ZCC night vigil — the order of service

How a ZCC service moves

Zion Christian Church services carry their own discipline of song, prayer and order, led by the church. The programme lists the structure for family and visitors; the church itself leads its parts without needing a script.

• Church leadership directs the service’s spiritual parts
• Congregational singing carries transitions rather than printed cues
• Family tributes are brief and scheduled with the leadership

How the day runs

A ZCC vigil is led by the church, and the church’s own discipline governs the night. The singing, the prayer and the sequence of participation are carried by the congregation rather than announced from a page, and they continue for as long as the leadership directs. The family’s role is hospitality: the space, the food and the welcome.

For that reason many ZCC families print nothing at all for the vigil, and that is a legitimate choice rather than an oversight. If something is printed, it exists for visitors who are not of the church and who would otherwise not know what is happening or what is expected of them. Agree anything printed with the church leadership first — the order of the night is theirs to set.

What to print, and how much

One sheet at most, or nothing. Put the budget into the funeral booklet. If you print, print the shape of the evening and the family’s acknowledgements for visitors, not a detailed running order the church does not work from. Large type — vigils are held by poor light.

Questions families ask

Should we print an order for a ZCC vigil?

Usually not necessary. The church leads the night from its own discipline. A single sheet helps visitors who are not of the church follow along, but it should be agreed with the leadership rather than assembled independently.

Who decides the order of the evening?

The church leadership. The family provides the home, the food and the welcome, and any family participation is scheduled with the leadership beforehand rather than assumed.

How long does the vigil run?

Late, and often through the night. Arrivals come and go. The family should plan for hospitality over an extended period rather than for a fixed-length event.

Using this order

Open it in the editor and every item becomes editable. Keep it short and put the hymn words in — the night runs on singing, and a detailed schedule will be out of date within the hour. Draw hymns from the hymns library and readings from the readings library, and the booklet lays itself out as you go. Whoever is leading has the final word — bring them the draft before it goes to the printer.