Eight years ago, Willingdon was averaging 1200-1500 people at its two Sunday morning services, which was close to capacity, since its sanctuary only held 900 people. (Once a church reaches 80% of capacity, it tends to stop growing because newcomers don't like to feel crowded.)
For 18 months, Willingdon added a third Sunday morning service during the Sunday school hour (at 10:00 a.m., sandwiched between the original 8:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services). However, this resulted in some people attending only the 10 o'clock service while their children attended Sunday school; the parents were missing Sunday school, and the children were missing church.
The problem was alleviated in 1992 with an expansion of the sanctuary to hold 1600 people. However, in 1995, the church was again nearing capacity, with attendance of 2100-2400 on Sunday morning. The problem was particularly acute at the 11:15 service, which had the highest attendance of Willingdon members and also the highest number of visitors (over 1000 new people come to the church every year).
The church elders did not want to return to a third service on Sunday morning because of the negative effect on Sunday school and also because of limited parking. The church has a parking lot and some underground parking, but most members park at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (with permission of BCIT) and walk a block to the church.
Accordingly, in the summer of 1995, the elders proposed adding a third main worship service at 6:30 in the evening. After consultation with the congregation, this was begun in the fall of 1995. This service has the same sermon and choir music as the two morning services, but the hymns and choruses are different.
The experiment has been successful, as a few hundred regular attenders have shifted from the 11:15 service, making room for more visitors at 11:15. The service is also helpful for people who work Sunday morning or who have been travelling. A full Sunday school has been added at 5:30, as well as children's church during the evening service.
To promote fellowship and to welcome visitors, the church offers a full lunch menu in its Fellowship Hall (a gym/cafeteria) after morning Sunday school and the second morning service. This is very helpful for a city church, where members often may come from the other side of the city. It is also a good way to welcome visitors. Members who bring guests can invite them to lunch at a reasonable cost ($5 per person, $15 per family). First-time visitors receive a coupon to eat free. A full meal is not provided in the evening, but the cafteria is open for coffee, muffins and desserts before the service (starting at 5:00 p.m.). After the evening service, awnings are set up and candles are placed on the tables to turn the Fellowship Hall into a cafe called "After Eight". Attenders often stay for an hour or two, drinking cappuchino and hot chocolate and enjoying ice cream and other desserts.
One complication is that Willingdon already had an evening service which generally attracted 300-500 people, most of whom had also come to one of the morning services. These people now attend the first half of 6:30 service (different hymns and choruses are sung) and then go to the chapel for a different sermon by one of the associate pastors.
Previously Willingdon scheduled its baptisms and new member celebrations for Sunday evenings. Now baptisms and the reception of new members are scattered through all three main services. Willingdon's average attendance has increased from 1217 in 1986 to 2254 in 1995. The church received 173 new members in 1995, 82 of them by baptism.
With its third main worship service, Willingdon seems poised to grow some more. When its services get full again, it will look at starting services on other nights, such as Saturday. The church is currently seeking to add a pastor of missions and a pastor of prayer.
The church's growth has been supported by prayer. In addition to a large home cell group ministry, the church has prayer group meetings at 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday mornings, at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings and at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evenings. There is a one-hour prayer session for missions every Sunday morning during the Sunday school hour; the staff meet for prayer every weekday morning at 9:00; and the church's Korean congregation meets for an hour or two of prayer at 5:00 a.m. every day from Monday to Saturday. Occasionally the church also sets aside Sunday afternoons from 1:00 to 6:00 for joint prayer.
JC