Actually, I'm quite enjoying learning to navigate Korean culture. I do my best to follow along, and the people here have all been helpful and friendly. They seem to genuinely like and appreciate my efforts.
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Actually, I'm quite enjoying learning to navigate Korean culture. I do my best to follow along, and the people here have all been helpful and friendly. They seem to genuinely like and appreciate my efforts.
GiancarloZ
By Grace alone through Faith alone in Christ alone
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BetteTheRed
Resident Heretic
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In general, a little more pragmatic than many western cultures.
KayTheCurler
Well-Known Member
Those different ways of doing things are a genuine challenge for newcomers, whether it is a new town, a new school, a new church or a new country. I have much admiration for newcomers to the country who are facing changes in everything - the weather, the language, the 'manners', the customs. I recall how amazed I was that Canadians celebrated Halloween and allowed their kids to run wild in the neighbourhood greedily demanding candy,
The type of welcoming offered by congregations is very varied and it is hard to know what is the norm. Some will give a nod of acknowledgement, others will gush all over you and offer you a job in the Sunday School!
The type of welcoming offered by congregations is very varied and it is hard to know what is the norm. Some will give a nod of acknowledgement, others will gush all over you and offer you a job in the Sunday School!
BetteTheRed
Resident Heretic
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Nope. Congregational Life or Property Team...
Forgot to say. We had our "job fair" today, for which I was largely responsible. I invite the team chairs to be creative - I assign tables, put on signs, and copy job description of team for them. Beyond that, it's on them. Some are most creative. Others are not. I am not...
And some won't give a welcome. Such was our experience at one of the churches we tried out when we lived in Alberta for a short time.
paradox3
Peanuts Fan
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The church where I worship now is very good at allowing people to sit back as long as they need to or get involved quickly if that is their preference. It is tricky and this congregation does it extremely well.
We have three groups which are both distinct and well-integrated which fascinates me. We have the original group, the gang that arrived from *ahem* an uber progressive congregation not far away and a third group from a congregation which has disbanded.
BetteTheRed
Resident Heretic
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We've had some recent 'feeders'. One was an out of town three point charge that finally disbanded except for a tiny core of maybe 11 that hangs on (and accepted 1/4 time the disgraced minister from a city posh church scandal). So rural people, although not necessarily farmers. The other is the refugees from the staid, but not posh, and very social justice church from downtown that closed, largely due to unfixable (by them) structural issues (caused by a city error). And as a member of the nominating team, I watch them all like hawks for "right fit"...
BetteTheRed
Resident Heretic
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And of course, average age of these 'new' members is about 75...
paradox3
Peanuts Fan
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Interesting how the various congregations get categorized. Posh. Staid. Social justice oriented.
Some are fearful we are going to see even more of this in the future with increasing congregationalism in our denomination.
paradox3
Peanuts Fan
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Why does this worry me?
BetteTheRed
Resident Heretic
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Well there were two downtown churches. One was in the fancy, balconied, stained-glass "flagship" city church, where, actually, most of the city lawyers and doctors who are UCCan attend. Who host the symphony. Or, there was the later-built one, in the slightly harder/older area of downtown, and they did the free tax clinics for seniors.
BetteTheRed
Resident Heretic
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Because 20% of the congregation do 80% of the work, and I'm looking to lighten loads... I found a champion for the labyrinth this year, and may have found one for the long planned for Book Club.
paradox3
Peanuts Fan
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Okay, glad I asked because I thought you meant something different than this. Whew!
BetteTheRed
Resident Heretic
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Nominating team. Right fit for jobs. You can find a little something for almost everyone. There's currently a 9 year old in charge of "make sure there is a sharpened pencil in every pencil hole in the pew backs".
You just never know
Blip, blip, blip....
Today was the first noon hour service held at Knox. I had heard about it and was a bit slow getting rolling today after a 65 km bike ride yesterday so rode on down for a noon start. The coffee shop in the back of the Knox sanctuary was open today so brought my bike in and parked it at the back of the coffee shop and ordered an Americano and a raisin bun. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm it was good. Then the service began led by Rev. Greg Glatz. Knox usually has about 150 people at their main 10:30 service so this was a bit of a change as only 12 of us there for the launch of this noon service. It is geared to the spiritual but not religious folks so was not anything like a regular United church service which was a welcome change for me at least. Greg spoke of how the Samaritan's were marginalized in Jesus' day and yet their value was also emphasized in several biblical stories. Greg continued that it is not only about us seeking the Spirit, but also about being open to the times that Spirit is seeking us. A good sermon with lots to think on. Also, there were no hymns, music was by a guitarist/singer/songwriter named Heather Adam. Her music reminded me a bit of Joni Mitchell. Communion was a new version on me as well as we went to the front and took the bread and then pulled a grape off a bunch. Have never had communion without juice or wine before so that was kind of fun. I may go back again for this service as I like new things and find some of the rote stuff in traditional worship kind of wears me down at times.
Tabitha
journeying
I visited the local branch of Chanesn's church this morning. The mountains called and I went x-c skiing. A nice long ski (since I ignored my usual turnoff). Sunshine and great views-then communion-or rather a shared meal of chili (beer available) as it was an openhouse day.
After dark chap hell in the moonlight!
Mendalla
Happy headbanging ape!!
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I was back at Wesley-Knox. Not what we originally planned but it worked out that way. It was pretty much the same service with different elements slotted in where appropriate. Sermon text was the baptism and temptation from Matthew. Rev. essentially took the tack of Jesus as everyman, so that the temptations were our temptations and God's announcement that God was pleased with God's son was God being pleased with all of us. It was more or less universalist in outlook but, oddly, didn't really resonate. I don't buy the "Jesus as everyman" for one thing. Music was good.
Cute moment: In the children's story, the minister put out the idea of what it would be like in the famous "This is my son, with whom I am pleased" if God was less of a booming voice from the heavens and more like a proud parent showing off pics of their kids:
"That's my boy! I'm so pleased!" type of thing.
Cute moment: In the children's story, the minister put out the idea of what it would be like in the famous "This is my son, with whom I am pleased" if God was less of a booming voice from the heavens and more like a proud parent showing off pics of their kids:
"That's my boy! I'm so pleased!" type of thing.