As I introduced today's service I told people it was a bit like marmite - they might love it, they might hate it but they wouldn't be ambivalent about it. A few people made very positive remarks - such as 'I don't like marmite but I loved this' and no-one was admitting to hating it. It's perhaps as well Jesus wasn't dependent on us chanting 'hosanna' as it was all rather an effort, but overall it went well - and the fig tree worked out OK too.
As it is school holidays we don't have to put the chairs away, which is rather nice. However, for Easter Sunday we won't want to 'street scene' of rows facing inwards so I asked those left at the end what they'd like "round" came the reply, so round it is. The caretaker arrived to lock up and commented on the change of layout; 'yes,' said one of my folks, 'triangles next.... aha!' So now I am faced with a Trinity Sunday service in a triangular layout... fortunately one or two ideas are already bubbling up from my addled brain cell.
One thing that saddened me was that on Thursday we are due at D+1 for a shared service with them and D+2 but unless we gave them numbers today they were going to cancel it as D+2 aren't going. Perhaps just as well we are going. Whilst I'm a tad irritated that D+2 have opted out, I'm more saddened that D+1 wouldn't go ahead for just a few of their own - imagine if God took that attitude...
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I look forward to hearing about your triangle service. Discuss. Is the Trinity an eternal triangle, or a virtuous circle?
Our Palm Sunday-ish dedication service was definitely a bit Marmity (pronounce that how you will!)
A stripped down 45 minute service with no sermon, only one conventional hymn and 20 children (10 more than anticipated) playing at normal playing volume at the back. My strategy was to keep them in for the service and keep it moving. Hadn't reckoned with an unchurched adult making as much noise as his 3 year old! Oh, and to compound things the microphone didn't work!
The visitors loved it - even the bloke I'd sized up as a bit of a misery said it was brilliant! Great grandma hobbled up to me at the do afterwards and said she'd loved it. Most of the home supporters really enjoyed having the visitors there (probably around 100 of them), even if they didn't get their usual Sunday morning fix of hymn sandwiches and half-baked reflections.... However, one person hated it and would hardly speak to me afterwards. So that's a pastoral visit tomorrow - and a good chance to try out the bit of the Bridge Builders foundation course on keeping lines of communication open and maintaining a calm, self-defining presence as a leader in an anxious system!
Oh, and the child's mum who has brought her 5 children to church for the last month intends to be with us for our craft morning on Tuesday and for church on Easter Sunday.
I tell you, if the children didn't shout for joy, the very stones would cry out (but that would be alright as no-one would mind us ejecting the rocks until after the end of the service)!
As you say in conclusion, God is less easily discouraged than the best of us. Which is a good job really!