At one church where I play there are a number of people who robe and sit in the choir stalls in the chancel. However, they do not sing an anthem and the communion setting is not used (except on group service days). They just sing the hymns in harmony.
The small congregation tends to be located from the middle to the rear of the nave. It struck me that this is an 'us' and 'them' situation and one wonders what the point is.
There was only a small congregation this morning for Advent Sunday communion. Perhaps the locals all knew the church heating was on the blink.
The sermon was actually about getting more people to attend church and someone has come up with a 3-part mantra. People are supposed to say to their friends...
However, newcomers must not expect church always to be 'flully' and lovely without any challenges!
I played for a 09:30 service this morning (I've just had coffee at home). I arrived at 08:56 to get my books ready and because I usually ring before the service.
There were 5 in the choir and only 9 in the congregation plus the vicar and me: total 16. I suppose it is only small(ish) village but I noticed that the average age was at least 65. One wonders where the congregations of the future will come from.
It was a fairy brisk 55 minute service - not drawn out - which I like; 4 hymns but a communion setting was used for the Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei.
I played at a new (to me) church today in a different benefice to normal. I have played at another church in this benefice where the people are very friendly. This, however, was a group service so there were representatives from all the churches.
Not wishing to suggest that nobody spoke to me, I was greeted by a couple of choir members and a couple of the congregation said "Hello" as I waited for coffee after the service.
However, largely I was ignored. Had I been a potential new member of the congregation I was not encouraged returned. Perhaps it was obvious that I was the organist and people concluded that I was just there to do a job. Nevertheless folk did break up into small groups and nobody really made the effort to engage me in conversation. I did try with one chap but he was having none of it.
It baffles me how one can go to church and hear the congregation praying to be made into better people and to uphold the Christian way of life: yet one is just ignored.
Something isn't right.
In the UK, church congregations like to spread out. (Image processed for 'security')
I have realised for a long time that the churches where I play the organ are attended by middle class people. I have not seen anybody who is unsure where their next meal is coming from, who might be in need of a bath or whose clothes have seen better days. This trend has been observed and written about on the web HERE and HERE
Looking back over my church attendance during the last 60 years I cannot recall having seen the less well-to-do filling the pews. (Some people may be good at hiding their financial status I suppose.)
It seems to me that - with the current cost of living crisis - those who attend church are going to start feeling the pinch. I don't have any answers but it just feels wrong that church is a place where people can congratulate each other and feel comfortable that they belong to a 'club' which is attended by folk in their own social class.
Matthew 26:11 "The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me." (NIV). I think the poor feel shunned. This brings me back to my post about not having been contacted by anyone from my nearest church. Once you leave (or if you never appear) it is a case of "out of sight, out of mind."
A friend and I agree that some church congregations can be rather pushy and nosey: they are also keen for people to get involved in things. However, if one stays away for a period of time it is rare that anybody bothers to check up on you.
Following my abrupt exit from the ringing chamber a few weeks ago nobody has contacted me to see how I am. I have - as the amusing mis-quotation goes - passed a lot of water since then and I now understand what happened. (This ought to be the last time I blog about this by the way.)
I dare not go ringing again, even if I wanted to, because there would be too much explaining to do. I suppose people are taking a 'Let sleeping dogs lie' approach, or 'He'll come back when he is ready'.
Relating yesterday's post on Cognitive Dissonance to ringing, I know now that I did not want to give up ringing but I knew that I had to do so. What is more I have known for a while. I was becoming increasingly tense and fed up whilst ringing because I gain so little from it these days. The little I could gain is a decent ring with everyone knowing the method pretty well, which is not much reward for having given up an evening to help people who have made no effort during the past 7 days. This is very common theme in towers.
As a musician I know it is bad to practise and lock in one's mistakes but this is what regularly happens in bellringing because nobody will say anything. I can only bottle things up for so long and then I burst. Add to that the quasi-grief at realising that my ringing days are over and it is no surprise that I made a swift exit.
Perhaps someone in my tower will read this blog and understand that I am not a bad person. The reason I get so depressed in church services is that not even I will storm out of a service for which I am playing the organ: I have wanted to a few times.
I played for a funeral yesterday at a lovely church which only had a small organ on a balcony. There were 5 stops (but 6 knobs, as one stop has Bass and Treble which is very common because the bass is shared). The organ did not produce a great deal of volume but I was very happy with my playing: rhythm and purpose in playing can lead a congregation better than volume. I played for a good 15 minutes before the service: the congregation had started to arrive 30 minutes early but I let them chatter for a while.
Sad to say the hymn singing was poor, at least up in the balcony where the overflow congregation was seated. 'Crimond' was not too bad but the dreaded 'All things Bright and Beautiful' was dire as was the requested 'The Old Rugges Cross'.
The service was taken well and without awkward pauses. I have another one to play for at the same church next week.
It is clear - moreso than ever before - that congregations are getting older and smaller in size. Most of the churches I have played at are short of cash*. I do not ask a particular fee when I play, they are free to offer me whatever honorarium they can afford. (That said, there comes a point when it is not worth my while going).
If there is a congregation of 20 and each person puts £5 into the collection that is £100 so the church takes £5200 a year as a ball park figure. You can Google to find out how a Parish Share is calculated; this pays for clergy, pensions, training and other things.
Little wonder some places do not have their organ tuned. However, I have seen many churches where they have splashed out to have kitchens, a toilet and other facilities built, so there is money about.
The situation will get harder and not easier.
*That said, one church has spent a lot on the equipment necessary to stream services now that people are staying away. Who wants to turn out to a cold church when they can watch at home?
