Most church services start at the tennis score times - 15, 30 or 45 past the hour. I know they say 40 not 45 now but that's just shorthand. Trust me. The scores are based on the clock. Really.
So why? No reason that's why. And for that very no reason we're going to break out. We is me and my friends at Christ Church. New happening in Nailsea. October 14th at 3.08. (p.m. just in case you wondered).
I'll tell you where if you're very good.
7 comments:
When we combined evening services at St James the Less, the vicar wanted to make it the 6:08 from Pimlico, or something like that. It didn't go down very well with particular parts of the congregation who thought it was a bit silly. The fact they all turned up at around 8 minutes late for the 6 o clock service (as it became) appears irrelevant...
Chris, you raise a good observation that people often arrive a little late for services, or only just in time. The church I attend is very well attended, but the the vast majority of people arrive in the period from 4 minutes before the start time up to 2 to 3 minutes after the start time. There is a slight parallel with football here. If you see a ground with 15 minutes to go before kick off it is pretty empty. It fills between 10 and 5 minutes before kick off. Thus, the old situation of an atmoshere "building up" over a longer period occurs infrequently.
With a church service, on the times when I arrive with some time to spare (I admit not often), I find the few minutes of peace a valuable time to prepare my mind for the service. Just a few minutes of peace making such a difference.
I think it's a symptom of the business of modern life. I have come to think recently that this business of life (the constant feeling of a need to fill every moment of every day with something) is one of the largest barriers to spirituality. I think it has been for me.
Oops - mis-spelling twice over! I must be having a very blank morning. I meant busyness of course!
Don't tell people where it is, just give them GPS coordinates as an initiative test. Or you could just see who gets a word of knowledge about it!
My sense is that it could be in a pub
That sounds a bit like what Rob Bell said he did when he started Mars Hill... and 1000 people turned up or something.
(forgive the accuracy of this statement)
1000 would present us with some interesting problems oops I mean opportunities.
I don't think I really mind what time people turn up. Is it important?
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