OK, the sermon is dragging on a bit, and you’ve noticed something embarrassing with their tie, or jacket. Have you ever wanted to elbow the person next to you and chat? Or you’ve not agreed with what has been said and you wanted to discuss that with your partner? Or to make a comment about the choice of hymns? Can we allow ‘chat’ in church?
It just doesn’t happen. Or should it?
Social Media Interaction…No?
With the advent of Zoom – although I’m sure it was there well before March 2020 – we now have the possibility of adding comments with the Chat facility. It’s also present on FB or Insta, whatever. But is it really acceptable?…during a service?
As a teacher in the past, I have often wondered whether the normal teaching method of “I say..you do” was always successful. One day, I asked the class to turn to their neighbours and explain what I had just said when learning a new technique to solve a mathematical problem. OK, wasn’t expecting so much laughter – I couldn’t have been that bad..or was I?
The children put it into their words and far more understood. It was something that I used often after that. Perhaps we can deliver something to some people, but others may prefer it explained in a different manner.
[And yes I did also use VAK methods, if you are aware of them]
Online Chat anyone?
So, during recent Zoom Church services we have intentionally asked questions on chat which have complimented the sermon material.
This week it was “How do “we” convey that ‘all’ are welcome?”
When we played this song:
A line stood out ‘in this place?’, so “where is that place” was a question that was asked?
“I always thought that when we sang the hymn ‘all are welcome’ I thought it meant the building in which we worship .This morning , I realised it means “wherever we are”, whether in Church, in the market place, or speaking one to one.” ….came the response.
“Welcoming, l believe, starts in your head with your attitude, moves to your heart with compassion, then moves to your body with action.”
“Welcome, is feeling safe in the
environment we are in….”
But welcoming was not only for the expected recipient: as this was soon followed by:
“We too need to feel safe, as we who are giving the welcome. We too are the blind, lame, poor, marginalised, the imperfect people of God.
So, can we allow chat in Church? When such powerful responses may have not been ‘heard’, or seen, in todays context? But were today.
Can we chat in Church?
I enjoy Cafe style worship for the very reason that it allows people the opportunity to chat about what they think and convey that if they wish to the rest of the group/congregation.
From email received from this blog post:
“When I attended Cornholme Methodist Church (1958 ish) we tried a different form of service sometimes.Instead of a sermon, we split into small groups and talked about a given theme. Some of the congregation enjoyed the time to talk with others, some were not keen and some would not join in the conversation because “we’ve never done it before”. Perhaps we could try once a month and have a service consisting of a hymn, a prayer a short sermon (to include a bible reading) and a chat led initially by the preacher.”
Interesting to note that “we’ve never done it before” isn’t anything new!