Contemporary worship services more common
Electric guitars, people in shorts, complimentary food and drink. Throw in a little rejoicing, and it starts to sound like a party.
But with Jesus as the celebrated guest, the goal exceeds entertainment.
"It's not just to come to enjoy the music, so to speak," said the Rev. Al Towberman of St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, which began hosting a contemporary church service last year.
"It's to find help with our daily problems, to minister to our needs and to equip us to know our life purposes," he said.
The church on West Jefferson Street is among a growing number that offer contemporary services, often distinguished by a more conversational sermon, Christian pop music and less formal surroundings.
Although St. Mark's hosts its service in the sanctuary, the contemporary service at Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian is held in the basement fellowship hall.
Crossfire, a service hosted by First United Methodist on North Street, began 11 years ago at Center Township Elementary School before moving to the Butler Mall and eventually to Butler Junior High school, situated near the church.
The church is finalizing plans to lease a 17,000-square-foot site at Route 8 and Mercer Road, formerly a Friedman's store, to house activities, including Crossfire.
"It's become our largest service," said the Rev. David Panther, senior pastor, explaining the church's five services average a combined 1,000 parishioners each week, with Crossfire drawing 300 of them.
At St. Mark's, three services draw a combined 375 attendees, 175 choosing the contemporary service.
"The traditional service continues to be our most popular service," Towberman said. "But there is a shift. The contemporary service attendance has been growing."
Just several months after Saxonburg Memorial launched its service, more than 125 people are crowding into the fellowship hall, where chairs replace pews and people wander to and from a breakfast buffet stocked with coffee and snacks.
"It's been very popular," said the Rev. Dave Brewer, whose goals include outreach to the unchurched and those whose church relationships have lapsed. Brewer also hoped to reach younger Christians, especially teens.
The music plays a critical role.
"Most young people don't like to participate in traditional services because there's nothing there for them to connect to," Brewer said.
"We knew there were a lot of people not attending church," Panther said. "The music wasn't relevant to them. It didn't have their feel."
With music helping to set the tone, the pastors say contemporary services can attract those not comfortable in a formal setting. That's why alternative services are delivered more conversationally and eliminate much of the ceremony.
"We strip that down," Brewer said. "We don't do things that unchurched people aren't familiar with. ... We try to make the messages biblical, but life-centered."
Kevin Mattison, director of youth ministries at First U.M., said the services also appeal to young families, who often can better manage in a casual setting, which helps keep some youths engaged.According to Mattison and Panther, nondenominational churches introduced the idea of contemporary services in the Jesus movement of the 1960s and 70s, with the denominations joining in during the last 15 years."There's a big push in the mainline denominations," Mattison said. "Because we have recognized there is a need for those kinds of services and that worship experience."Mattison said an even newer trend called emerging worship is tailored toward the 20-somethings, many who didn't attend church in childhood.As part of those services — which often take a multisensory, interactive approach — ancient tradition is incorporated back into the contemporary style."(The 20-somethings) like things with candles and they like things with liturgy," Mattison said. "They like to sing the hymns — they just like to be able to have a bit of the more modern sound."In addition to directing youth ministries at First U.M., Mattison belongs to an emerging worship group there.The group is called Epoxy, he said, "because we really want to help 20- and 30-somethings stick."One exercise the group does is called lectio divinea — Latin for divine reading. As part of that exercise, individuals alternate reading scripture aloud. When multiple readers narrate a passage, the group can experience varied perspectives."It incorporates some practices of (old and new) — even meditating on scriptures," he said.But in the end, Mattison cites a purpose not unlike the traditional:"To help them connect with each other and their relationship with God."
