Is there any good in church announcements? The Church Marketing Sucks blog sounds off on this question:
The Epic-Fail of Church Announcements
Posted in “Church Marketing Sucks,” by Adam Stadtmiller
Picture this scene. You’re in your pew. The worship is amazing, almost transcendent. The song ends in a moment of awe-filled silence. It’s just you and God. And then—train wreck; you are catapulted from a state of ethereal wonder to an awkward announcement about the church cookie bake-off or a video that never seems to have the sound start until seven seconds after it begins.
Nothing in the history of Christendom, save perhaps the Second Crusade, rivals the ineffectiveness of the church’s ability to accomplish an intended purpose more than the medium of in-service announcements.
I recently tweeted that I wished the Bible had some direction in regard to announcements. I was blown away by the response to that tweet. I was not alone in my frustration.
So why are announcements chronically bad? There are a number of answers: ranging from announcement guy or gal walking on stage unprepared and oblivious to where the congregation is emotively; to the presenter thinking this is a great opportunity to practice their stand-up routine.
One of the responses I received on Twitter said, “ The Bible does not have announcements, why should we?” At first I thought, “Yeah, that’s right, down with announcements altogether!” Then, I thought about it. It’s actually not true that the Bible does not have announcements. As a matter of fact, the Bible is one giant announcement.
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I find this hilarious because Adam and I went to high school together and played on the same football team.
I like having the annoucements at the end as it is less disruptive to the flow of the service, and it is helpful if the priest or deacon makes them. If the clergy make any announcements as all those announcements tend to carry more weight, so it is bettter if they make all of them.
Announcements remind me that we are also “Community.” I have been to church services where announcements follow the “peace,” occur after the closing prayer, and prior to the beginning of the service. I don’t have a preference, but I think they have an important place in the life of the community.
If the blessing after communion is redundant, announcements after communion are anti-climatic. There is no provision for inserting them (or a hymn) before the dismissal after which they are even more anti-climatic.
Announcements of births, deaths, birthdays, anniversaries, etc., are best made before the prayers of the people as preparation for the prayers. Other announcements tuck in nicely after the peace. Things in the bulletin need not be announced.
When all is said and done, a lot depends on the size of the worshipping community. Smaller communities can be more casual than large ones without losing a sense of reverence.
Our current practice at St. John the Evangelist in San Francisco is that the priest offers welcome and explains how the Eucharist will follow after the peace; announcements such as community events and concerns follow the post communion prayer, done as briefly as possible by a member of the vestry. After all, we are being sent forth to do the work …
This is the least disruptive arrangement I’ve seen. I think we do need announcements — many people don’t read or are deluged by online and paper communication so we need the aural reminders too.
Jan Adams