How was church today?

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I really enjoy our in line services. the team does a lot of work to pull it together. One thing they added this winter is a virtual coffee room. You sign in and select a “room“ where ten or so members are zooming. So you can have a quick visit just like coffee hour. Seems to be popular
 
Minister was talking about how he is angry about Covid and how Jesus was angry overturning the tables in the temple. Guess different people cope in different ways with Covid. Where anger is a futile emotion for me it is obviously an important outlet for Rev. Pentland. In a way, I see what Jesus did as probably futile as well. On the one hand, he certainly made a forceful point, but my guess is as soon as Jesus moved on the Money Changers and sacrifice sellers probably set up their tables again and continued on with business a usual. I suppose because I am a person who is accepting of what comes whether good or bad, today's sermon really did not resonate with me. My grandfather lost his first wife in the Spanish Flu epidemic and the next generation had their lives turned upside down/ruined by the second world war. Events often overtake us on a collective or a personal level and anger just does not work for me as way to cope. For me just carrying on and living one day at time works. Rev. Pentland mentioned several times that it has been a year since we had a service in the sanctuary at Hillhurst. Not sure if dwelling on a morbid anniversary is of much use. At some point enough folks will be vaccinated that in person worship will happen again at Hillhurst and at other churches that have remained closed. Anyway, this was this week and possibly next week the sermon will resonate more with me.
 
I added IWD material to my message. Little glitches, but service went well. More compliments than usual, partly because I was tired from a long day yesterday doing a walk through on the house we are buying. Made me slow down a great deal. I appreciate the permission for suitable righteous anger provided by the reading.
 
You just never know said:
Minister was talking about how he is angry about Covid and how Jesus was angry overturning the tables in the temple. Guess different people cope in different ways with Covid. Where anger is a futile emotion for me it is obviously an important outlet for Rev. Pentland. In a way, I see what Jesus did as probably futile as well. On the one hand, he certainly made a forceful point, but my guess is as soon as Jesus moved on the Money Changers and sacrifice sellers probably set up their tables again and continued on with business a usual. I suppose because I am a person who is accepting of what comes whether good or bad, today's sermon really did not resonate with me. My grandfather lost his first wife in the Spanish Flu epidemic and the next generation had their lives turned upside down/ruined by the second world war. Events often overtake us on a collective or a personal level and anger just does not work for me as way to cope. For me just carrying on and living one day at time works. Rev. Pentland mentioned several times that it has been a year since we had a service in the sanctuary at Hillhurst. Not sure if dwelling on a morbid anniversary is of much use. At some point enough folks will be vaccinated that in person worship will happen again at Hillhurst and at other churches that have remained closed. Anyway, this was this week and possibly next week the sermon will resonate more with me.
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I liked the way he wove in the movie Inside Out - all about feelings, memories, integration. I might watch it again.
 
jimkenney12 said:
I added IWD material to my message. Little glitches, but service went well. More compliments than usual, partly because I was tired from a long day yesterday doing a walk through on the house we are buying. Made me slow down a great deal. I appreciate the permission for suitable righteous anger provided by the reading.
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Nice to hear you referenced IWD Jim.
 
Carolla said:
Nice to hear you referenced IWD Jim.
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With all the attacks on the rights of women all around the world at this time, IWD is more important than it has been in years. Interesting that the president of Mexico is do afraid of women he had steel barriers erected in places in Mexico City.
 
My Quaker group is trying to be more present in the community and so, instead of meeting in peoples homes, they are meeting in a local church on Sunday at 3 pm with live zoom. Of course, the pm time because the congregation is using it themselves until then. It’s a trial- and honestly, it isn’t working for me. 3 pm on Sundays is my prime time to do something like a long walk, visiting friends or today I was working on a craft project. It just doesn’t work for me most of the time.
Since in NS up to 10 people can meet in homes, it would not be too much of a problem to continue to do so even in Covid times, we hardly ever reach that number. The thought behind meeting in the church was, that it would be easier to be accessed by newcomers. I am sitting back and observing, thinking, they will eventually figure out as all the other churches have figured out before, that people don’t come because you have a building in a community, people come because you have people in a community.
 
That has kinda been one of the positives about on-line worship, at least for me - it can usually be seen at other times if schedules don't mesh.
 
Carolla said:
That has kinda been one of the positives about on-line worship, at least for me - it can usually be seen at other times if schedules don't mesh.
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Yes, and no.

Yes, for when you want to schedule a Sunday morning walk, which you've never been able to do because you're a regular church-goer.

Yes, to PJs, coffee in "the pew".

No, when you simply want to avoid accountability (and I've done that).

Big no, when it's communion. If I'm going to take communion at home, it's going to be "in community" "in real time".
 
I have a few different feelings lately about on-line worship. I have been watching/listening to at least three different sermons each week. And, I have become a little bit critical. (awful, huh?) Some of the sermons are pretty fluffy, and don't 'feed' me in any way. Some do not recognize the audience at all...presuming to 'teach' something that may already be pretty well understood. One local church always delivers a message that resonates with me, but it is not my church, and, as it is across town, I don't think I will be attending it when we get back into the pews. But, all of this has made me question the power and purpose of sermons. I don't think they are changing the world. And sometimes the people delivering the message are not providing any real leadership in the ways that would truly benefit our church. All this has made me decide to give up being a Licensed Lay Worship Leader. As a guest sermon-deliverer, I was just feeding into part of the problem. Now, I am looking for a different way to serve.
 
Nancy said:
all of this has made me question the power and purpose of sermons. I don't think they are changing the world. And sometimes the people delivering the message are not providing any real leadership in the ways that would truly benefit our church
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I have wondered about this too. I have enjoyed some good sermons over the years that have made me think and reflect. I've met preachers who are consistently able to challenge me in different ways.

Still, I've always come back to the question about the format of our church/faith services. Why do we have someone come up to talk to use during the service? I realize there's a teaching and leadership function. In some cases it's a control issue - shape how people view the world so they behave "appropriately".

When I was in a congregation struggling with conflict, I would have left if the minister hadn't. Several of us spoke of creating home gatherings. He left so we stayed and it didn't happen. We did though, form worship teams in the absence of clergy. Teams took turns leading the service. It was hard work. It was also a wonderful way to get to know each other on a different level.

I guess I will continue to think about this.
 
One of the advantages of the UU tradition of lay leadership is that you get some variety in the pulpit. Different themes and ideas, but also different approaches. I have done services without a sermon, having readings with short reflections on the readings instead. Right now, they don't have a minister so it's a mix of lay members and guest preachers.

Our summer services were "in the round" with no sermon, just some interactive readings and dialogue on a theme or topic. I think they are still doing that, too, or will be once pandemic restrictions end. I led a few of those as well.

And I don't think the sermon is, or should be, entirely about teaching or promoting ideas. It can simply be about inspiring, too.
 
I agree about inspiration and reassurance as a goal for sermons. And I also agree about the 'performance' aspect of it. A year ago I would not have expected myself to be so turned off of listening to sermons. I wonder if I will change again over the next year.
 
I am reassured that evolution and change goes on and thus we should expect it ... and not have to worry too much about learning it all as mortal ... as we will not be here for that part of it ... thus we can forget parts! It may rebound later though ... we just don't know!

Tis the way it appeared to be desired in this domain of BDSM ... and nothing worse than a confined soul ... enslaved to deal with the subtle mentality? Psychosomatics ... sometimes appearing as the walking dead ... purely insensitive as pathological sol ... A** *ole! Said to control the land ... yet there are medical implications (of the vagus sort)! What goes on there stays? Onset of neuralgia ... bottom side pain?
 
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Singing without organic lead? Hard as stone?

Relax, they are only word(s) and what can one expect from word considering the source of human-god associations?

God is out of it ... resting ... expressing a RIP! It goes like Van ... in a winkle ...;)

For really what do we know for sure ... nothing? Is that easy to knows ... considering there is nothing left but _____ scent ...
 
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