 percent) offer a sole service at 8 or 8:30 a.m., and only 11 percent do so around 9 or 9:30 a.m.
Congregations with two Sunday morning services tend to schedule them at non-adjacent times. Among pastors reporting two services, three-fourths report one around 11 a.m., and 55 percent, around 8 a.m. By comparison, only 43 percent offer a service around 9 or 9:30 a.m., and only 27 percent, around 10 a.m. (see the figure).
Multiple services on Sunday mornings are rare in smaller congregations. Only 15 percent of pastors in congregations with fewer than 200 members report more than one Sunday morning service, compared to 36 percent of those with 200-399 members, 72 percent of those with 400-799 members, and 91 percent of those with 800 or more members.
The Sunday evening worship service, once a common occurrence among Presbyterians, began to disappear after World War II, if not sooner. Today, only 6 percent of pastors report a Sunday evening service, mainly those in larger congregations: only 2 percent of pastors in congregations with 200 or fewer members report a Sunday evening service, compared to 14 percent of pastors in congregations with more than 800 members.
Worship opportunities on other days of the week are also rare. Only 7 percent of pastors report regular services on weekday evenings, and only 3 percent, on Saturday evenings. Even fewer (2 percent) report daytime services on weekdays.
Seasonal worship services linked to the church year are widespread, especially during Lent and Advent. More than nine in ten elders report that their congregation has worship on Maundy Thursday; 58 percent, on Ash Wednesday; and 58 percent, on Good Friday. Two-thirds (67 percent) also report special services during Advent.
Less common are special worship services for Epiphany, reported by a quarter of elders, and Ascension Day, reported by 16 percent.
For a sizable minority, the secular calendar also affects worship times. A fourth of pastors report that during the summer the main Sunday service is moved earlier, and another sixth (16 percent), that fewer services are held. But for every trend there is a counter trend: at least 2 percent of pastors report that summer brings either more Sunday services, later services, or an additional service on another day of the week.
In sum, most Presbyterian churches offer a Sunday morning service at around 10 or 11 a.m., and many, especially larger congregations, add an earlier second, third or, in a few instances, fourth service on Sunday mornings. Sunday evening services are relatively rare, even in larger congregations, as are services on other days of the week. However, most congregations offer special services linked to the church year, particularly during Lent and Advent.
For more information on the Presbyterian Panel survey on Public Worship, see the summary online.
Email the author: Jack Marcum
Research Services