What a mixed bag this programme is. I think first and foremost I want to make sure everyone understands that this parish, near Barnsley, is a Church of England Parish. The opening episode showed departing Father David in his 39 button cassock and biretta sitting by a portrait of Basil Hume. He sure is catholic but is actually Anglo-catholic not Roman.
I had to look up the Diocese of Wakefield to check.
Secondly, don't you just love the methodology of propaganda, the marketing firm. Church LiTe is a brilliant campaign - who wouldn't want 50% less stuffiness.
Thirdly, as ever, the obstacle to success in almost all the Church of England churches around the country which are on their last legs is the personalities of the remaining legs. 'Over my dead body is this place changing.' Precisely.
Can't help thinking that simply keeping their show on the road without rocking the boat and starting something else, perhaps an Alpha course, would have been strategic. Is my church worth joining? Primary question.
Fourthly, the plucky Yank who can't sing, can't preach, has few inter-personal skills, no common sense and no friends. What a shoo-in he was.
Made me feel my church was great.
Can't wait for the final instalment and wish all those praying people well.
1 comment:
Haven't seen the program, so can't comment on that, but some of the things you said make me think of a guy at new wine.
Me, and I thing Charles King went to "New at New Wine", as it was our first time at their conferences. There was quite an old chap there with a big beard. He told the guy about his church. A church of only about 6 people (I think he had come to new wine alone though), who were used to using the book of common prayer. ie. it sounded like their churches in your third point.
And then he asked about what new wine was about, and what it could offer him. Him and the guy leading the session (someone who is quite major in new wine, forgoten his name, he often lead bits in the big top, and also spoke a bit elswhere) had a little bit of conversation then in the session. I think that there may have been something trasported back to that church. Just a little spark, but you never know what god might might do with that.
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