This is a bank holiday weekend for me... and today is the Bellshill Gala Day. The Salvation Army are always well represented - we bring the Emergency Van out and provide the good folks of Bellshill with tea, coffee and hot rolls. We also have a couple of stalls with quality thrift and the Band have a slot between 1200 and 1300hrs. Its always good to here the Band and see them represent their Lord in this unique way.
Didn't get any good music this year... which is always a wee bit disappointing... but, hey! the search continues. Digging in the crates is a lifestyle choice..!
Afterwards... we headed over to Hamilton to see the third installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I won't spoil it for anyone... although I will say it is darker than the previous two films... not as much humour. 3 hours well spent - it is enjoyable and well presented with the cast acting their socks off.
Later on... after Janey and Roscoe arrived to babysit for us (Thanks guys!) Olly and I headed over to the GLO centre in Motherwell for a worship event. Bobbito had asked us to come along... kind of a wee factfind for S*N*A*C etc.
I enjoyed parts of the evening... it was a gathering of the local youth groups and a testament to the folks who run it. The "house" band for the One event is led by local hero, David Ramage, and I have to say they were very strong. Didn't know the songs they played... but knew I would eventually with their help.
When they finished and there was a icebreaker game where a lassie won an iPod it all kind of went downhill a bit. An American mission team from Connecticut were there for the weekend and they took over.
Why did it go downhill? Well... it wasn't all bad but I do resent getting mugged for money to support the team before they had done anything. Need funds? Don't get on a plane! I know this is uncharitable but I don't appreciate televangelism of any sort... and this came very close. I didn't need to touch my telly... but there was a point where I thought the preppy chap was going to ask me to do something similar.
Afterwards, their band came to lead worship and they did a good job... they had an interesting almost post rock sound with guitars, keys and a violin. But the thing is... I couldn't participate with their worship. I simply didn't know their songs and couldn't pick them up... even though it seemed like they were playing the same song over and over.
The pastor then spoke... at length... and called a response time that nobody responded to. Something he didn't pick up on... and he dragged it out.
It was good to be there... even though Olly took one of her migraines due to the volume of the music... and lack of food. Good because I was encouraged by the youth movements that are happening in and around Motherwell. God is alive and His church is vibrant.
What disappointed me was how linear and samesy the meeting was... and how I couldn't participate. Sure there were testimonies... but they were from the American team. I didn't know the songs and the thought lacked any opportunity for participation.
It got me thinking about S*N*A*C and how it is different - its about participation... contribution and not consumption... its about a one-to-one experience with Jesus through creative exploration. Its about new ways... not existing formulas. I'm not intending to be critical of the evening... far from it. It just didn't work for me in the same way it worked for others.
I did take great pleasure in seeing Fiona G there tonight though. Fiona is one of our young folk who has moved on from Bellshill and, in doing so, deepened her faith through attending another church. I am pleased that she is continuing to walk with her God... and that she hasn't fallen away. She is, in part, an inspiration for the things we do in Bellshill. I don't want anybody else to have to walk away so as to come closer to God.
Technorati Tags: motherwell, bellshill
1 comment:
Thomas,
The ONE event is led by Fraser Murdoch and his team. Fraser will be joining us at Maranatha Camp this year to speak to the young people.
Post a Comment