Apoplectic Changes

Here's something I posted on 5 May 2010, about changes during the course of my urban ministry -- appropriately titled Apoplectic Changes.

Our Church was a fairly formal place when I arrived. I ruined that. I was joking recently that, if some people were still around, they might suffer apoplexy at what they saw today. Here's what they would see that they didn't see then: up to a third of the congregation walking in late. Deacons attending without ties (or even collars). The Queen's English has pretty much suffered a fatality. Non-English languages are peppered about. The order of service gets changed impromptu. One will occasionally see political symbols among congregants (a no-no back then -- for instance, the hammer and sickle). There may be clapping, laughing in Church now. Some raise their hands in worship. Half of the old memorial plaques have been moved, and we have large notice-boards up now. There's frequent congregational participation in services. And various things besides. There are more people now, too.  OBSERVATION: I think I've proved that chaos is the secret to Church growth. However, in spite of what I've said, one might still call our Church "traditional".