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The Church Services Handbook is a resource to the local Church which will benefit the whole community in that region.
It is a compilation of a range of details of all the Christian churches and fellowships in a given area. These would be available not just to the Christian community in that locality, but to all possible interested parties: Local Police Stations, Council Offices, Libraries, Schools, Citizen's Advice Bureau, Hotels, Newspaper/Media, Companies, etc. They would thus be available for sale at any bookshop desiring to stock them.
There are many uses and benefits to the availability of such a Handbook:
Since the advent of daily commuting in the last century, started with the age of the steam train, and more recently the motor car, working habits and practises has meant that Believers and any seeking the services of a particular church have at short notice often been stumped due to lack of readily available information when in another area of the country.
With the fragmentation and mutiple divisions of the Church over many decades and centuries, a lack of knowledge between parties has often resulted in the uncertainty in many non-churched as to whom to turn to when the need arises, let alone public authorities being unclear as to whom to recommend.
The knowledge about one church grouping available to another church grouping will help to promote understanding and appreciation between them.
A ready source of information for those requiring urgent help in counselling or other help.
Three Main Sections to the Handbook are envisaged
A Map Section with colour coding for.
Gathering places in use: BLUE
(present church buildings, school Halls, etc.)
Gathering places not in use: GREEN
(Village Halls, Conference Rooms, Auditoriums, etc.)
Places of contact of Ministers/Leaders: YELLOW
(Vicarages, Manses, Homes, Offices, etc.)
Optional additions include: Parking information, Disabled Facilities, etc.
An individual church section
With such information as
Name of church/Fellowship, Affiliation/Association
Name/s of Leader/s (trustees, elders, etc), Contact Address and telephone/fax details, Name of contact if different
Address of main public meeting place, Times of meetings
Average attendance inclusive of children (in preceding 3 months)
Children/Youth meetings/facilities, Other regular meetings, when and where, etc.
Basic range of Counselling services practised, Publication/s
A Ministry/People Section
To include:
Types of ministries practised by individuals: types of musical instruments performed publicly, counselling, teaching, administration, etc
Names, address and other contact details of public ministries eg: retired Minister who is invited to teach, etc. OR, Just names and church name of those who just serve in their own place of worship
In the case of leaders also details of particular speciality in teaching, counselling, etc as practised. This may come under a separate heading.
Minor Sections:
Introduction with vision of use, definitions , etc.
Details of contacts for unused meeting places.
(Hotel and Pub conference room booking requirements, Auditorium bookings, Parking facilities, etc.)
Summaries of history of local church and/or type of church grouping
Comprehensive cross-referencing Index
THE OVERALL FORMAT IS ENVISAGED AS FOLLOWS:
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When one comes across a new product to purchase, or a new service available, as information about this product is gathered, when details begin to be ascertained, a desire to make use of that product becomes free of inhibition due to the understanding gained about it. In a similar way, as information about fellow Christians is absorbed, a removal of barriers due to ignorance and uncertainty begins to occur. I believe the Church Services Handbook will go a long way to help in this matter.
THIS IS AN INITIAL VISIONARY LOOK AT
THE CHURCH SERVICES HANDBOOK ONLY
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