An example formerly held in the Central Telford Team...
A time line from idea-service and beyond
- October - idea suggested in the District Church Council meeting in line with introducing a non-Eucharistic service once a month.
- November - framework of the service, who to invite and publicity
- December promoted the service during the Christmas service as next special event
- January Invitations sent to all couples married at St Marys over past 5 years and to those who have weddings planned for the upcoming year. Past brides and grooms invited to bring photos of their weddings. Poster distributed to Community Centre, local shops, pubs, schools, organisers of local groups. Congregation members encouraged to invite neighbours. Contacted local free paper Telford Journal, event publicised end of January
- February - Service sheet printed. Telephone calls /e-mails received from local people requests for prayers and apologise for not being able to attend.
Planning the day
- Order of Service including popular wedding hymns, bible readings, poems, special prayers for those who attend the service and were married in the church and those who have a wedding planned.
- Music- well known instrumental version of love songs played on before and after the service.
- Gifts like wedding favours wrapped for men, women and children.
- Valentine refreshments- cup-cakes iced in love theme, valentine decorated biscuits, bucks fizz with a cherry which turns the drink red.
- Regular Congregation involved in readings, poems, prayers, lighting a red candle at the beginning of the prayers, others made the refreshments and distribute the gifts during the service.
On the day
- Greeting at the door were you married in this church or have a wedding planned would you like to be included in the special prayers?
- Followed service format, after the service people looked at the photos of past wedding and enjoyed the valentine refreshments. A regular congregation member who is a photographer took photos for people to remember the day.
- Contact details taken for future events mailing and a flyer given regarding the next event Mothering Sunday and details of the social events for the year.
After the service
- Those who attended agreed to let their photographs to be copied to send to the local paper for a follow up article and to send to the diocese as a good news item.
- 30 people in addition to the regular congregation attended some have not visited the church for 20 years.
Key points of reflection
- Forward planning for special events
- Value of personal invites written and verbal
- Churches place in life events and occasional offices
- Service delivery which includes humour and reality
- Reaching out and following up rather than waiting for people to return
- Hospitality, giving and receiving theme
- Celebration
- Forgot to contact local radio - a note for the next event.