Wednesday 30 September 2015

Some thoughts on clothing worn during worship.

I don't now if anyone else has noticed this, but this is something I've frequently observed over the time of my ministry.

In churches where the minister / priest / pastor wears liturgical robes (alb / cassock and surplice / chasuble / etc.) during the worship service, the other members of the congregation wear a wide range of clothing during the service, based on their own preferences.

In churches where the minister / pastor wears academic-style or legal style robes during the worship service, the other members of the congregation are far more apt to wear business-style clothing during the service, even if they don't wear business-style clothing at any other time in a normal week.

In churches where the minister / pastor doesn't wear any robes during the service, many members of the congregation tend to copy the pastor's clothing style.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Explanations?

Monday 7 September 2015

A hymn about wisdom (based on Proverbs 1:20ff; 8:1ff, 9:1ff)

Tune:  “Molly Malone”

On the streets of each city
where the ethics aren’t pretty,
Wisdom calls out in the busiest square.
Off’ring insight in detail
(not seafood for retail),
Crying “Wisdom, knowledge, alive, alive-o”.

(Chorus:  Alive, alive-o, etc.)
To the simple, she’s cryin’
“Come, drink of my wine         (sung as "wy-un")
And eat of the bread at the table I’ve set.
Leave ign’rance behind!
Come now, stretch your mind!
Tasting wisdom, knowledge, alive, alive-o”

(Chorus:  Alive, alive-o, etc.)
Copyright:  Bob Faser, 2006
(based on Proverbs 1:20ff: 8:1ff; 9:1ff)

Permission is given to use this hymn in worship, provided that proper acknowledgement of authorship is made.