Staff writer
The Christian Church of Florence is adding something different to its weekly services.
As of Nov. 1, weekly breakfast and pre-kindergarten to adult Sunday school classes will be available.
Pastor John Branson said breakfasts will be organized, cooked, and served by teens in the church’s youth group.
“We’d like kids to see how it feels to serve others,” Branson said. “Involving kids brings them into the ministry and gives them a sense of ownership.”
He credited event sponsor Ron Savage with the initial idea, in which the church and community sponsors will finance food, but youth group members are in charge carrying out breakfasts, Branson said.
With the help of a few parents, teens would prepare pancakes, eggs, and bacon for the first breakfast.
Breakfasts will be at 9 a.m., followed by Sunday school at 9:30, and church service at 10:45 a.m.
Branson said pairing breakfast with Sunday school was a huge undertaking.
“The church has not had Sunday school in about six years,” he said. “We tried to put something together a couple years ago but just didn’t have the manpower to do it. Now we feel like maybe the manpower is there.”
He was especially excited about the addition of Sunday school. He said the format allows congregation members to learn about Jesus in a different way than sermons can provide because there is more dialogue between participants.
“Sunday school engages students,” he said. “It’s where you get the meat and potatoes of Jesus.”