You get to do some odd things as a Methodist local preacher, but today was well up there with the most humourous of them all! I was invited to lead a service to open a fairground in a quaint little village ten miles south of Darlington called north cowton. I expected a few rows of chairs and a lecturn, kinda like those outdoor weddings you see on american films, but far from it... Largely due to the rain, myself and the organist were situated in the waltzers and the congregations crowded under a coconut shy... very bizarre!
The fair is clearly a big annual event and each year the small methodist chapel holds this service not out of tradition or because they want to, but because every year the people of the village ask them to do so. The church is a central part to the community and so it makes sense that on this special occasion the church should play a special part. I've never lived in a village before but i find the concept of the village chapel something worth considering as we continue think about what it means to be church when there are fewer geographical communities left.
wow, that looks like it was very cool. The strangest place I've been asked to preach was in an old folk's home! I love the waltzers, they're my favourite fairground ride :)
Posted by: lou | June 12, 2005 at 11:20 PM