Making Sunday Special

I borrowed that title from a recommended resource I hope to get soon. I recently read a great little booklet titled, Hospitality of Home Church. In it the author challenged me to tweak my thinking about our Sunday worship preparations. Here's a quote:

"...look at your week as sort of a wave, with the high part of the wave being Sunday when your church body gathers. That is the highlight of your week. From Sunday to Wednesday you refelct on Sunday. From Wednesday to Sunday you prepare for Sunday. How often are we rushing around on Sunday doing things that could have been done Thursday, Friday or Saturday? Write down those things that need to be done and space them out from Wednesday to Sunday. I believe we need to practice 'making Sunday special'..."

So, here's my first attempt at our Making Sunday Special List. I know that as we keep learning and growing in our new home church meetings we'll want to adjust and change, but I'm excited to have a new focus for our week.

Reflection Time
Sunday:
Rest, meditate, pray
Monday:
Update church blog with notes, pics and other details
Email sister-church w/ prayer requests
Tuesday:
Review study notes, hymns, prayer requests

Preparation Time
Wednesday:
Review study notes, hymns, prayer requests
Plan menu/email other families if necessary - Tracy
Check papergoods supplies and pantry items needed - Elizabeth
Make shopping list if needed - Elizabeth & Tracy

Thursday:
Review prayer requests, pray for men's study time
Church clothes ironed and prepped on hanger - Tracy & children
Store run if supplies needed - David or Tracy

Friday:
Food prep/Baking for Sunday - Tracy & children
Index cards prepped - Joshua

Saturday:
Food prep/Baking for Sunday - Tracy & Elizabeth
Furniture arranged - Boys
Activities prepped - Benjamin
House tidy/vaccumed - All
Chairs scrubbed - Joshua
Bibles, cards, journals, pencils ready - All
Showers/Bath

Sunday:
Girlies dressed & hair done - Tracy
Meal prepped/ready - Tracy
Trash out - Joshua
Bathrooms cleaned - Elizabeth
Coffee/drinks station prepped - Ruth
Papergoods/utensils prepped - Susannah
Seating arranged - Joshua
Hymnals out - Ruth
Candles lit - Elizabeth
Communion prepped - Elizabeth or Tracy
Floors tidy/swept - Benjamin
Kitchen tidy - All
Entryway tidy - Benjamin & Susannah
Pet duty - Elizabeth
Outside walkways tidy or shoveled - Joshua & Daddy