The Long and Short of It

This morning I led a worship service that included several special announcements, the introduction of and greetings from the General Presbyter of the Presbytery of the Pacific, the Rev. Linda Culbertson, the ordination of a Deacon and the installation of one Deacon and one Elder, a sermon and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as well as all the other "usuals" such as the offering, prayers, confession, anthem and choral responses and hymns. The service took one hour and ten minutes.

This afternoon I participated in a service at the Korean Presbyterian Church of Honolulu. The sole reason for the service was the ordination of two Elders and five Deacons. The service took two hours and fifteen minutes.

Do the Koreans know something that I don't know? Is my congregation into "Worship Lite?" Are we such slaves to the clock that we do not really know how propersly to honor either God or those chosen for leadership in the Church?

Or is the Koreans who don't realize how much shorter and effective their service could have been with just a little more planning and a little cutting and trimming here and there?

I suppose there are other questions that could be asked but these are mine and I was just wondering.