First, Northern Ireland does it right... now let me explain. When I was told that someone would come by me around half past ten to collect me at my residence for church on Sunday morning I thought it was a joke. As I am used to being in the states where the majority of church services start close to 9am, so being picked up at 10:30 for the eleven service had me over joyed. I was picked up by my Minister Allen Sleith and on the journey to the church, which is 10 miles from where I am living, we talked about what my life, and he went through the questions he was going to ask me in the pulpit. It is tradition to "quiz" or question the new YAV every year in the pulpit during the service. This not only made me nervous but was sort of scary. Once he went over the questions, like " tell us a bit about you?" and " tell us about your home church and town" he also then asked about my plans in the future and what my degree was in. So in the end it was not really a very long "quiz" and was actually quite simple. Before the service where this happened I was greeted by many of the members in the congregation which was a very nice welcome. Another language bit, when someone meets you for the first time and are being hospitable they say your welcome, which at first was hard to get used to but now has already become part of my new vocabulary.
Now for the bit about the service, one of the cultural changes here that is very different from me coming from a pretty traditional background for worship, here they have praise bands and do not typically sing traditional songs.This is a church with projector screens up so you can see the words and prayers and any part of the service which one is to take part in. This is a change that will take some time to get used to. At the same time, one of the things that I get to do in the church is bring new or should I say old songs or more traditional hymns to the church and try to work some of them into the service. Another thing that was interesting to me during the service was my solo, this was not a planned solo but in the states most congregations say Amen after everything, here it is just done by the minister so when it came to the end of a prayer, or reading I was fortunate enough to have solo's. That will defiantly take time to get used to.
Now the service in general was very similar, yet very different the sermon was on conviction and was very well preached especially for not being off a script. Everything else ran pretty smoothly, when we got to the doxology it was interesting to see that this congregation speaks it opposed to singing it, also I had another solo during the Lord's prayer with debts when they use trespasses. In the end, this was a wonderful service and I am extremely excited about the year ahead being able to worship in this congregation. After the service It was interesting to see that most of the congregation leaves and only a select few stay to greet one another. Their coffee hour is before the service and after the service everyone is out of the church within 5-10 minuets.
After church on Sunday's culture here is to have a big meal, so I was invited to Allen's house and had a huge meal of two types of potatoes, two meats, corn, carrots, turnip, peas, and much more. This is an important time of fellowship and a time where I got to know Allen his wife and two sons as well as the associate Johnny and his wife. This was a great meal and ended in 5 different deserts. Needless to say I am getting fed well and being taken care of.
After the lunch I was brought home and told I would be picked up again at 6:30 for the 7pm service. It is common practice that most churches have a night service. This service was a communion service and was very nice. Then after the service I was brought home and that was the end to my first day at the church.
The church is wonderful and welcoming and the people are lovely. The minister and associate are wonderful and I am happy to say that Regent Street is a wonderful fit for me thus far.
Liz
I know I am a bit behind on my blog all will be caught up soon. My apologies.
