I'm writing this blog post having just been to the family mass at St Tees... And I loved it! The sheer sense of joy at worshipping Christ, the fact the Church was packed to the rafters with people and that there were multiple Sunday schools running was wonderful to see.
 |
| The Church was full, ground floor and balconies! |
As with the Wednesday service the focus was predominantly on the scripture. And the preaching that followed, but there was also time given to the young people to talk about the summer camps they had been on and what they had been up to. This was at the very start of the service, giving a clear focus to the youth, rather than tagged on at the end.
 |
| Making sure everyone can see and get involved |
The Church itself has 2 projectors with screens either side of the altar and for those behind pillars there are televisions set up above each row. There is a camera at the back that's used to follow the 'action' throughout so everyone can see what's going on. They also put up lyrics and responses so there was no requirement for prayer books and hymnals,making it easier for the congregation.
Speaking of hymns they were all modern, the latest one used was from 1990, played on guitars and a keyboard. The children were encouraged to dance along and it was very uplifting. I definitely want to explore utilising modern alongside classic hymns if/when I progress into a church of my own. The sheer energy and emotion evoked by the hymns actually drove me to tears at one point. But that's probably because I'm a soft touch.
 |
Still can't get used to them using a loaf of bread.
What about the crumbs?! |
It also happened to be a day when the eucharist was offered. It didn't feel quite as rushed this time, though that's probably down to me knowing what to expect this time. I got some funny looks when signing myself with the cross and genuflecting at the altar, but it was accepted.
After the service I had the opportunity to chat with a few people, the curate, the sound engineer and the youth leader. They were very friendly and we had good chats about the differences between Anglo-Catholicism and Evangelicalism, but how ultimately they are both doing the same thing, and we have lots to learn from one another.
 |
| Final thoughts |
I still love the bells and smells and probably always will, but this has opened my eyes to methods of increasing the amount of joy in a church. This is what is needed to bring people back, especially young people. I'm going off now to research utilising modern worship techniques in my tradition, See you later!
Comments
Post a Comment