Simon Marsh

I HAD A FRIEND AT SCHOOL, 30 odd years ago, who punctuated almost any conversation with “Yes, but hang on, we’ve got to factor in …” long before factoring in became popular usage in modern (industrial?) parlance. Whether we were building a go-kart, planning to ask a girl out, doing our Maths homework (or, in my case, not doing our Maths homework), James was after “factoring in” something or another. I think I must have caught the habit a bit …

Maggi Dawn has written well (if I may presume)

“spirit-led worship”

“It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech” - Mark Twain

Sermon-givers, worship leaders and spontaneous pray-ers, take note.

 

But I must factor in …

Here in Bramhall we had a fabulous Church Council Away-Day-But-At-Home today. Lots and lots of discoveries and re-discoveries about the Church, about Theology, about God, about sign and symbol, about liturgy and sacraments, about each other and our shared part in the perichoresis – the ‘dance’ of communication and pilgrimage between God the Holy Trinity and ourselves. All wonderful stuff.

But for me, the best part was the closing worship. Three groups were given 45 minutes to produce a half hour’s closing worship. Each of the three groups were given no more clue or direction than that they were each asked to contribute: an element of Word, an element of Prayer, and an element of Music. Each group reckoned either that it couldn’t be done or that it couldn’t be done in time.

At 2.30pm, in a semi circle, in our acoustically smashing parish hall (like so many parish halls!), with cd player, human voice, keyboard and bass guitar the offering of worship was, in my experience, simply outstanding. It was truly an offering and it was truly worship.

45 minutes’ preparation. And the liturgy began, hauntingly, with “Fanfare for the Common Man”.

Aye, James, “we’ve got to factor in” – THE HOLY SPIRIT.

PS - See also Maggi Dawn’s Planning vs Spontaneity