How was church today?

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Our scripture was also the 10 lepers and the one who came back to say thanks for the healing. A good scripture for Thanksgiving, but the sermon was about shifts going on and how the church needs to move on and forget some of the religion of the past. It was an interesting sermon, but did not seem to relate to the scripture or to Thanksgiving.
 
Unrelated things increase the mystery ... thus the driving force of expansion ... once known as "fugacity"!

Some say we Eire heads will never know ... may be condensation!
 
Mortifying. My clothes absorbed stale tobacco smoke from the closets of my "new" apt.(compliments of my neighbour, who is grandfathered to smoke). I reeked and everyone moved away from me. I was a leper for the duration. Where's Jesus when you need him? Great service otherwise. I guess I'm used to the smell and didn't notice it at first. :oops:
 
ninjafaery said:
Mortifying. My clothes absorbed stale tobacco smoke from the closets of my "new" apt.(compliments of my neighbour, who is grandfathered to smoke). I reeked and everyone moved away from me. I was a leper for the duration. Where's Jesus when you need him? Great service otherwise. I guess I'm used to the smell and didn't notice it at first. :oops:
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Takes me back to my days hanging out in student bars pre-indoor smoking bans. Never smoked a single cig in my life but you would think I had a pack-a-day habit after I came out of those places.
 
Oh my goodness - that's awful to have your clothing absorbing odors from a neighbour's smoking - I would really hate that. I wonder if an aromatic cedar wall in the closet would help?
 
Attended Knox today, an interesting sermon by Rev. Dave Holmes speaking of change that churches must do in order to survive in a world that has pushed church and religion to the sidelines. There has been some movement at Knox as they have removed the Union Jacks that used to hang in the sanctuary. Will be interesting to see if they are congregation that will step into the abyss of the unknown or if they will choose to look inward and dwindle to nothing. Dave did suggest that churches today are like the early church of the 1st century that was at the margins; maybe church does better at the margins than in the middle of The Establashment. In the past Knox was a leader in the area of social justice as they were one of the first churches in the country to be welcoming to Gay and Lesbian folks and this was back in the 1970's in Calgary. As late as the 1990's I remember the Calgary Police kicking in the doors of Gay nightclubs and arresting folks, so Knox was very courageous to be welcoming in a very different era than today. I wish Knox well as they work out how to be church in the 21st Century.
 
Guess what - church today was GREAT! It's been so long since I've said or felt that. I went to a different church today - Windermere United in Toronto. I was invited by a friend who is church shopping at the moment. Small and spirited gathering, friendly people including our former moderator Mardi Tindal (so I thought of jae :confused: but shook that off quickly), service was interesting, fun, participatory, weaving in excellent music (including a Raffi song!), prayerful moments (one even with soundtrack of forest birds singing gently in the background), inspiring message. I so needed that. I think I may go back. They are a very social justice, neighbourhood engaged group - yesterday afternoon they organized a vigil in a nearby housing complex where a shooting occured this week.

This week coming up, they will be at a Human Rights tribunal hearing - they are an affirming church & had a rented mobile sign outside their doors - posting messages of support for the LGBT community amongst others; the 'Christian' sign company owner did not like that & so removed the sign, breaching their contract. They filed a complaint of discrimination which will be heard this week. This got some media coverage at the time. Interestingly, two women from the community - not directly involved with the church - were upset & fundraised $20,000 for the church to install a permanent electronic sign. Spirit at work.
 
We had a service that questioned whether church was physical or a mire necessary essence ... like a ghost of emotions covering up for eternal wisdom ...

Stuff beyond most that are fixated and part of the stoned thingy! Solid and stoically pious so as not to work well with the learning changes?

With rational observation one can see how portions are lost and displaced

Where does lost information/intelligence go ... to the waste tubes? Some digging may be prerequisite ... a depth matter! A Shue in ...
 
*sigh* We had Stewardship Sunday today. But honestly, it was well done. Our much beloved treasurer gave a short talk about "why he gives", and illustrated his theme of relationship in that his youngest grandson was baptized today; his family are all such nice people, and they were all there. The Rev and her husband did a skit centred on fundraising which was very funny. Also, we had our "job fair" in the hall afterwards (and dragged the coffee tea and snacks in there), which was well attended, although I don't know how many "sign ups" we got.
 
You just never know said:
Our scripture was also the 10 lepers and the one who came back to say thanks for the healing. A good scripture for Thanksgiving, but the sermon was about shifts going on and how the church needs to move on and forget some of the religion of the past. It was an interesting sermon, but did not seem to relate to the scripture or to Thanksgiving.
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I always prefer a message to relate to the scripture reading. And when I read scripture and deliver the message, I always indicate which reading I have based the reflection on. That way the congregation can listen in anticipation, and discern what they get out of the scripture reading before I give my take on it. I am delivering a message on Remembrance Day at a church that is not my home church. I am struggling to fit it altogether...the readings and the idea of peace/remembrance.
 
I'm beginning to realize, thanks to the layout of the sanctuary, bits and pieces of Church architecture that I do not appreciate.

The pulpit at George Street United is the highest pulpit I have ever preached from. Previously I have had a step or two from the sanctuary floor to the pulpit here I have six which puts my feet at head level to most of the congregants.

I spend most of my time preaching down at the congregation. I am not a fan of that.

I suppose even with two or three steps I have technically been preaching down. Just noticing the angle of attack to be much sharper.

Congregants here sit closer to the front of the sanctuary though only on the wings. Our central seats are vacant until halfway back (not altogether unusual). I am noticing a greater elevation above even those who sit at the back and dealing with some personal tension as a result.

I'm somewhat wary of the expectations placed on clergy lifted so high above and there is no doubt that there are some clergy who expect/thrive on that kind of thing. I'm not one of them.

I played with the lections a bit moving the gospel lessons around so that I could use the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector last week and the parable of the unjust judge this week.

There have not been any complaints about the services so far. We are just reaching the formal mid-point of the appointment though I suspect that my time here will be extended.
 
What keeps you from staying on even ground, in front of the altar or the pews? Being preached down on would be the last thing I would like to have happen to me. My hunch is that you have a good loud voice that doesn’t need much of technology to be heard.
 
If you make assisted hearing devices available to your congregation, you must amplify your voice or it doesn't help those who are using those devices. However, our rev uses a wireless mic that hooks over her ear anyway, which she turns on and off herself if she needs muting, e.g. when singing with the choir.
 
BetteTheRed said:
If you make assisted hearing devices available to your congregation, you must amplify your voice or it doesn't help those who are using those devices. However, our rev uses a wireless mic that hooks over her ear anyway, which she turns on and off herself if she needs muting, e.g. when singing with the choir.
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Thus the directive: "avoid preaching to the choir"?

How many knew that ahead 've aeries MS Teps ... some even say there are no sacred legends ... codes! Thus the Jesus code goes dark ...
 
Funny enough, when our youth minister wears a lapel mic, it's useful to mute him during the hymns. He has a very pleasant speaking voice, but he can't sing.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
What keeps you from staying on even ground, in front of the altar or the pews?
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It is an option. I have done this before.

Mind you the absence of one central aisle means that I would need to be mindful of spending time moving right or left rather than forward and/or back.

I have a lapel mic so that shouldn't be an issue.

Apart from that is just logistics. Where do I leave what and how often will I be going up and down the stairs?
 
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