And there was a meeting...

So I was all set up to make an introduction on the book of James for the Tuesday night bible study, when someone came running over from the church to say there was a meeting with the Kirchengemeinderat (Church leadership council) about the service, especially the “Modern” service. It was the first I’d heard of it but as I’m in charge of the Storytelling team I figured I’d better go.

It turned out that the meeting was a discussion about the services generally: what is good at the moment, what isn’t, and what we’d like to see. German churches are still very focused on “attractional” styles- getting people in to church, rather than meeting people where they are. Sometimes it was frustrating: it felt like one or two people were trying to stop anything changing rather than looking to see how we could reach the people around us, but the general feel was honest and positive. Only a couple of people got wound up. People allowed each other to speak instead of interrupting, most of the time. We didn’t have a powerbase trying to bring in their agenda- old or new. We got to know each other a little better. Importantly for the future, the “Modern Service”, now known as “Morgen(B)rot” Has been accepted as a regular part of the churches worship, although if this means it will be allowed to happen more than eight times a year is another matter.

I asked for more opportunities for people to bring their gifts to a service and try things out in worship, more storytelling, “third space” services in a different place to the church for people who won’t enter church building; and a greater emphasis on community, not form. Nobody started shouting yet, so I think I got away with it…