Churches
21/08/2005
Well as some of you may have guessed there are no shortage of churches in England and I was going to have a go in checking some of them out. The first one I went to was a Church of England in West Hampstead because Geoff, Claire, Nicole and I were back in London that weekend. It was Claire's birthday so she and Nic went to see Guys and Dolls with Ewan McGregor while Geoff and I went around London. We caught up after that and then each went pretty much our own way with the plan to meet up again on Sunday afternoon for the trip back to Stoke-on-Trent. I was in West Hampstead again with Thanh and Kathy whom I had originally stayed with. I was going to go to a party and catch up with some other Melbournians in Picadilly but I was already in W Hampstead at the time and got a case of the 'I can't be bothered catching the tube back into the city' so I had dinner with Thanh and Kathy instead that night. There'll be other opportunities to catch up.
The next morning (which was Sunday) I went to The Church of England church that I had seen earlier. It wasn't a great big church and not the biggest or most impressive I'd seen but it was definitely historic and easily recognisable as a church. It was probably a couple of hundred years old but I can't remember the little history blurb that I had read back then. The inside of the church was well maintained and with seating for about 250 people. Stained glass windows, polished pews, candles and lighting made a warm and sanctifying atmosphere.
At the time that I went in, which was punctual, there were probably about 20 people there (40 by the time I left). It was pretty amazing that there are so many of these churches with very small congregations but always with a full complement of clergy and choir! On a bad day, they would probably outnumber the flock.
It was my first time in a Catholic church (though I didn't know this at the time). As I went in I was handed about 3 books; none of which was a Bible. Two of the books were hymnals and one was the liturgy. I was fumbling around a bit trying to keep track of where we were and what we were singing or saying. The liturgy is the 'schedule' of what happens and it shows what the priest says and also where you're meant to say things. It was very responsive and interactive for the worshipper which was new and not a bad thing.
There is also a part in the service where they greet each other and say 'Peace be with you' (or something similar). You're meant to go around and say this to people in the church. When they started doing it I didn't know I was meant to respond with a return 'Peace be with you' so I just said 'OK, thanks'! haha I soon figured it out though.They make a good go of it as well, and not just to people nearby. The priest, his assistants, and the choir all get into it as well. I quite liked that part.
Overall, maybe because I went in with low expectations, I found the Catholic service pretty good. The priest even had an interesting and humourous sermon with good applications and illustrations. Now if only they would change their stance on Sola Gracia, Sola Fida and Sola Scriptura we wouldn't have a problem!
After the service finished I took a photo of the inside of the church which I found out later while reading the noticeboard that it was something you're technically not meant to do! Oh well... I didn't have my flash on anyway so I don't think anyone noticed.
The church I went to the next week was a Mesley Methodist church. Like the Catholic church the congregation was on the small side and was noticeably absent in the teens/young adults age group. This church was back in Stoke-on-Trent, about a 7 minute walk from home. Now up to this point, I've been mainly telling people that I live in Manchester which is not technically true, but if I said Stoke-on-Trent no-one would know where it was and I'd have to explain the whole thing. Since I have now moved to Manchester city I think I had better explain. Stoke-on-Trent is about 70km south of Manchester with a population of about 270,000. It's made up of six towns and the only tourist attraction listed in the Lonely Planet is the 'Potteries'. As in porcelain, china and Wedgwood. So not a very exciting place but part of the industrial heart of Great Britain in the past.
Anyway, the Wesley Methodist was in an average sized hall with about 30 people and reminded me of small country churches back in Victoria. The ones that have such a small congregation they have to use a cassette player to play the backing music for the songs. There was what they did. It wasn't bad but the lack of people my age was getting noticeable and because it was a small hall and a small congregation I felt somewhat conspicuous and self-concious.
Of course, I am not going around critiquing churches, but merely writing down some of my thoughts and experiences of different styles and practices as something I can't say I went out of my way to experience back in Australia.
I knew more of the songs here and they were pretty friendly but I wasn't planning on going back.
Last Sunday I went to an Anglican church in Stoke-on-Trent. A really nice looking church with the steeple, bell and small cemetery adjacent to it. Great acoustics. Probably about 40 people inside, 95% old people and kids. The Anglican church seems to be indistinguishable here from the Catholic Church. Even the liturgy was only slightly different, if at all. They did have better songs though, the Catholic Church had hymns that all sounded the same and they weren't cheery-sounding hymns.
The priest was quite funny as he was telling the congregation they were too slow in picking up the start of the next verse; essentially giving us a singing timing lesson! Didn't expect that! Reminded me of Father Bob in the John Safran vs. God series on the ABC.
Even though they have a liturgy and set program which makes it seem strict they are actually more laidback than what they would appear to be.
These guys had their greeting session and this time I was ready with the 'Peace be with you' ! Chatted briefly to the priest (who was of non-Anglo-Saxon origin) on the way out (they stand at the exit so there's really no way of getting out without passing them even if you wanted to). He was pretty friendly and expressly invited me back the following week which I said I would aim to do, forgetting that I would be moving to Manchester on the Saturday.
This Sunday I have gone around looking at churches around the area but haven't found anything too promising: a Unitarian and a St Joseph's that has been converted to a half-way house. I don't think they count. Plus a lot of cool ancient churches on the outside but probably boring on the inside. I have been invited to a mega-church here in Manchester with 'a lot of young people' that proudly models itself on Hillsong. Serenity now! Serenity now!! :) Will go just to see some other young people. And maybe with such low expectations it will be half decent :)
Alas, BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) isn't that big in Europe. There are only 3 mens classes in the whole of Europe! Quite a few more women's classes though.
Farewell all for now!
Well as some of you may have guessed there are no shortage of churches in England and I was going to have a go in checking some of them out. The first one I went to was a Church of England in West Hampstead because Geoff, Claire, Nicole and I were back in London that weekend. It was Claire's birthday so she and Nic went to see Guys and Dolls with Ewan McGregor while Geoff and I went around London. We caught up after that and then each went pretty much our own way with the plan to meet up again on Sunday afternoon for the trip back to Stoke-on-Trent. I was in West Hampstead again with Thanh and Kathy whom I had originally stayed with. I was going to go to a party and catch up with some other Melbournians in Picadilly but I was already in W Hampstead at the time and got a case of the 'I can't be bothered catching the tube back into the city' so I had dinner with Thanh and Kathy instead that night. There'll be other opportunities to catch up.
The next morning (which was Sunday) I went to The Church of England church that I had seen earlier. It wasn't a great big church and not the biggest or most impressive I'd seen but it was definitely historic and easily recognisable as a church. It was probably a couple of hundred years old but I can't remember the little history blurb that I had read back then. The inside of the church was well maintained and with seating for about 250 people. Stained glass windows, polished pews, candles and lighting made a warm and sanctifying atmosphere.
At the time that I went in, which was punctual, there were probably about 20 people there (40 by the time I left). It was pretty amazing that there are so many of these churches with very small congregations but always with a full complement of clergy and choir! On a bad day, they would probably outnumber the flock.
It was my first time in a Catholic church (though I didn't know this at the time). As I went in I was handed about 3 books; none of which was a Bible. Two of the books were hymnals and one was the liturgy. I was fumbling around a bit trying to keep track of where we were and what we were singing or saying. The liturgy is the 'schedule' of what happens and it shows what the priest says and also where you're meant to say things. It was very responsive and interactive for the worshipper which was new and not a bad thing.
There is also a part in the service where they greet each other and say 'Peace be with you' (or something similar). You're meant to go around and say this to people in the church. When they started doing it I didn't know I was meant to respond with a return 'Peace be with you' so I just said 'OK, thanks'! haha I soon figured it out though.They make a good go of it as well, and not just to people nearby. The priest, his assistants, and the choir all get into it as well. I quite liked that part.
Overall, maybe because I went in with low expectations, I found the Catholic service pretty good. The priest even had an interesting and humourous sermon with good applications and illustrations. Now if only they would change their stance on Sola Gracia, Sola Fida and Sola Scriptura we wouldn't have a problem!
After the service finished I took a photo of the inside of the church which I found out later while reading the noticeboard that it was something you're technically not meant to do! Oh well... I didn't have my flash on anyway so I don't think anyone noticed.
The church I went to the next week was a Mesley Methodist church. Like the Catholic church the congregation was on the small side and was noticeably absent in the teens/young adults age group. This church was back in Stoke-on-Trent, about a 7 minute walk from home. Now up to this point, I've been mainly telling people that I live in Manchester which is not technically true, but if I said Stoke-on-Trent no-one would know where it was and I'd have to explain the whole thing. Since I have now moved to Manchester city I think I had better explain. Stoke-on-Trent is about 70km south of Manchester with a population of about 270,000. It's made up of six towns and the only tourist attraction listed in the Lonely Planet is the 'Potteries'. As in porcelain, china and Wedgwood. So not a very exciting place but part of the industrial heart of Great Britain in the past.
Anyway, the Wesley Methodist was in an average sized hall with about 30 people and reminded me of small country churches back in Victoria. The ones that have such a small congregation they have to use a cassette player to play the backing music for the songs. There was what they did. It wasn't bad but the lack of people my age was getting noticeable and because it was a small hall and a small congregation I felt somewhat conspicuous and self-concious.
Of course, I am not going around critiquing churches, but merely writing down some of my thoughts and experiences of different styles and practices as something I can't say I went out of my way to experience back in Australia.
I knew more of the songs here and they were pretty friendly but I wasn't planning on going back.
Last Sunday I went to an Anglican church in Stoke-on-Trent. A really nice looking church with the steeple, bell and small cemetery adjacent to it. Great acoustics. Probably about 40 people inside, 95% old people and kids. The Anglican church seems to be indistinguishable here from the Catholic Church. Even the liturgy was only slightly different, if at all. They did have better songs though, the Catholic Church had hymns that all sounded the same and they weren't cheery-sounding hymns.
The priest was quite funny as he was telling the congregation they were too slow in picking up the start of the next verse; essentially giving us a singing timing lesson! Didn't expect that! Reminded me of Father Bob in the John Safran vs. God series on the ABC.
Even though they have a liturgy and set program which makes it seem strict they are actually more laidback than what they would appear to be.
These guys had their greeting session and this time I was ready with the 'Peace be with you' ! Chatted briefly to the priest (who was of non-Anglo-Saxon origin) on the way out (they stand at the exit so there's really no way of getting out without passing them even if you wanted to). He was pretty friendly and expressly invited me back the following week which I said I would aim to do, forgetting that I would be moving to Manchester on the Saturday.
This Sunday I have gone around looking at churches around the area but haven't found anything too promising: a Unitarian and a St Joseph's that has been converted to a half-way house. I don't think they count. Plus a lot of cool ancient churches on the outside but probably boring on the inside. I have been invited to a mega-church here in Manchester with 'a lot of young people' that proudly models itself on Hillsong. Serenity now! Serenity now!! :) Will go just to see some other young people. And maybe with such low expectations it will be half decent :)
Alas, BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) isn't that big in Europe. There are only 3 mens classes in the whole of Europe! Quite a few more women's classes though.
Farewell all for now!
posted by boarderbob at
9:31 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home