There are many things that differentiate Christian denominations in Jamaica. Some of these include the rituals and leadership hierarchy.

For our Other half feature, we choose to look at the variation in the length of the services. Truth is, some people choose the denomination based on considerations like that. A religious service (whether on Saturday or Sunday) can be a whole-day affair.

For the Seventh-day Adventists, the divine service is typically an hour and a half, although Adventists generally spend all day in church for different reasons. Song service and lesson study take place before the service while Bible study, a youth segment of the worship in the afternoon and vespers (evening prayers/worship) anytime after sunset.

A three or four-hour affair

For the Church of God, the main service can last somewhere between three and three and a half hours. This does not include the Sunday school hour before the service. In churches like the New Testament, the main Sunday services can also be a three or four-hour affair.

Between the praise and worship session, the sermon alone can be an hour (or more) and other rituals, you can be in the house of God from let's say, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The prayer or prayers, which come after, can last a while as well before the final 'amen'.

Other denominations, like the United Church of Jamaica and Grand Cayman congregations, usually go for over two hours. Meanwhile, the Sunday service of Jehovah's Witnesses consists of a public meeting, a 45-minute Bible-based lecture, and the Watchtower Study, a one-hour discussion of a recent article in the Watchtower magazine.

The Catholic and Baptist churches seem to take the cake in terms of taking the least time. Mass is, give or take, little over an hour. Some Catholic churches have implemented two masses, one on Saturday evening and the other on the 'usual' Sunday. The reasoning is twofold; to accommodate big congregations and to facilitate those with tricky schedules, but still want to worship.

Of course, individual churches may have their own little variations. But, all the religious folks we spoke with had the same mentality; it's not about the length of the service, it's the hearts of the worshippers. Can I get an amen!

Other facts sourced from www.religionfacts.com