Our church family will meet for one, combined Sunday worship service on several upcoming holiday weekends, and throughout July and August.

Combined services will meet at 10 a.m. Dates and locations are:

• May 12 (Mother’s Day), main Sanctuary
• May 26 (Memorial Day weekend), Summerwood
• July 7 (Fourth of July weekend), Summerwood
• July 14-21-28, main Sanctuary
• Aug. 4-11-18-25, main Sanctuary
• Sept. 1 (Labor Day weekend), Summerwood

Pastor Luke Uran: “It’s healthy for us, as we get the opportunity to worship together, to take advantage of it. The summer seems like a great time to gather all of the congregation together as the chorale and orchestra are on their summer break, and people are traveling more with kids out of school. We are also able to give worship directors Eric Curry and Renee Cooper more time to work together in planning services as well as afford them time to worship with their spouses on a Sunday morning.”

How will our church approach planning a combined service? What will the music be like?

Renee Cooper: “Eric, Amy (Sanderson, worship administrative assistant) and I will sit down together and work on the music for the services.  We have several songs that both services do, so we will be choosing mostly from that repertoire. So the music will be familiar to both services.”

What special considerations do you have to think about when the services are outside?

Renee: “We will have a smaller team at Summerwood (no Chorale or Orchestra) due to the logistics of having such a large group to deal with.  We also have to be prepared in case of inclement weather. We will be set up inside each week as well, just in case!”

This gives a needed breather to some of our volunteer musicians, right?

Renee: “Chorale and Orchestra have normally taken July and August off each year. They need the break after serving nearly every Sunday for the past 10 months. I’m so grateful for their dedicated service each and every week! And, for Eric and I, it will give us a chance to take a break as well. We will schedule our vacations so that at least one of us will be here for each of those services.

This will also give the Classic and Contemporary service people a chance to get to know each other better as we work together this summer.”

Will we still have coffee and doughnuts in the lobby before the combined indoor services?

Yes! Join us beginning at 9:15 a.m. for donuts and coffee in the lobby. We will not be having donuts and coffee outdoors and Summerwood, but will have bottled water available.

Will there be any difference in childcare and Kids church?

On Summerwood Sundays there won’t be childcare or Kids Church. Our awesome Kids Ministry will provide “busy bags” with quiet activities for little kids, though. Our indoor combined Sundays will follow the usual second-service childcare plan, which is open to kids ages birth through grade 5.

What about our other, offsite venues?

Rockford Rescue Mission and Fairhaven services will be held each week at their normally scheduled times.