Vineyard Church starts Friday night service

If church on Sunday morning doesn’t work for you, Vineyard Church @ Anthem has some good news: Starting Oct. 2, the non-denominational church will begin offering a Friday night service.

 

Entitled 7:07, because the service begins at 7:07 p.m., it will be held at the church, 42105 N. 41^st Drive, located two blocks south of The Hampton Inn.

 

The eight-year-old church currently offers two Sunday morning services, at 9 and 10:45 but, due to growth, needed to add a third service. Pastor Terry Tarleton said the staff considered a third service on Sunday morning or one on Saturday night. But, he said, another service on Sunday wouldn’t help those who work on Sunday and Saturday night breaks up the weekend for those who might want to go out of town.

 

Friday night church is a little outside of the box, Tarleton admits, but he’s hoping it serves a segment of the community that has been “left out” of church. “Let’s face it, times have changed. People work on weekends, or they want to leave town or (gasp) go to the lake. Now they have the option of going to church and enjoying a guilt-free weekend,” he said. “Jesus met people where they lived and didn’t let rules get in the way of relationship. That’s all we’re trying to do.”

 

It’s an alternative time, but 7:07 is also an alternative type of service aimed at, but not limited to, the twenty-something group. “We’ll be more intentional about encouraging community – creating ways for people to connect on a deeper level and begin to grow in relationships with each other and God,” Tarleton said.

 

The message will be essentially the same as Sunday morning, though presented in a little bit different way; the music edgier; the atmosphere more intimate with round tables set up. People will be encouraged to hang around and, on the first Friday of the month, the church’s twenty-something group will go out together after the service.

 

For now, children birth through fifth grade will be together in one room under the supervision of an adult teacher and teen helper. They will learn about God using the same curriculum used on Sunday morning but in a less structured environment. Helpers will be added as needed.

 

For more information on 7:07 or Vineyard Church @ Anthem, call 623.551.1133 or visit www.vineyardanthem.com.