Homework

All shall be explained

So, in my exploration of discernment I've been talking to my uni chaplain every week. Together we are setting up an AngSoc. While there is already a Christian Union, the majority of the demographic for the group is more 'happy clappy' congregations. The thought of having to sing in church looking at words on a screen absolutely terrifies me, where am I meant to put my hands? While I am open to different worship styles I need to firmly hold a hymn book and not have to constantly worry about the preacher falling over the cable from a hand held microphone. So as you can tell, the demure anglican side of me just wouldn't fit in. I'm not the only one that feels the same way. The reason we have different kinds of churches is to bring the word of God to everyone, and by providing different options we are more likely to do this.

Why can't we do the same with our uni societies?

In my chats with various people on my journey one thing I've learned is that I want to provide to meet a need. While in many cases this would mean perhaps not following my personal preference of worship style, on this occasion it's providing something that doesn't already exist, that is needed, and just happens to be something I want to do. So what am I going to do with an AngSoc? While I'm up for bible study I know that to reach a wider audience it's got to be more than that. On the leaflets we've gone with 'fun, food & fellowship', leaving options open depending on the need of the group members. I think that for students it would just be nice to be able to go somewhere and be able to talk to fellow believers in Jesus. Uni is a land ruled by academia and secularism, where talking about beliefs in the classroom is never personal but only in some capacity which will relate to the cause of an event being studied. Jesus isn't shining on the campus, especially one as obsessed with science as mine.

Even in the 'home' it's not the done thing to bring up faith unless everyone you live with feels the same way. I'm fortunate that my flatmate is Muslim so we both kind of get each other and have a mutual understanding of faith, but not everyone is so lucky. For example, last year I lived with 5 others, none held any religion, on being asked where I'd gone to in the morning I said I'd gone to church, ten minutes later the stupid one of my flat had blamed me for 9/11, bless her..... Church is a community where we come together to celebrate and worship. Angsoc will be similar but with wiggle room, providing for a niche demographic whilst being able to include the curious. Well, I hope it will be. Facebook page is done, flyers are done, plans are in progress, all that's left is to wait until October when everyone arrives.
 If you've set up something similar do let me know, it would be good to get some advice from people.

People not Pieces

I like to use my own photos so here's a picture of church as I didn't conveniently have one of a jigsaw

There are actually two blog entries that I could write for this title so I am just going to choose based on my current mood.

Once we get a role in church we start to separate ourselves off. There, I said it. Now, I'm the sort of idiot that volunteers for anything and everything. "We need a volunteer" and my hand will automatically go straight up in the air like Hermione Granger. Half the time I don't even notice I've done it until I get home and think why did you do that? This year putting my hand up for things has got me in a spot of bother. Ever the eager beaver I have held the positions of programme president for my school, peer mentor co-ordinator, university senate member....the list goes on; I even accidentally landed myself a job last week. This stupidity, I believe, had had an impact on my academic achievement- I'm already waving goodbye to first class honours. It seems that I can't stop myself. I won't lie, because I have a list of 'titles' as long as my arm I've felt very important. I even set something as my email signature because I felt so important- but now I just feel like a bit of a pillock. I've found myself, at times, alienated from my peers because of the work I've had to do and regret the times where I've puffed myself up like an exotic bird wearing my special polo shirt with my name on it.

It's not only university that I've volunteered at. School, college, church and any other social situation I find myself in ends up with me joining something. Fortunately, I've now realised my problem and am looking to combat it. So when I speak generally about what having responsibility does to us I'm not making specific reference to where I am now, or even specific instances in the past, I have a lot of experience.

Like any place, church is somewhere where we can sign up for things and volunteer- cleaning, flower arranging, singing in the choir, warden, lay reader etc. Once you have your role, you are a ____ and not just the congregation. Without volunteers the life and work of the church would be a lot more difficult so I am definitely not saying don't volunteer! Human frailty leaves us susceptible to pride. That little warm feeling you get when someone complements you is great but remember that you're there for the church not the complements. I'm going to use a controversial example here, it's not personal because it happens in loads of places but this is the clearest one. 

Being a member of the choir is a great way to share your talents with the church family. We've all been there, a wedding or service where nobody knows the hymn and you're counting down how many verses you've got too go before it ends. When there's a choir everyone is more confident which creates a better atmosphere for praise. Not much sounds better than a hundred strong voices singing some good old Charles Wesley. A phrase that crops up quite a lot in choir practice is 'the congregation'. It makes sense, sometimes the choir sings bits, sometimes everyone does, it's an easy way to demarcate what's going on. Unfortunately 'the congregation' also sets boundaries of 'us and them'. Now as 2/3 of a literature has taught me when you start using binary oppositions things get a bit messy, even with the best intention.  One of these messy things is self importance. I'm going to continue my metaphor because it's easier than starting a new one. If you're a choir member then my apologies, I've not got a vendetta, I promise. As is the nature of music church choirs can also perform as well as worship. This can be a difficult line to draw. Once services become about performing it's no longer about God and you might as well be in any choir rather than a church one. It's a slippery slope. I'm sure if I was asked to sing in church I'd probably be focusing more on my technique and performing to 'the congregation' than God. And that's where the problem is. 

For us to progress and spread ministry we need to be united.

Mark 3:25- if a family splits into parties, that family cannot continue (WEY). Now while Jesus is referring to evil, and is frankly trying to show up some scribes for saying something stupid, it still works for the church. We are people, members of a church family, not pieces on a chess board. The organic nature of the church body requires everyone to work together in harmony to continue. Arms need to be open as do our minds. We are drawn into the church by God, we should go for God, we should volunteer for God, bring others for God, reach our for God and not ourselves.