Choirs, worship songs, after service coffee - the all new religion chat thread

[niminypiminy]

A new place for us to share the lovely, silly and annoying things that happen in church life and share our great love of Graham Kendrick.

^happy clappy or traditional?
choir or singing group?
organ or keyboards/bands?
hymn books or screens?
and the important one: do you like Graham Kendrick?^

Traditional

choir

organ

hymn books

yes

nickel I wish someone would teach me to sing. I did a short course last year which I loved, and wanted to move on the choir the following term but life intervened. there are not enough days in the week. One day I will go back.

It's a small church, and I'm quite new, but I think the reason for not replacing the service is that demand is very low mid-week, and the vicar was chokker with the 'blue christmas' service (for those for whom Xmas is hard) and school carol services etc. When I finally get to go I will find out how low!

flappy

re the mug that is.

I would love to learn to sing, too.

Every now and then I surprise everyone (including myself - in fact, especially myself) by producing a really tuneful rendition, but mostly it is cat=with-its-tail-in-the-door<

(Yet I still used to get a lot of people in for sung evensong, even when they knew I was leading the service,)

Look forward to seeing you at NW, nickel

I love singing too but my lungs are just nothe strong so I run out of breath too quickly, I was once in a traditional church choir so learned all too he exercises etc but even then couldn't sustain long notes or phrases. Tis very frustrating.

Flappy - i didn't realise it was so difficult to be allowed to do!
I only know it's possible because when we had our interregnum, our Reader was licensed so that we didn't have to rely on retired priests so much

mhd we'll have to liaise with photos and locations and "what are you wearing?" closer to the time
Sorry your lungs are crappy. Sustained phrases are annoying - when i was pregnant i had to take breaths every 3rd note/syllable!

Wow Flappy, that seems harsh, it's something one church in our Benefice does sometimes because of lack of clergy. I think it's something the Church will have to look into more.

Niminy where did you train? I'm looking at going forward (but ill children have hampered things) still trying to discern between LOM and NSM, I felt a calling from the age of about 8 (when it still wasn't allowed!), many years later I think I'm ready. My Vicar is supportive, as is my family (Dad is a Priest).

Anyone do Spring Harvest? A bit scared of GB/NW because of the camping, but considering the Big Church Day out.

My diocese doesn't to reserved communion in churches, only for pastoral visits. We can request communion by extension, but that is quite convoluted.

I used to love NW, but it got too far away. I'm feeling too old now for GB, SH etc.

Love the GK masks... What a sight that would be!

immotal what's LOM - that is I know the acronym, but not what it means as opposed to NSM, or SSM??! How do these all differ? Or is it just different Diocese terms for the same thing?

Here LOM is locally ordained minister, they can only officiate in the area/Benefice they are licensed to without invitation/permission from elsewhere. Don't know if they're a Litchfield thing.

Imnota- I'm in Lichfield diocese too :-) great that you're contemplating going forward for selection! It's a long but exciting journey.

Nickel haha yes, I think we should both be holding The Hideous Book and flap it rounder inconspicuously until we see each other. That or hum Shine Jesus Shine worryingly loudly. We may get ministered to

Imnota I trained on a regional course - I'm in Ely so it was Eastern Region Ministry Course. Courses are part-residential, so you do 6 weekends + one week residentially per year + studying + church attachment and placements including a non-church social context placement. It's a tough way to train because you're always going between your work life and your training and trying to fit them together. But in many ways it's a great preparation for life in ministry because you have to find ways to sustain yourself without that day-in, day-out worshipping together you get at Theological College.

Edd Local Ordained Minister/Ordained Local Minister is licensed only to one parish/benefice - just as Readers are. Self-Supporting Ministers could be licensed anywhere - although they may in practice serve in their local parish). It's a difference between being selected to serve the national church or to serve the local church. Local ministers are also self-supporting. Stipendiary Clergy are, in CofE speak, nationally deployable.

Imnota I'm happy to chat if you would like to about the discernment process. Message me if you'd like to with an email or phone no.

Imnota

LOM are national, not just Lichfield.

I can never work out SSM (self-supporting ministry) vs NSM (non-stipendiary ministry) - to me, both are ordained, neither are paid - not sure what the distinction is.

SSM and NSM are the same thing - SSM is the new approved term. LOM\OLM - some dioceses have them, some don't -Ely doesn't. To add to the confusion LLM (licensed lay minister) is used in some places for Reader.

Aaah! Thank you niminy

That does help.

I'm at an African community Christmas Carol concert. Got my seat, no Graham Kendrick on the programme, very joyful atmosphere, band and I'll report on the refreshments. One of ds's friends is performing.

We had messy church today for Christmas!

How did it go mamma ?
I do love a christmas messy church.

mhd I will wear my stained glass window teeshirt and wear big noise-cancelling headphones

Thanks niminy will do, though I appreciate you'll be mega busy till after Christmas.
Snap amama we had messy Christmas as well today, hope it went well.

It was really good x

What crafts/activities did you do?
What songs?

I still haven'tbeen sent the pcc minutes from 22nd nov.
I've asked 3 times.
I'm very annoyed about it

We had a pcc meeting at a similar time... I still haven't got around to typing the minutes