Visiting Ministers

As usual, last night I was helping aat my home church's youth club. One of my ministers was also helping and asked "how was the baptism last week?". I had no idea what he was talking about. I didn't think my placement church had one last Sunday and knew, with my ministers being on holiday, my home church wouldn't have had one.

Confused, I answered "what baptism?". "Oh, the wedding, then" he replied.

I still had no idea what he was talking about.

Turns out my ministers, as they were still on leave had decided to visit my placement church to see how I was getting on. Pity I wasn't there, though I know they would have been made most welcome.

No doubt tomorrow I'll get told all about it from those at my placement congregation. Honest, I didn't know!

My next sermon

I'm preaching in my placement church on Sunday. I'm following the lectionary, as that is what my placement church does and the rest of the service will (hopefully) tie in with what I have to say.

I'm quite well organised, which I'm surprised at. I've chosen the readings and 2 of the hymns for Sunday. I've also written a draft, which I've e-mailed to my assessor for her comments.

I'm looking forward to it, yet I'm nervous at the same time. Preaching a sermon is so very different from all the other parts of worship, for so many reasons. I know my assessor and placement church will be very supportive and encouraging of me, which does make it easier.

Hopefully my message comes from God and speaks to the hearts in the congregation.

Well, I didn't get that!

It's a long story, but my hubbie and I were invited to a church in the neighbouring parish to my home church today. The style of the service was such I'm still not sure what the theme of the service or point of the sermon was.

The service set-up on the surface appears quite modern. Many people have role in the service, there is no pulpit at all and a praise band leads part of the worship. However, there are some very traditional elements which did not sit well with the general style, in my opinion. For example, the bible in formally processed in and the congregation stands for this and the congregation are invited to stand during the Lord's prayer.

There didn't appear to be a coherent theme running through the service. The children's talk was the story of Ruth, the opening prayer was in relation to harvest, the sermon was based on this reading and the prayer of intercession (I think, given it's position and the themes in the other prayers) was for the congregation.

While some of the elements were well presented, the message from them was not clear. Just after the children left for young church 2 mediations were read, apparently in relation to harvest. I think meditations can be a very good way of expressing biblical truth simply, when they are either self-explanatory or are explained. The ones used in the service may have been self-explanatory, but I didn't get how they related to harvest. Also, the sermon was an excellent presentation. The minister worked without notes at all (which is the norm apparently), he had many anecdotes and a good style of presentation, but there was no conclusion, just a series of scenarios - an interpretation of what would Jesus have said to a possessive parent, for example. While the examples were helpful for the congregation to relate to the passage, they were used as the conclusion, leaving me wondering eh, have I missed something?

Overall, there were 10 people involved in worship. The minister, two people leading the prayers, one reading the meditation, one reading the bible passage, one doing the welcome and intimations and four in the praise band. While I applaud those others than the minister being involved in the service, I felt this was a bit excessive. They all appeared from their seats during the service, rather than sitting at the front or together. I found this very distracting.

I know this all sounds very negative, but I really didn't get anything from the service and felt there was a lot of (to quote part of one of the hymns) "we want to worship you" going on. Well, stop wanting to and actually get on with it! I know I don't always get the point the minister may have been trying to get across, but I like to come away with something - challenged, empowered, uplifted - I don't mind, as long as I come away with something. With this service I was left empty.

I know I am noticing things because I am analysing things at the moment, but even my hubbie was picking up on some of it. The thing I find funny is I know many people in that church think their service is the way to do it and can't understand why other churches do it differently or other people don't necessarily like their style of worship. Fortunately, the Kirk is a broad church and their is room for a broad range of people and worship styles, as today's experience prove.

Last Monday

As I left the house to make the post-funeral visit I was a bag of nerves. My hubbie, being the total star he is, told me I'd be fine as I'm a people person. Not that he's bias - oh no, not at all!

As I was driving along there was a little part of me was wishing no-one would be at home and I wouldn't need to do it. The majority of me felt very privileged to be in this position and, as I drew up outside the house I asked God for guidance and the right words. As ever, He didn't fail me.

The bereaved recognised me from when I shadowed my assessor at the pre-funeral visit. That was a relief - I didn't need to explain who I was. He invited me in and I chatted with him for about 1/2 hour.

The bereaved was a lovely person with many friends and good neighbours; plenty of people to look out for him. I'm not saying the church shouldn't do that, but it definitely made my job easier.

I hope my small act showed God's love for the bereaved. That is all. If I sow the seeds of God's love, others may reap, but God's love will grow and grow. The harvest will be God's kingdom on earth.

Tomorrow

As I mentioned here, my assessor has asked me to do a post-funeral visit for the bereaved where I sat in during the pre-funeral visit. This is an enormous privilege and I'm all too aware I am representing the church during the visit.

I must admit, I'm pretty nervous about this and I know it'll be worse tomorrow when I knock on the person I'm visiting's door. What do I say? How will they react? Will I be made welcome, or has the kirk done it's job?

The bereaved person I'll be visiting struck me as a lovely person when I met them last. My assessor has also let them know I will be visiting, so at least it won't be a total surprise.

I'm sure it'll be okay but, like anything which is new, it is nerve wracking. Also, my assessor has shown great trust giving me the opportunity to carry out this visit and I don't want to let her down either. Most of all, though, I don't want to let God down.

I will pray for guidance and I know God, though His Holy Spirit, will give me the words I need during this important task.