Date: Sunday 2nd April
Locations: Bracknell and Watford
Special occasion: none
Speakers
Osagie and Heinrich spoke in Watford and Bracknell respectively. Neither have much experience, but both did well and gave us much to think about. There was a noticeable strength of connection with the congregation created by, in part, the freshness of their voices. Their use of A/V was especially effective.
Today’s lesson: consider using video more often in future lessons
Music
We learned a new song in Watford, “Come, people of the risen King”, and the congregation picked it up quicker than I expected. In Bracknell, we were tight for setup time even more than usual, but we still managed a group prayer before starting, which made all the difference.
Today’s lesson: teach more new songs in Watford. Ensure we pray together in Bracknell before starting the service.
Connection
Mervs’ communion created a strong connection between him and the congregation (in Bracknell) because of the openness with which he shared his personal story of drifting from God and returning.
The Watkins family welcomed us, and seeing all three up there, each with a part to play, was a lovely way to begin. All three of them participating helped us connect.
Joe (in Watford) used pictures of children in the congregation to illustrate his point. This connected us to one another with a sense of all being family in the church.
Today’s lessons: remind speakers to be personal and open where appropriate. Find ways to keep families and children visible.
Other Matters
- We had too many chairs out in Watford. As a result we were scattered around the room. Put less chairs out next week.
Last week I said we would prioritise:
- Prayer together before we start – done
- Only one new/unfamiliar song – done
- Start on time – 3 minutes late. Continue to work on this
This week I’ll prioritise:
- Keep children and families visible and valued
- Fewer chairs
- Start on time
Let me know your ideas. You can leave a message here, or send me an email: mccx@mac.com.
God bless,
Malcolm
