Try to imagine what would happen to Presbyterian worship if all of the planning and design were turned over to lay folks. Seriously. Besides eagerly adding Christmas carols to Advent services, what else would change?
We're not likely to find out anytime soon, given that most of us on both sides of the M.Div. divide are quite happy leaving primary responsibility for worship to those trained in seminary. But it's an interesting thought exercise, fueled in this instance by clues obtained from a recent Presbyterian Panel survey. We asked members to tell us, via their choices of alternative descriptors, what features their ideal worship service would have. Here are some of the findings.
Setting
Members want a place for worship that is bright, as evidenced by their strong preference for both lots of natural light (88 percent chose this option) over little natural light (4 percent; the remainder in all paired comparisons is uncertain) and light colors (75 percent) over dark colors (10 percent). They also want traditional seating, with pews (87 percent) overwhelmingly preferred over chairs (7 percent), but opt for more modern flooring, with most choosing carpeted floors (74 percent) rather than bare floors (12 percent).
Less consensus emerges for the size of the worship space, or more accurately, the sense of size as perceived by the worshiper. About half (49 percent) prefer a spacious sanctuary, but another third (32 percent) want a cozy setting.
Timing
A near consensus emerges on the ideal day of the week for worship: 93 percent of members want worship that takes place on Sunday. Large majorities also prefer a service that lasts for a set period of time (71 percent) to one that varies in length due to content (22 percent), and one that lasts for an hour or less (70 percent) to one that lasts for more than an hour (14 percent).
Style
Members prefer traditional worship over contemporary worship by a factor of more than three to one (65 percent to 19 percent). Nevertheless, they also indicate, by a similar margin (71 percent to 18 percent), that they want a blend of styles rather than one style.
Mood
A large majority of members prefer worship that is ordered (78 percent) rather than spontaneous (10 percent). But within that order, most want an opportunity to experience emotions. A majority would opt for an expressive (59 percent) over a rationalistic (14 percent) worship service. Still, as befits the "frozen chosen," only a minority of members see the ideal worship as exuberant (38 percent). About the same prefer it reserved (35 percent).
Elements
Features that most members want in an ideal service include a children's sermon (79 percent want one, and 12 percent do not) and a time set aside for those present to individually state prayer concerns (65 percent want this, and 22 percent do not). A slimmer majority (52 percent compared to 25 percent) would also include an invitation to Christian commitment. Few members, however, would include drama or dance (12 percent want it, but 68 percent do not). And only 20 percent would view as ideal a service that always includes the Lord's Supper, while 66 percent would prefer one that only occasionally includes the Lord's Supper.
Lectionary
Only 22 percent of members view as ideal worship that follows [the] lectionary closely. Rather, twice as many, 44 percent, would prefer expository preaching through books of the Bible.
Put together, these preferences indicate a bit more emphasis on the practical and personal, and a bit less on church tradition, than "The Directory for Worship" might advocate. But a lay-designed worship service would likely not be that different from what most Presbyterians now experience on Sundays.
Email the author: Jack Marcum
Research Services