Spiritual stage management

A few weeks back, I led my church service. I had been invited to do this by the curate. I am one of a group of people who are being groomed to serve in this way to enrich the culture of our church. Our church wants to be one in which members of the congregation are active in worship and service, not just those who are ordained. After a period of doubt in my faith, and of deep doubt in myself, this invitation felt like it could not be turned down. Sometimes you have to do the thing that scares you.

I had led a service the year before, during our interregnum, but it was a team effort and I don’t think I really knew what I was doing. I had also recently helped run a service with my home group, while most of the church went on a weekend away, but that was low-key, casual and short – I think we managed to shave 20 minutes off the service!

I attended, for the first time, the service planning meeting where all the magic happens. The vicar gave me a series of instructions on what to do and why. Boy, were my eyes opened! …

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This is an extract from the June 2017 edition of Reform

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