So today was going to be a more normal Sunday at Fairview UMC following the extravaganza last week with the Gospel choir and lunch. What passes for normal at Fairview is quite different to a normal Sunday for me in the UK. The format here is 9am Contemporary Worship, 10am Bible Class and 11am traditional worship. Add in to this mix that it was also communion at both services and it made it a busy morning.
I’d suggested that we use one of the UK Methodist communion services. But to be honest I think this wasn’t a great idea. With a number of other things in the service we had to shoe horn it in which made the flow disjointed. So I’m not sure the Congregation appreciated it.
I suppose I am used to setting the pace and format of a communion service myself rather than having to work around other people. Even at Stratton where the worship leaders usually open worship they know how to accommodate the liturgy and I know how to work with them.
So quite a learning exercise for me about team ministry.
I thought the contemporary worship was excellent. I liked the songs chosen; I thought the graphics that went with the PowerPoint slides beautiful and the worship band and singers did a great job.
The other thing I had to adjust was the length of my sermon for the 9am service. Regardless of what happened I had to be out of the service just before 10am so I could go and teach the Bible class. As it was I’d cut down the sermon length in my notes and given timing I cut it further. But all good experience.
The moral – co-ordinate more with those involved. Though in my defence I had not experienced the Contemporary Worship or how Fairview does communion before.
But this is what the exchange is about; to learn.
Came back feeling pretty tired so was pleased to be able to veg out with my book this afternoon. (Just wish I could have somehow seen the Andy Murray victory at Wimbledon – though he had won by the time I came home from church.)
This evening I went to a rodeo! Well that’s not strictly true it was just Bull Riding. Although I’d seen this on TV in the past it is quite a spectacle. And having met last Thursday a past 2 time bull riding world champion, I knew a little bit about it. Basically the rider has to stay on for 8 seconds. The rider (and bull!) are then marked for technique.
I have to say that other than appreciating someone staying on a bucking bull for 8 seconds I couldn’t really get technique other than maybe neither rider nor bull, er, leaving their mark!
One of the people from Fairview I went with is originally from New York and he’d never been to watch bull riding previously and he was as bemused as I was. But it is a spectacle and the people watching was great.
But it is not just bull riding. After the first lot of bull riding, there were various sections for children and young people. Starting with sheep riding for children aged about 4 or 5! Progressing through calf riding for those aged around 10 I should say and finally for teenagers steer riding. All slightly bizarre. My New York friend and I questioned why anyone would let their 4 year old child ride on the back of a sheep, a calf or a steer in the first place. In the UK this would be illegal on so many counts – especially riding a sheep!
In the half time break there were various games for children. One involved getting the kids to line up against the fence. A bull calf was then let in to the arena. The calf had a bow tied to its tail. The children then chased the calf. The first child to untie the ribbon on the tail won a prize. Children and rampaging calf. What could possibly go wrong? (Fortunately nothing did.)
The evening ended with a firework display. Bulls in pens and loads of fireworks going off overhead. What could possibly go wrong? (Take 2)
All in all a fun evening.
My New York friend and I pondered whether instead of a Fairview softball team there should be a church bull riding team. After all the 2 time former world champion bull rider attends Fairview. Sounds like a plan to me.
I’m not sure many people will have come across a French TV show called Intervilles. We discovered it on holiday. Fair do's to the French they know how to have fun with bulls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGBbYCdDS1A
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