The Announcements/Notices...given out in a service:Now these are tricky. There can be so many notices that you use up precious time which you need specially if you have a set time to keep. Too many notices can also be boring. Some services have them at the beginning, as we do in Gainsborough, so that they are out of the way and the service can then go on without interruption or distraction but the problem with that choice is that it feels wrong to follow beautiful introductory music with mondaying notices about the toilets being out of order on tuesday for a week!! Others might put them in the programme at the very end, after the Sermon or even after the Benediction. The problem with having them at the end is that you could easily spoil the blessed atmosphere that has built up by giving them out then.
It seems that whenever you do it, it is going to be unsatisfactory for someone and, you will need to take local situations into account when deciding when it might be best, but there will always be a word of welcome and some form of housekeeping to pass on! Some churches give out a weekly sheet with the information needed and that is ideal but you then need someone to be responsible for this task other than the minister as he has too much to sort out already.
Other churches put their notices for the week and coming events on PowerPoint and show them before and after the service. Others, pin the notices on their notice board for all to see because they cannot photocopy for everyone. There are lots of ways and in the end it is only by trial and error that you find the answer to best suit your church services.
Some churches traditionally give out the notices at the same time as the taking up of the collection, if you want to try that then remember that having the notices first might mean people getting their offering ready and missing half of what is being said! I told you, you can't win. Just some things to think about...
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