How was church today?

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Mrs.Anteater said:
Inthought the same thing- a getting through the winter with a beach theme. The way you describe the temperatures there, it sounds like a beach fantasy and some humor might be intended to beat the winter blahs and provide some fun.
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Except that isn't the role of the church. We have theatres and comedy clubs and such for that. I'm not saying it has to be all stern and serious. A little levity in church doesn't hurt. However, it should not be the focus.

Yes, I agreed with Jae.:eek: God help us both.:cool:
 
I agree with Jae and Mendalla; I don't think the primary function of the church should be entertaining. I understand and agree when something not too shocking is added to the mix, as the Jazz or Bossa Nova services I recalled on a previous post - they are beautiful and if well dosed, hardly perceived as not belonging to a worship service. But when there are such aggressive innovations as a Hawaiian party, I would need to see clearly the theology of it to agree. And there was no theology at all. Just for the sake of fun.

And some things were really problematic, as some songs romanticizing the poverty of people down south, or even ridiculous combinations of colors or people wearing flip flops and sports teams t-shirts. I come from down south and I know poverty isn't romantic there, people don't necessarily wear ridiculous combinations of colors, and probably no one would ever step into church wearing flip flops or sports teams t-shirts because it just isn't our culture.
 
BetteTheRed said:
I think the Hawaiian tropical thing was probably just a "getting through" winter theme. Sometimes worship teams get tired and goofy. I sure wonder if folk visit us for the first time on Holy Humour Sunday!

However the lack of greeting seems very introverted. It's a tendency of UCCan churches when they're dying. They get sorta xenophobic, and they confuse hospitality/welcome with friendliness (usually to/with each other). I'm pretty sure when you guys 'land' for good, you'll find the 'best' place. In the meantime, the Lutheran sounds a good fit?
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I feel for those congregations; it must be difficult to be in such a situation. But how to stop the dying process without new people?
At least one person or a small group should be in charge of welcoming people.

And yes, my current Evangelical Lutheran congregation is been a good place. I love the people of my former Anglican congregation better, really love them and made good friends there, but the music is dreary... Just impossible.
Difficult to have everything in one place.
 
Music is vital. We're really trying. We've got our many old folks down to one "heritage hymn" and most of the rest of the music is MV or the "latest of" VU. We have a drummer...
 
BetteTheRed said:
Music is vital. We're really trying. We've got our many old folks down to one "heritage hymn" and most of the rest of the music is MV or the "latest of" VU. We have a drummer...
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What's your goal in using said music? Why the move away from older hymns?
 
There is a church I know of that runs services like loud, exciting music fests. They also have loud activities for the different ages of kids during the week. Their entertainment budget must be huge 'cos they bribe the kids in with food and junk drinks.
 
KayTheCurler said:
There is a church I know of that runs services like loud, exciting music fests. They also have loud activities for the different ages of kids during the week. Their entertainment budget must be huge 'cos they bribe the kids in with food and junk drinks.
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My immediate thought is ugh. Then again, my sister Mae and her kids attend a church like this in Texas - and it works for them. Not the place I'd go. According to Mae, they have a great kids programme - that's largely what keeps them going.
 
A regular service is an entertainment show- all is pre planned most times including the prayers, its a repeat after me thing. I don’t see a big difference, other than the theme. There used to be the “ Easter Laughter” in the Middle Ages, when ministers told alot of jokes to make people laugh to show happiness about Christ being risen. But of course, I wasn’t there, and definately, you, @GiancarloZ , know best was you like. ( though sometimes its also good to fine out what it is that makes us dislike something and why).
 
GiancarloZ said:
I've been to jazz or bossa nova services in the past and loved it. So I'm not too strict about it. But Hawaiian/Tropical style was problematic in so many ways and layers...


I see what you mean and I can understand the average parishioner acting like that. But generally, churches have at least a group of people in charge of welcoming visitors. In Brazil that would include the minister. I can't go back to a church where nobody greeted me or asked my name. My wife felt the same.
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Just too different? Imagine what altruistic heaven will be like compared to mortal authorities opinions of the great unknown! Really far out from where and what we thought it would be like ... due to the myriad of social collectives ...
 
Jae said:
The not being greeted thing can really sting. Sorry that happened to you and your wife @GiancarloZ. My family and I experienced same a number of years ago at a Baptist church in a small Alberta city where we lived for a time. We then started attending the local United Church. While our theology was a tad different than their's, there was just such a great feeling of love and welcome there.
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It is so easy to ungreet ... usually a sort of pious face will do it ... scared the crap out of me as a child of curiosity ... about how loving folks could be so hard shelled ... must be the shell shock, ammon gnash'n or PTSD (in latter case the reason was displaced)! Mortals can't really say as the immortal is yet out ...
 
Jae said:
My immediate thought is ugh. Then again, my sister Mae and her kids attend a church like this in Texas - and it works for them. Not the place I'd go. According to Mae, they have a great kids programme - that's largely what keeps them going.
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Remember the job of pleasing all the society ... which leads to fruitcake society that will not accept anything different ... and thus Brussels Sprouts to support the bitter! There are a lot of dark interconnects that those that believe they are on top don't regard as acceptable sight ... that's the fallout ... the great as is ...

Some ups and downs needed to see the waves ...
 
Luce NDs said:
It is so easy to ungreet ... usually a sort of pious face will do it ... scared the crap out of me as a child of curiosity ... about how loving folks could be so hard shelled ... must be the shell shock, ammon gnash'n or PTSD (in latter case the reason was displaced)! Mortals can't really say as the immortal is yet out ...
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In the care of my family and the Baptist church in Alberta, there was some definite racism going on. Their church was white, and they liked it that way.
 
Waterfall said:
I don't think it was an accident you were there....I think God is preparing you for ministry.
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I haven't thought it that way, Waterfall. Thanks for offering me this point of view.
Lately I've been doubting my call and thinking that maybe I just don't have what it takes.
 
BetteTheRed said:
Music is vital. We're really trying. We've got our many old folks down to one "heritage hymn" and most of the rest of the music is MV or the "latest of" VU. We have a drummer...
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MV is one of the best contemporary hymnaries I know. I can't recall one single song from there that I have disliked.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
A regular service is an entertainment show- all is pre planned most times including the prayers, its a repeat after me thing. I don’t see a big difference, other than the theme. There used to be the “ Easter Laughter” in the Middle Ages, when ministers told alot of jokes to make people laugh to show happiness about Christ being risen. But of course, I wasn’t there, and definately, you, @GiancarloZ , know best was you like. ( though sometimes its also good to fine out what it is that makes us dislike something and why).
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I surely hear you and respect your understanding of it, but for me the liturgy works, or should work, as a set of words and acts that come from millenia ago, like a big river, and is set in a way to prepare us to connect with God through scripture and sacraments. For this reason, I value a sober service. I need to have enough solemnity so I can tune in. When the liturgy is too disruptive, I cannot feel the connection and get distracted by all that's going on.
 
BetteTheRed said:
Music is vital. We're really trying. We've got our many old folks down to one "heritage hymn" and most of the rest of the music is MV or the "latest of" VU.
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You say music is vital and yet it sounds like you're happy to relegate some very good music to the dustbin or "heritage". I'm curious what makes a "heritage hymn". It can't be words. Many of the old standards can, and have been, given new lyrics to deal with issues raised by their theology and the gender and racial attitudes of their time. Others still work fine. Is it music? Age? Rather than having "heritage hymns" versus others, I would rather see the whole hymnody (in the UCCan case, VU and MV) available for usage without quotas. If a hymn works in a service, it shouldn't matter if it is "heritage" or "contemporary" or whatever. It should be used.
 
It is all about taste and if you don't taste like the subjective me ... someone will never get beyond that point!

It really is a weird perspective of Deus ... and so many orthodoxly indoctrinated despise the alternate position enough to attempt to do it in ... control aspect ... at one time known as avarice!
 
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