Anyone up for a chat thread?

[Paidiske]

Oh, I've done this sort of evening service before, and it was modestly successful (if your measure of success is drawing in new people). And I've actually had local people who are not currently coming to church here ask me for an evening service (for example, my pharmacist, who works Sunday mornings and asked me whether my church had an evening service, because he wanted somewhere to go!) So I'm reasonably confident it would work.

We have a joint morning service once a year (the day of the AGM) and there's usually a bit of grumbling about it. People are creatures of habit...

 

[Naomi4Christ]

About half of our evening congregation only come to that service, and started coming to church because of it.

There are so many other things that people do on Sunday mornings nowadays, whether work or sport. An evening service gives them an option.

How does your PCC think you can grow, if they are unwilling to change? The attitude could be seen as being rather selfish of them.

God is bigger and I am sure he has plans for your fellowship.

 

[Paidiske]

How does your PCC think you can grow, if they are unwilling to change? The attitude could be seen as being rather selfish of them.

You might very well say that, and I couldn't possibly comment...

 

[Naomi4Christ]

You might very well say that, and I couldn't possibly comment...

Maybe some devious tactics are called for.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

We had a situation about 25 years ago when we were reordering the church, where there was a loud core against. The local press loved it as we aired our dirty linen in public. ISTR it going to an ecclesiastical court. You couldn’t make it up.

We learnt a lot in this process, primarily that we needed to approach those against with a pastoral heart. But the project was going ahead, come hell or high water. The basic message was that we aren’t doing it for us, but for those who may come to us in the future.

25 years on, those antis, who have not yet been promoted to glory, are still with us and serving.

The sky didn’t fall in.

Be bold and courageous, Paidiske!

 

[Arcangl86]

Any chance you can convince them to do a trial sort of thing. Like for instance, Lent is six Sundays long. So maybe you can tell them that you want to try this for the period of Lent to see if it really will result in the drop they are afraid of. I think knowing it's temporary might keep some people from leaving, or if they do they might come back after it changes back.

 

[Lily76_]

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE i know its only 2.51 am in the morning but av been sleeping all day with the cold and am awake now i hope you are all feeling ok

 

[Paidiske]

Any chance you can convince them to do a trial sort of thing. Like for instance, Lent is six Sundays long. So maybe you can tell them that you want to try this for the period of Lent to see if it really will result in the drop they are afraid of. I think knowing it's temporary might keep some people from leaving, or if they do they might come back after it changes back.

I think, after much conversation on Sunday, it's more likely that I'll be able to talk them into something like break in routine once every two months or so. (Perhaps with some extra community focus around it as well). Parish council tomorrow, we shall see what they think.

Good morning SerenityRiver! It's nearly 2pm here but I'm very tired today, I'd like to have a nap...

 

[Shane R]

A personal update: I had a bit of surgery last week that went very well. I felt good within 24 hours although the left side of my face looked like someone had attacked me with a sharpened screw driver for about a week. I had another follow up with my specialist a few days ago and my vision is the best it's been in many months. All of the weird distortions are gone. It is irritating to have stitches in one's eye-lid though.

 

[Philip_B]

This just amused me

 

[Shane R]

A parishioner died. She had been a long time member of a local TEC parish and made her final arrangements to have a Requiem Mass at her old TEC parish. She had been with us for almost 2 years. So we are to jointly do this service with the TEC folk. My senior priest, being a low-churchman, has never done a Requiem in his career and I haven't either since I am quite new to the priesthood. Should be a learning experience. I am going to sit quietly and let them figure it out. If they wish me to read a reading I can do that.

It's a very progressive and recently, charismatic minded, TEC parish. I wouldn't be surprised if their present clergy team hasn't done a Requiem either.

 

[Paidiske]

Is it really that complicated to have a funeral with a Eucharist? The way we do it here, you basically go into the greeting of peace after the prayers, then have the committal after the post-communion prayers. (So basically insert communion between the prayers and the committal).

 

[Arcangl86]

Is it really that complicated to have a funeral with a Eucharist? The way we do it here, you basically go into the greeting of peace after the prayers, then have the committal after the post-communion prayers. (So basically insert communion between the prayers and the committal).

The standard in TEC is a funeral with Eucharist. However that is not the same as a requiem mass. Anglo Catholics can be special.

 

[Philip_B]

The standard in TEC is a funeral with Eucharist. However that is not the same as a requiem mass. Anglo Catholics can be special.

To quote one of my least favoured politicians: Please explain!

 

[Paidiske]

I don't know what the differences would be; here Anglo-Catholics would call a funeral with a Eucharist a requiem, but it'd basically be the same thing.

So. Counting down to Easter. How is everyone else travelling?

 

[Shane R]

Well, I've got a supply appointment for Easter, approximately 80 miles from my house. Nice folk that I have visited before. They prefer their celebrations to conform to the Missal. Last time I went we conformed to the BCP and it was a bit rough. This time I am going to work out the Missal service.

 

[Paidiske]

Will you stay with someone there over the three days, Shane, or are you going to be doing that commute for each service?

 

[Shane R]

They have a little rectory but I'm only doing Easter Sunday for them. They've got other priests coming for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I don't think they scheduled a Tenebrae for Holy Saturday. The drive time is about 1:20 so I'll commute that morning.

Continuing churches can be quite creative with setting up a chapel. You'll find a lot of converted houses and store fronts. This particular facility had been the community house for a biker gang in it's original configuration. When the church got it at county auction they had to clean the last remnants of the meth lab out. Then they converted the garage into their chapel. The old living room became their class room. They left the kitchen alone and set up some little room as a nursery. The downstairs bedroom became the church office and the upstairs is an apartment. The processional is interesting at this place: you have to go outside on the back porch to form up for the exercise.

 

[Shane R]

About the funeral: it was not actually a Requiem mass. It was the Rite I funeral service from the '79 BCP without communion. Oddly, they processed and recessed with a lit Paschal candle. The lady was a Navy vet and apparently associated with the local police department for many years, as well as having been married to a Scot at one point - so a member of some fraternal organization of Scots in these parts.

I will give credit where credit is due: TEC is great at performing really dignified funerals with a lot of moving parts. This one had: a Navy honor guard, the police department bagpipe team, a bunch of folks in tartan plaid and kilts, and two different Anglican jurisdictions. It was seamless and under an hour, which is impressive since my senior priest was allowed to give the homily. I've never told him but I thought his homily at my wife's funeral was excessively long. My sole role was to be sort of a navigational beacon, as one of the few people who knew when to stand, sit, and kneel according to the rubrics and typical Anglican practice. And that was fine with me.

 

[Paidiske]

"Navigational beacon"! I love it.