Pastoral Ponderings » liturgy http://vasbyburnie.net The view from the Church Hill Vicarage (of St Bartholomew's, Wednesbury) Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:31:22 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 We do what at church? http://vasbyburnie.net/2007/10/31/we-do-what-at-church/ http://vasbyburnie.net/2007/10/31/we-do-what-at-church/#comments Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:56:00 +0000 Tim V-B http://vasbyburnie.net/?p=31 It’s always a favourite conversation among church leaders – what do we think about Baptism (infant or otherwise), the Lord’s Supper (how often, at what age) and liturgy (why having it is wrong, even though we do everything the same way each week…). This post here – “Conversations with Nathan” – is a fantastic read – a true conversation between a teenager and father who visited one particular church in America. Even if you disagree with the teenager’s point of view you will enjoy it.

A sample:

Nathan: Why are they so afraid of liturgy? We could explain that it isn’t hard to mean it when you say it.

Papa: But they won’t want to do it anyway. They want to be different every week.

Nathan: Really? Different every week?

Papa: Yes.

Nathan: What do they do differently? Do they sometimes take the offering at the end of the service instead of in the middle?

Papa: No. That’s always at the same time.

Nathan: Do they sometimes have the preaching at the beginning?

Papa: No, that’s at the same time too.

Nathan: Then what do they do that’s different?

Papa: They sing different songs.

Nathan: So does our church.

Papa: Well, it really comes down to the fact that they don’t have prayers and responses for the congregation to read.

Nathan: Why not?

Papa: They think that reading prayers and responses keeps people from worshiping.

Nathan: Really? What do they think the people should do instead?

Papa: Just sit there and do nothing.

]]> http://vasbyburnie.net/2007/10/31/we-do-what-at-church/feed/ 0