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.

TY for explanation, Nickel. Roll on new 'new vicar'! We've been interregnum for ages, now... But the group of churches which I work within are doing really well at recruiting. My church just isn't ready due to some reorganising that needs doing first. Oh well.

I wonder what I'll call him/her? NNV....

We've basically been where you are - we were made into a Team Ministry and the parishes combined (so it's now 2 parishes in one benefice whereas before it was 2 benefices with 2 parishes each).
Lots of changes and improvements, but much more work to be done.
I hhope yours is sorted soon.

We're very fortunate- strong lay leadership, tolerant congregation. Not many of us, easy to be tolerant.

There's a diocesan area lay conference in a couple of weeks. I want to go but it will cause ructions at home. There's a line in the Sound of Music when the Mother Superior tells Maria "the Abbey is not to be used as an escape. What is it that you can't face?". I worry that I'm using church as somewhere to run away to. That the conference (and stuff like it) is just a distraction. And then I think I'm over-thinking it. Wish I knew whether all this church stuff is what God wants from me! Would make it easier to decide what to do.

How do you all decide how much to get involved? It sounds like loads of you are PCC, or churchwardens etc. I suppose I should pray about it ....

Great question Edd!

I do what God puts in front of me, until I can't do it anymore. I also constantly look for people like you who might remove something from me because I've got too much on/God is putting something else in front of me, too!

The first thing God put in front of me was my husband, so I look at how many nights a week I am out, whether he would be over burdened if I went away for a few days. We are very respectful of each other, so wouldn't keep the other back if they needed to go and we could manage without them. IYSWIM.

My church family are supportive. I have had several occasions where I have been rota'd off because there is so much going on in my personal life (right now, terminally ill dad), and that is always managed without me needing to fret.

As far as your situation is concerned, think about what capacity you have. If you find comfort and distraction in developing your ministry, and it doesn't put a burden on others at home to cover for you are the criteria I would use. And whether the others at home have something which gives them comfort and distraction, too.

Oops, long answer!

I think it's a lot harder fir you, Edd because you don'thave your partner's support.
I honestly don't know what your answer is.
My ex wasn't supportive of my church stuff, but it didn't cause issues because he was disinterested rather than opposing it.
You'll have to talk to her of course and work from.there. if you're supposed to go, you'll find a way.

We went to St Stephen's today.
During the notices, the priest announced that tthey were starting an Inclusive Church scheme and to look out for information coming.
Afterwards, during coffee, I asked him what it was about.
Basically, last year, they had problems with a nan wwith mental health issues - he'd kicked off and they had to call the police, then the next day had kicked off again.
he said he thought "I didn't know how to handle this kind of thing".
Then.
He got together and found the Inclusive Church website, and the pcc met and discussed and they signed up to Inclusive Church.
So now they're doing loads of work and getting on with being an inclusive church, and learning (and implementing) how to make sure that their church welcomes everyone.

And that makes me so full of joy, but it also ignites the flames of anger and injustice.

Just wondering if anyone else's church is doing the Womens World Day of Prayer on 3 March? I am meant to be organising this for our church and gave just looked at the stuff and it is quite a full on service!

Nickel I love inclusive church. They have a whole library of books on various issues - can be ordered on website. Their email newsletter is really good - a monthly email I enjoy reading :-) also defo go if Bob Callaghan is speaking, he is great!

building I don't think we've done that, I didn't know there was an actual service for wwdop.

I had a great day yday - last day of mission shaped ministry course. Was feeling all inspired despite fact I am a complete mouse and the idea of me missioning to anyone is really such a joke.
Then had rubbish time with toddler at church this morning (due to others, not toddler) and it's basically spoilt the rest of my precious sunday with dh and dd. Grr....really really want to quit this church. There are just a few people there I love and don't want to lose. Double grr.

I love Inclusive Church too.
I just got an ouchie when I thought about how easy it was for this church to go "oh! We don't know this stuff! Let's find out how to help!" And all I goy from my church was, "15 years of service? Whatever, we don't have to support you"
:(

building it should bbe okay c you just incoporate their stuff into your service.
I think we normally get a separate service for it

That sounds shit :(
Have you got anyone there you can talk to about it?

Hi!

I haven't read the full thread, but think I qualify to join as I love Graham Kendrick, and admit to getting a little bit excited when I read the first post

I'm looking forward to reading more, but it may take me a while.

Welcome, Camden Don't get too excited as I think we're 50/50 on Graham

But pull up a pew and join in

15 years?! How an earth can churches take people for granted like that?
My difficulty is the person that's the main problem is really invaluable to the church in terms of all the stuff she does for it so it's very difficult to raise a complaint etc. Hohum.

Welcome Camden! I sung the servant king yesterday and really enjoyed it. It was the first time the people on my course had sung together and there were some fab voices there - a great big wall of GK sound!

Servant King makes me cry...

Interesting that others also have the dynamic of some on with years of dedicated service to the church distorting the dynamic (if that is the word) for others. In our church, this lady clearly feels a bit like she basically owns the church in some way because she's done so much for it. But doesn't see any reason for changing anything de site the fact we are losing people left right and centre.

I think it's called 'gatekeeping' and it's very hard to avoid it. If one person works really hard, is ultra reliable and has been there a while it basically becomes hard to disagree with them. I stand up to and put the other point of view across a lot in my church, but the gatekeeper often wins. If I usually won, then I would be the gatekeeper! There are two, actually. They are good friends of mine, and we can disagree without falling out. You have to be endlessly patient, quietly bringing up alternatives without ever getting cross. It's really important not to withdraw support because you don't like the project/decision. You have to work within the structure/authority of the PCC / Ministry Team, and work on changing the decisions of the body, not undermining them. Doesn't stop me having a whinge though, when some projects/suggestions are pointlessly forced through the faculty process and others (wanted by the gatekeeper) are just done!

Hello Camden

Ok. This is quite a big confession.
I listened to worship songs (and few "normal" hymns! ) today. But I didnt know where to start.
So, recommendations please?

Yes. I think CW1 is basically a gatekeeper. And the woman who delivered the news to me too.
There we go.

It doesn't really matter, Edith, as you get into church life more and more, you will add to your repertoire. One of my vicar friends asked yesterday what our favourite hymns were and there was a right mix of Ancient and Modern.
If you do find something, you can alsways play in again on YouTube and you may well see quite a few more which you can then play.

No one ever listens to me.
And the number of times a suggestion and idea has been put forward and has been delayed or rejected by CW1 (not just my ideas!) She says things like "we will deal with that, you may not" or "I have contacts that I will talk to" and then 3 years later nothing has been done.
It's very frustrating.

Yes, Edd , what Oma says - every time you find ssomething you like, find it on youtube amd add it to a playlist.
You might change your mind, or you mmight decide there are certain types for certain moods (then you can make more playlists)

The random songs you tube has thrown up in response to the few songs I know have not been promising! Hence asking for suggestions... !!