Two sides to the church
Fifteen rows to a side
thirty children to a row - a couple of rows had only 28 adults, but their backsides take up more pew room.
Plus all the flag bearers in the balcony.
Plus the rest of the balcony was full of parents, (with the exception of the bit where they keep the Tardis we made for the nativity a few years ago, and which has never been thrown out) so there were nearly 150 upstairs.
So there must have been nearly or slightly over 1000 people at Lane End church where I got to speak about fun and adventure to a group of enthusiastic Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. We just couldn't fit them all into Bramblehill.
I am pleased to say that tonight proves that big audiences do not scare me.
The planning for tonight also demonstrated why no experience in your past life will ever go to waste in your training for ministry. Even if that experience happened to be the time I was judge and photographer for a glamorous grandmother contest... There is a story here, for another time.
Friday 24 April 2015
Monday 20 April 2015
Common Ground
My organist likes his jazz. I like rock. This is a bit of common ground.
Or how about some Radiohead?
Go have a look at the Postmodern Jukebox on Youtube.
Or how about some Radiohead?
Go have a look at the Postmodern Jukebox on Youtube.
Saturday 18 April 2015
Those who can, teach.
On two separate occasions in the past month, but completely unconnected individuals, I have been told that I should have been a teacher. I jokingly said to both parties that it would be a bad career move, as I can't stand children.
They saw me involved in the Easter Code, the trip through the Easter story that went down so well at Airside and Bramblehill churches. So well in fact, that there are already bookings for next year. To the people that commented, they got to see me do something that I had done before, and alongside many other people, had spent many hours discussing and planning. The bits I was involved in were a game involving up to 50 children at a time, then a smaller group session with around 10, then finally a part in an interactive Q and A session at the end.
I enjoyed every part I was involved in, and I would like to think the children got something out of my bit, in the same way as they enjoyed the rest of the event. But the event was exhausting. It was pretty intense for each of the four sessions I was involved in. This is where I have a problem with teaching.
My primary school teachers were an awesome bunch of people, and I know that they may have had off days, but they never let it show in the classroom. Some days we must have driven them up the wall, but they came back for more the next day. They helped develop my love of reading, and must have despaired that an I just never got the hang of maths.
This is why I know I couldn't be a teacher. While I do actually like working with children, and I like teaching them things and hearing their stories. I love the chaos that a good children's address can cause in worship, as long as it can be done in such a way that I bring them back calm and on topic, But I couldn't do it full time. It's just too intense. The teachers I know are truly dedicated to their craft, and I respect and admire them for it.
So this is why I know I couldn't be a teacher. Children deserve the best, and despite the very supportive and appreciated comments from the individuals from the first paragraph, I know I am not the best man for the job.
They saw me involved in the Easter Code, the trip through the Easter story that went down so well at Airside and Bramblehill churches. So well in fact, that there are already bookings for next year. To the people that commented, they got to see me do something that I had done before, and alongside many other people, had spent many hours discussing and planning. The bits I was involved in were a game involving up to 50 children at a time, then a smaller group session with around 10, then finally a part in an interactive Q and A session at the end.
I enjoyed every part I was involved in, and I would like to think the children got something out of my bit, in the same way as they enjoyed the rest of the event. But the event was exhausting. It was pretty intense for each of the four sessions I was involved in. This is where I have a problem with teaching.
My primary school teachers were an awesome bunch of people, and I know that they may have had off days, but they never let it show in the classroom. Some days we must have driven them up the wall, but they came back for more the next day. They helped develop my love of reading, and must have despaired that an I just never got the hang of maths.
This is why I know I couldn't be a teacher. While I do actually like working with children, and I like teaching them things and hearing their stories. I love the chaos that a good children's address can cause in worship, as long as it can be done in such a way that I bring them back calm and on topic, But I couldn't do it full time. It's just too intense. The teachers I know are truly dedicated to their craft, and I respect and admire them for it.
So this is why I know I couldn't be a teacher. Children deserve the best, and despite the very supportive and appreciated comments from the individuals from the first paragraph, I know I am not the best man for the job.
Tuesday 7 April 2015
Doing it Right
This Easter I was invited to an act of worship on Good Friday. I never saw the person, but they took the effort to got round all the houses in the area inviting everyone to a gathering.
It wasn't the parish church.
It was the local Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall.
I didn't hear anything from the parish church, and while I may have missed it, I didn't see a poster in the local shop for forthcoming services either.
And now that I think about it, the Gospel Hall is pretty good at sending round flyers inviting you to services (although for a period, they forgot to actually say where there hall was) and the JW's will appear every couple of months. After one of these visits, when Mrs G was in a particularly theological frame of mind, they were on the doorstep for 45 minutes. Afterwards they quietly slipped an A4 sized, point by point refutation of Mrs G's position through our letterbox. After this incident I thought the local kingdom hall had blacklisted us.
Now, having lived in this house for over ten years, I am yet to hear anything from the parish church. My placement church is in the next presbytery, so I never see the Minister. I know every church has its own pressures, but surely we must get in touch with the community we serve, at least once a year. Can we afford not to hand round an Easter of Christmas card once a year, inviting people to hear the real message of Christmas or Easter?
It wasn't the parish church.
It was the local Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall.
I didn't hear anything from the parish church, and while I may have missed it, I didn't see a poster in the local shop for forthcoming services either.
And now that I think about it, the Gospel Hall is pretty good at sending round flyers inviting you to services (although for a period, they forgot to actually say where there hall was) and the JW's will appear every couple of months. After one of these visits, when Mrs G was in a particularly theological frame of mind, they were on the doorstep for 45 minutes. Afterwards they quietly slipped an A4 sized, point by point refutation of Mrs G's position through our letterbox. After this incident I thought the local kingdom hall had blacklisted us.
Now, having lived in this house for over ten years, I am yet to hear anything from the parish church. My placement church is in the next presbytery, so I never see the Minister. I know every church has its own pressures, but surely we must get in touch with the community we serve, at least once a year. Can we afford not to hand round an Easter of Christmas card once a year, inviting people to hear the real message of Christmas or Easter?
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