My churches part 1

As you can probably tell, I write about the church a lot.  It's something I feel I do know a bit about and am qualified to write about.  I am, or have been part of three 'churches' or congregations, all of which are quite different.  So I thought I'd do a post saying what I like and don't about each.

The church I grew up in was Downham Market Methodist Church (or, as the vandalised sign on the building used to say, Metodi Chch).  The congregation or about 100 were mostly well advanced in years (for a long time I was more or less the only person between the ages of 8 and 50) and the worship was pretty traditional, using hymns by the likes of John and Charles Wesley played on the organ, with the occasional venture into something 'modern' (ie written after 1950!).  There would be a sermon, which on your average Sunday would last around 15-20 minutes.

Very often as a teenager I felt incredible frustration with this church.  I was lonely without anyone else my age or anyone to relate to my problems as a young Christian growing up.  But more than that, I was frustrated because so many of the people who had attended that church for many years seemed to have forgotten some of what it meant to be a Christian.  While they personally may have felt that their faith was very much part of their lives, they seemed to have no interest whatever in sharing this faith with others in their community.  The church could feel very insular.  When occasionally new families would join the church, they would often leave after a few months because the older members had no understanding of or interest in the need to adapt themselves to accommodate new people and their needs, or new ways of doing things.

Having said all that, one thing that was really noticeable about this church was the sense of community.  Everyone knew almost everyone and was able to help and support those in need.  It was easy to spot new people and generally people would go to them and welcome them- they just didn't understand that they might have different needs.  Since I left some things have begun to change- slowly and with much resistance and sad argument- for the better, I believe, and I can see some hope for the future.  The other things I do like about the Methodist church is the unfussiness of worship and the commitment to lay leadership.  In most of the services the leader/ preacher is a local preacher, a lay person who has had some training but is one of the community, knowing the needs and interests of the congregation.  It also means you get to hear different preachers and different points of view.  Although ordained ministers are an important part of the church, the congregation is far less dependent on them than in many denominations.

So that was my childhood church.  Part two continues the story...