How was church today?

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Missed church today. Paradox daughter who has a busier life than I do wanted to come for a visit and an early lunch.

I did suggest accompanying me to church as a Mother's Day gift but this idea did not fly. :(
 
paradox3 said:
Coffee before the service works well where I am hanging out these days. This is the first church I have seen do it this way & it has some advantages.

When we have discussed this on previous occasions we have heard that an earlier time works best for folks who come by bus from retirement homes.

11:00 is still my preference because I grew up with this time for church. And church was always an hour long with the service running a little longer when we had baptisms or communion. I find myself still in favour of this.

Lots of factors to consider!
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We used to have worship at 10:30, but now another church rents the space from us which prevents us from doing so.
 
Oddly, I don't think I have ever attended a church that started as late as 11. My family church might have when they had two services but that's when I was little so I don't remember it well other than Dad sometimes having to go early (we normally went to the later service but he sometimes had to be at the early one for something or other). By the time I really remember going, it was one service at 10:30.
 
Mendalla said:
Oddly, I don't think I have ever attended a church that started as late as 11. My family church might have when they had two services but that's when I was little so I don't remember it well other than Dad sometimes having to go early (we normally went to the later service but he sometimes had to be at the early one for something or other). By the time I really remember going, it was one service at 10:30.
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One of my friends is a church planter in downtown Toronto. His church worships Sunday afternoons at 4pm. There's another church that rents my church's building for services, and they worship Sundays at 3pm. There are lots of churches in Toronto that offer services on both Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. And then there are the Seventh Day Adventists.
 
Jae said:
One of my friends is a church planter in downtown Toronto. His church worships Sunday afternoons at 4pm. There's another church that rents my church's building for services, and they worship Sundays at 3pm. There are lots of churches in Toronto that offer services on both Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. And then there are the Seventh Day Adventists.
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The "megachurch" (well, as close as you'll get to one in London) I pass en route to work has 4 on Sunday and 1 on Saturday evening. They have people directing traffic in their parking lot and an off duty cop managing traffic on the street. I have been tempted to go just to see what it is like but a couple perusals of their website have convinced me it ain't for this ape.
 
Mendalla said:
The "megachurch" (well, as close as you'll get to one in London) I pass en route to work has 4 on Sunday and 1 on Saturday evening. They have people directing traffic in their parking lot and an off duty cop managing traffic on the street. I have been tempted to go just to see what it is like but a couple perusals of their website have convinced me it ain't for this ape.
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The church that you describe is what some leaders at my church desire for us to be like. Last autumn we had a Leadership Meeting to discuss it all. The plan is to have three or four services filled to capacity. That'd make 900-1200 people each week. We talked about having people directing traffic. Indeed, the plan is to also have car-greeters who will open worshippers' car doors for them and walk them to the church building. Then a greeter will take over and walk them to the worship space. Then an usher will escort them to a seat. It's a big dream for a church that now has 17 members.
 
Jae said:
It's a big dream for a church that now has 17 members.
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Big dreams can be a blessing or a curse for a church (or any group, I suppose). They give you something to shoot for but frustration can set in if the goal is set too high. You need to have intermediate steps to shoot for rather than keeping the eye totally on the endgame.
 
I was the worship leader today at a little country church that seems to be doing okay. There were 4 children including my grandson. He kept telling me before the service that he wasn't comfortable there, and wanted to go home...It was his first time at this church. By the end of it, he had made new friends and didn't want to leave. I think it was a successful day!
 
Worship today at my sister's church. They were recognizing the youth particularly those who will be graduating from Junior to Senior High and those graduating Senior High. Also, an interesting play with kids and some adults playing the role of trees and talking of their dreams and then seeing where they ended up after the woodcutters arrived on the scene. One ended up as a manager and another as a cross and another as fishers boat.
 
Minister told a story about an ancient Chinese Lady that sent her son off looking for the treasure he thought was out there ...

After going to the edge and severe digging to see if it was buried he returned home empty-handed ... but noticed a lot of nice things on the return ...

Kinda echo-ish or ego-ish if you can reflect on stuff like that in time ... some believe it would be better just to deny the loss of treasure and thoughts of how nice the pilgrimage was ...

Some enjoy no heavenly humors ... thus hoers faces ... long in the nostrum?
 
You just never know said:
Worship today at my sister's church. They were recognizing the youth particularly those who will be graduating from Junior to Senior High and those graduating Senior High. Also, an interesting play with kids and some adults playing the role of trees and talking of their dreams and then seeing where they ended up after the woodcutters arrived on the scene. One ended up as a manager and another as a cross and another as fishers boat.
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I assume you meant "manger"?:unsure::D

I've always found these sorts of plays a bit hokey. I love symbolism and metaphor as much as the next guy but these chancel plays kind of shove it in your face IME.
 
Ended up going to my regular church with family. There was a "game show performance with three Moms and their young child. The mothers were asked to leave the stage while the kids were asked 3 questions about their Mom's. When the Moms came back on stage they had to pick which answers were the ones their child gave. The one with the most correct answers won a prize. It's true.....kids say the darndest things.....it was funny.
We also had a guest speaker, a woman from another church. She spoke about the greatest gift that a mother can give her children is to teach them how to love God through example and speaking about God's place in our everyday life.

We also had a bit of fun with 7 gift certificates hidden under some seats for the Moms....gifts included chocolates, Epicure package, spa package, flowers.....
A photo booth was placed in front of the coffee shop area with props such as different funny hats, large glasses, wigs, so you could take a picture with your Mother and the pictures were immediately sent to your phone or email or FB.
A local business also made cotton candy to be handed to all the Moms after the service.
 
Waterfall said:
Ended up going to my regular church with family. There was a "game show performance with three Moms and their young child. The mothers were asked to leave the stage while the kids were asked 3 questions about their Mom's. When the Moms came back on stage they had to pick which answers were the ones their child gave. The one with the most correct answers won a prize. It's true.....kids say the darndest things.....it was funny.
We also had a guest speaker, a woman from another church. She spoke about the greatest gift that a mother can give her children is to teach them how to love God through example and speaking about God's place in our everyday life.

We also had a bit of fun with 7 gift certificates hidden under some seats for the Moms....gifts included chocolates, Epicure package, spa package, flowers.....
A photo booth was placed in front of the coffee shop area with props such as different funny hats, large glasses, wigs, so you could take a picture with your Mother and the pictures were immediately sent to your phone or email or FB.
A local business also made cotton candy to be handed to all the Moms after the service.
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Sounds, save the guest speaker, more like a Mother's Day performance than a service.
 
Mendalla said:
Sounds, save the guest speaker, more like a Mother's Day performance than a service.
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Absolutely, this minister is very keen on bringing in young families with whatever it takes....I don't always agree.......BUT he does have some controversial ideas that seem to work. eg. he embraces the non believer , even as someone who is able to participate within the church very quickly ....as ushers, offering plates, music ministry, working in the cafe, etc.....
He encourages sports participation outside of church within the church teams.
An easter egg hunt for the town children outside of the church, not to convert, but to meet others where they live so to speak.

I did forget to mention that the service also included praying with those who have been affected negatively by acknowledging mothers day....they were literally embraced and prayed for.

I do often wonder how churches will retain this format as families get older...will the church grow in wisdom and a deeper spirituality together or will some leave to find deeper meaning elsewhere. Is there something to be said about setting people on that road?

As an older person I see somewhat of a neglect towards the seniors group by focusing mainly on the needs of the young families. Hopefully it's a resource they will learn to use over time.
 
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I have been going to Quaker meetings these last few weeks. They do not have a minister, they don't have music, or pre-prayed prayers, and no creed. They believe that everybody has "an inner teacher", to which you connect by listening to "him" as well as listening to the wisdom which is spoken in the group during the meeting. Nobody gives advice, but respects what others say. I find a lot more insight and wisdom in a Quaker meeting than in a worship where someone directs messages or prayers in hopes of a certain outcome. After a reading- which often is just randomly out of their book, there could be one hour of silence or several people speaking their thoughts.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
I have been going to Quaker meetings these last few weeks. They do not have a minister, they don't have music, or pre-prayed prayers, and no creed. They believe that everybody has "an inner teacher", to which you connect by listening to "him" as well as listening to the wisdom which is spoken in the group during the meeting. Nobody gives advice, but respects what others say. I find a lot more insight and wisdom in a Quaker meeting than in a worship where someone directs messages or prayers in hopes of a certain outcome. After a reading- which often is just randomly out of their book, there could be one hour of silence or several people speaking their thoughts.
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I have known Quakers over the years but never been to one of their meetings. It would probably be an experience worth having at some point.
 
Mendalla said:
I have known Quakers over the years but never been to one of their meetings. It would probably be an experience worth having at some point.
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There are Quaker meetings and Quaker meetings. Some modern Quaker meetings are very evangelical in style. If you attended one, you might feel like you were in a Baptist service.
 
Jae said:
There are Quaker meetings and Quaker meetings. Some modern Quaker meetings are very evangelical in style. If you attended one, you might feel like you were in a Baptist service.
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I was thinking more of the traditional style that Mrs. Anteater describes but I have heard of the modern ones.
 
Mendalla said:
I was thinking more of the traditional style that Mrs. Anteater describes but I have heard of the modern ones.
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Actually, I am not sure if this is "modern" or just "different", from what I heard from a Texan Quaker, there are "evangelical" Quakers like Jae describes and others like the one I attend. It is the local group which determines who "fits in". (As there is no creed to adhere to), Kind of like I would have wished the UCC would be in handling Gretta Vosper. In my group, there are two self declared Atheists, which I experience as very spiritual.
I just discovered the thread Christianity and Anarchy"- so far, in the local setting, I would say they are self regulating without hierarchy. I haven't had any experience with the larger Maritime organization.
 
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