Tonight our 'thing in a pub' had a social evening.  We were a few less people than usual but we had a guest - a minister from darkest HEBA (joke, honestly, I'm sure HEBA is not dark at all) who joined in wonderfully - and we had a great time.

We discovered how the two ministers had spent our 'youths' - so the other one can do a proper casino shuffle of Uno cards, whilst  I am more successful at Jenga (as taught to me by some Mancunian Anglicans!).

Our best success was a Jenga tower 32 storeys high - no mean feat for those who've played this game.  But probably the funniest moment of the evening was when I won the first hand of Uno - and promptly fell backwards off my stool into the coal skuttle!  And I'd only been drinking J2O honestly.

I think everyone enjoyed themselves, and we did have bar staff watching our Jenga tower growing higher and higher.

Just before the end of the evening a couple of men wandered into the lounge where we meet, apologised and started to back away unti we invited them in.  We were mid-hand of Uno at the time and one said 'what's this then, a seance' which (fortunately) caused us all great hilarity.  Perhaps as well they didn't come earlier and see the fallen Vicar of Dibley?!

I really hope our folk were encouraged that someone had travelled to see us in our unusual way of being church.  Next month we have a minister who does family history coming to share something of his work and story... hopefully with some laughter too, but perhaps I'd better take up beer to stop me falling off the chairs!!

Eee bah gum, Postman Pat got religion!  Thank to Andy J for pointing me to Christian Pat and his Charismatic Cat

Enjoy!

In an attempt to bridge the chasm between church and lunch club, we've decided that twice a year we'll take church to the sheltered complexes where many of the members live, and twice a year we'll invite them to a special of ours.  The first attempt occurs on Low Sunday, and yesterday I handed out slips for people to request hymns for us to sing.  The choices are, for the most part, predictable and frankly quite funereal, though there are a few really lovely ones.

What was more telling was the reasons stated for the choices - almost always that it was their parents' favourite - which probably means they last sang it at a funeral anyway.  These, mostly Victorian,  hymns would have been fairly 'modern' when these people's parents learned them and are now old standards.  I think what saddens me slightly is that these lovely people - mostly in their 80's, and ranging from 65 to 102 - don't 'own' any hymns or songs of their own.  What will their children or grandchildren choose, if anything, when the time comes to say 'goodbye'?

As I look back over my own family, and the funerals I've attended, at least we have always sung hymns/songs that mattered to the individuals rather than the ones that we happened to know because they were sung at funerals.

Still, we will sing the hymns that have been chosen, and I will make sure I have a suitably large supply of tissues on hand for 'Abide with me' (which is far too good to be kept for funerals anyway and was actually written, so far as I understand, as an evening hymn).  Old rugged crosses, unfailing love and protective sheperds - these are great themes to sing about even if I will have to blank the images and lily-scents of Loughborough Crem from my mind!!