I decided I needed to indulge my Methodist tendencies this morning and went to Cathays Methodist Church".* On the whole it was a good service. Stephen coped with the issue of children's address (which isn't part of the liturgy) and Epiphany by having a hymn, reading (Matthew 2), talk, hymn, children left, Covenant liturgy. He lost points by only having the prophecy reading and the Gospel, omitting the Law and Epistles and the responses and by telling us to sit for the Eucharistic prayer. He did however use the right words which gets him lot of points.
There is a structure to the readings which develops the idea of Covenant through the scriptures, so I don't understand why people drop them. There is a note at the start which says it is to be used in full. The Law reading is 8 verses and the Epistle only 2 so it does not even save much time.
People were very friendly. The minister greeted me as I arrived (I do know him from other sources) but also spoke to another newcomer in the row behind me. He was greeted by more people than I was, but that was good because I was looking at the hymns and the service to prepare myself so I did not want to be talked to. It was good that that was respected.
*I like the Cardiff Circuit website because it gives the plan so I could find out when all the Covenant Services were. My usual haunt is Llandaf North (I'm a regular -- I've been once a year for the last three) but they were having next week when I'll be away. So I went for Cathays.
There is a structure to the readings which develops the idea of Covenant through the scriptures, so I don't understand why people drop them. There is a note at the start which says it is to be used in full. The Law reading is 8 verses and the Epistle only 2 so it does not even save much time.
People were very friendly. The minister greeted me as I arrived (I do know him from other sources) but also spoke to another newcomer in the row behind me. He was greeted by more people than I was, but that was good because I was looking at the hymns and the service to prepare myself so I did not want to be talked to. It was good that that was respected.
*I like the Cardiff Circuit website because it gives the plan so I could find out when all the Covenant Services were. My usual haunt is Llandaf North (I'm a regular -- I've been once a year for the last three) but they were having next week when I'll be away. So I went for Cathays.