Join us on this excting adventure as we try and reach out to more people in our community by broadening our worship traditions and styles. 

Please read this booklet that explains more about what will be happening in the 2025. 

EVERYTHING BELOW THIS TEXT WAS PART OF THE JOURNEY TO OUR SUNDAY WORSHIP 2025 pattern. 

We invite you to journey with us as we explore a new and creative way of helping people grow in love and faith through worship. 

What is happening at St. Mary’s Church?

St. Mary’s is growing, and with growth comes both opportunities and challenges. We’re excited to see new faces, especially more young people engaging with us since 2022. We now have a chance to rethink how we worship and create a community that better connects with God, each other, and the world around us.

What is the church’s vision?

Our vision is to Grow Love and Faith that Transforms Lives. We are committed to being a welcoming, fun, generous, and affirming church that creates irresistible environments, fosters small groups, and connects deeply with young people.

Why are we considering changes to our worship?

With our diverse congregation, we recognize that not everyone connects with the same worship style. We want to be a church where people from all backgrounds and preferences can find meaningful ways to worship and experience God. If we don’t adapt, we risk losing new members and, more importantly, failing to engage our young people with the gospel.

What is the challenge of growth in the church?

Growth brings together people with different worship traditions, preferences for music, and cultural backgrounds. It’s a beautiful challenge to create a worship experience that honours everyone, from those who love traditional practices to those seeking modern expressions of faith. But we believe that change is necessary to connect more people with God and ensure that no one misses out on the opportunity to experience the gospel.

What are the possible options we’ve considered?

We explored several options for the future of worship at St. Mary’s:

• One Service, Same Style: Stability, but little growth.

• One Service, Modern Style: Appeals to younger members but may alienate traditional worshippers.

• One Service, Hybrid Style: A middle ground, but still might not satisfy everyone.

• Multiple Services in Different Styles: Variety, but it requires a lot of volunteer effort and risks dividing the congregation.

What is the proposed solution?

We’re excited to explore a new approach called Modular Worship. This flexible model allows us to blend our traditions with modern worship styles, encouraging greater participation and spiritual growth. The idea is that our worship will be broken down into a series of 30 minute modules. Each module will have its own special flavour to it. 

What do I have to go to?

Anything you would like. We want to give people the choice of what is best for them and their worship. People will choose which modules work for them and their family. You get to design your own Sunday. Instead of just having Sunday looking one way, these modules allow you to have over 21 different options. There is no way we could possibly put on 21+ service on a Sunday but this allows the variety and flexibility to meet the ever changing worshiping needs of the community. 

What modules are there?

At the moment we are thinking about having the following modules but we are open to your suggestions. 

1. Traditional Sung Eucharist

2. Service of the Word (with intercessions, Bible readings, and preaching)

3. Fellowship (social/coffee time)

4. Modern Worship Music

5. Family Worship

I like what we have now what modules do I go to?

If you like the way current worship works then the first two modules will have all the elements you like, based on the worship survey, in it. They might just be in a different order. 

What are the benefits of Modular Worship?

• Flexibility: Congregants can choose which modules to participate in, tailoring their worship experience to their needs.

• Engagement: With 21 possible ways to engage, we can meet the diverse needs of our congregation.

• Preserving Tradition: The first two modules include all current worship elements, ensuring our traditional roots are honoured.

• Volunteer Efficiency: Combining services reduces the need for separate volunteers, and lay leaders can take a more active role.

What did Bishop Ruth say?

Revd Tom recently met with Bishop Ruth to discuss these proposed changes. She encouraged us to pursue these changes, saying, “Go forward with confidence.” With Bishop Ruth’s support, we are even more confident that God is leading us in this exciting direction, and we are encouraged to embrace this new vision for worship at St. Mary’s.

How did this idea come about?

The idea for Modular Worship started with a spark from a member of our congregation who shared an interesting vision. They said, “Imagine a free-flowing time of worship where people could come and go as they like, and things changed throughout the morning.”

To be honest, when I, Revd Tom, first heard this, I thought it was a ridiculous idea, and I couldn’t see how it would work. But just two weeks later, I heard from a senior member of the clergy in the diocese who described something similar they had successfully done in a previous parish. That got me thinking. After spending time in prayer and having multiple conversations, the idea started to grow. Eventually, we brought it to the PCC to vote on whether we should explore this possibility, and they agreed it would be exciting to see what might happen.

It has been exciting to see how God has developed this idea through others. As a minister who has been asking people to pray and be open to God's leading it is wonderful to see how God has been speaking through people. 

What’s next?

We are taking several steps to explore this new worship model:

• PCC Vote: The PCC unanimously agreed to explore Modular Worship. 

• Prayer: We will seek divine guidance throughout this process.

• Worship Survey: We have asked the congregation for input on what they value in worship.

• Consultation: We met with Bishop Ruth to discuss the options for the future.

• Another PCC Vote: We will vote again as to whether we should do this.  

How can I be involved?

We want everyone’s voice to be heard as we shape the future of St. Mary’s. Whether you’re excited, curious, or even hesitant about change, your feedback is important. Together, we can create a worship experience that grows love and faith and transforms lives. Filling in the worship survey is one of the best ways to share your thoughts about worship. 

What if I have an idea for a module?

What I love about this format of worship is that it is adaptable. We can try new things and see if they work. We can add more modules as needed. Speak with Revd Tom

What did Bishop Ruth say?

Revd Tom recently met with Bishop Ruth to discuss these proposed changes. She encouraged us to pursue these changes, saying, “Go forward wit