What does your Church do, that you really wish they didn't?

[Sausagenbacon]

I'm obviously not going to do a flounce on the basis of this, but..
We used to have hymn numbers in the service sheet (there's no boards). But they've stopped doing that, in the aim of inclusion. Instead, the hymn numbers are announced during the service.
Which is ok, except when we stand to offer one another a sign of peace.
So the clergy say 'you may now offer each other a sign of peace, and the next hymn is xx'
Written down, it doesn't sound that bad, but it actually feels like an interruption in a lovely part of the service.

It’s not very inclusive not writing the numbers down. It assumes everyone has great memories and hearing. They need to write them down and read them out.

There is something so lovely about boards with hymn numbers.
In our church there is an older man who is intellectually disabled and it is always his job to put the hymn numbers up. It makes him feel so special and important-it’s lovely to see.

In ours, the previous vicar made people wave rather than shake hands at the peace. It was ridiculous. As soon as he left that got knocked on the head, it resembled a children’s puppet show!

When I was a child, the vicar’s wife used to mentally add up the hymn numbers on the board at the front. It was more interesting for her than listening to her husband’s sermons.

I’m ex Church of England. What’s been going on is utterly disgusting.

Action songs. I know some people love them and I don't object to them.being included, but I have a personal cringe!

Oh and 30 minute sermons. I need to get the dinner on! 😄

You are lucky. Ours sometimes run to 45 mins!

Singing well-known hymns to the wrong tune.

Gets me every time.

I don't like how my church thinks that just not discussing gender and sexuality magically makes both issues disappear. I wish they would just be honest about their standpoint and let people decide whether that is the right church for them. By not saying anything, it is just confusing for all the young people at church.

We are Catho. On a typical Sunday service it’s often the priest and one of the lay people (sorry, I don’t know the word in English, it’s usually a woman so not ordained, and wearing ordinary clothes whereas the priest is always in his robes) who give Communion so we form two queues as we go up to receive so typically if you’re in the pews on the left you would filter into the left queue and vice versa however quite a few people are determined to receive Communion only from the priest so hop across the queues to get in front of him. These are adults who come every week. I find it odd. It’s not the church, though, but a significant minority of the population.

Our songs come up on the big screen in front 😆

I had to stop attending the church where I felt most at home (excellent preaching/teaching/mentorship) because the sound level became so loud, even with earplugs, it physically hurt. I sometimes catch up online.

I need a "WHAT???" emoji for this!

Yes, this. Not at my church, but lack of clarity is dishonourable to people of all persuasions/standpoints.

That is really sad. We have just got a special inclusion person at our church and I have been extremely impressed by what she has put in place so far. Small adjustments, like turning the sound down a bit or even having reserved seats in a quieter bit of the church can make such a huge difference.

That is really good to hear @Geneticsbunny . I didn’t say too much at the time. I think part of me hoped the earplugs might have sent a message LOL. That season came to a natural end and I moved to a more contemplative style of church … although there, the preaching felt too formulaic. I guess it is sometimes difficult to have it all.

Extraordinary minister.

That's standard for our church, but I wish they were an hour. Love a good sermon!

I wish they wouldn't play Bethel and Hillsong music, I refuse to sing it. Oh and the band is far too loud, so we can't hear each other sing.

I sympathise with your view on sexuality but ‘gender’ isn’t a thing to be confused about. There are only two sexes and that’s it. It’s actually very simple biologically, scientifically, historically and theologically.

Oh dear. Where do I start?
Literally can't be bothered to reply fully, but very important that you realise that gender and sex are not the same thing.

Singing jolly hymns like they're funeral dirges. I mean, it must take real talent to make something like St Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Sun" sound so mournful and miserable.

Eucharistic minister?

The peace.

At one point the minister (who can be very excitable) used to enthusiastically welcome anyone new during the service, lots of questions and attention on them.
I eventually pointed out to him that if that had happened to me I'd have never come back, and he's toned it down to asking if anyone is new and if they admit it, welcomes them quietly. Much better.

Dipping the bread in the wine at communion. They started doing it during covid and have continued. I can't stand bread dipped in any liquid; it totally turns my stomach. So I haven't taken wine at church since they started that.