The T.G.I.F. Service
On Friday evenings, when most workers are fleeing downtown Houston to start their weekends, up to 100 people head for nearby South Main Baptist Church to eat, worship, and study the Bible. This is "Sunday church" for people who must work Sundays and also for those who don't feel comfortable in the more formal traditions of Sunday morning.
"We start at 5:30 with a two-dollar meal in the fellowship hall," explains Linda Jones, minister to adults. "People get to know each other week after week—some of our closest relationships are among this group.
"Then at 7:00 comes the worship service, in the same hall. Dr. Chafin, our senior pastor, preaches the same message he'll deliver twice on the upcoming Sunday, when 1,500 people will hear him in the sanctuary.
"We don't have a Friday night choir, but our minister of music does arrange for special music—solos or small groups. The atmosphere is very informal, laid back; this is the end of the work week, and people kind of unwind together."
Adult Bible study follows for an hour at 8:00, with a choice of four electives. A sharing group for recently released prisoners and families of prisoners meets at the same time.
"When we first started in September, 1979," says Jones, "some people were afraid this would steal people from the Sunday services. If anything, it's been the other way around; some who started coming on Friday nights have gradually become integrated into the Sunday program."
The church offered children's classes at first but discarded them when not enough parents with young children participated. Now, only child care for preschoolers is provided.
"Being a downtown church," Jones adds, "we think there are more people who work downtown who would come if they knew about it. So we've ...
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