From the Parish Priest

When you come to Church what coat do you wear? Is it a fashionable gillet that doesn't really keep you warm at all or is it a long, warm, padded overcoat? Maybe it's a short, furry jacket or a "Michelin-Man" type puffer jacket? According to the New Year edition of the Church Times, it's not a coat at all that you should wear to Church, but instead come in your thickest skin. The weekly paper carried out a survey of bad manners in Church and even the editor admits to being shocked by so much rudeness and ineptitude.

A lady in a wheelchair was asked to go home after the sidesman said: "Oh dear, I don't know where we're going to put you!"

A young mum was met outside the Church by an older lady worshipper who asked if the mum was going inside. "No", she was told, to which the reply was: "Good, I thought I'd come to the wrong service."

A Churchwarden talking to the Priest after a service said: "A lot of people in Church today. I got the feeling you were encouraging them even though they weren't really our type."

A man visited a Church which was quite full but he found a spare seat. "You can't sit there, that's Elizabeth's seat" he was told. He moved and was greeted with "You can't sit there either, that's David's seat." On his third attempt, he was shown where to sit, with the words: "Sit in that space, it's Davie's seat, but he's dead".

The Church Times had two pages devoted to rude incidents happening in Churches. Some are very unfortunate and probably were never intended to insult or upset. Other incidents however, show just how malicious and nasty Church members can be, either to each other, or worse, to visitors and strangers.

Recently I heard a story concerning a member of St. George's Church. A new mother was asked to take her children into a side room so that the children's noise didn't disturb the congregation. Fortunately that wasn't in this parish, and St. George's has benefited enormously from the family's decision to change churches as a result.

Remember, in everything you say and in everything you do, you represent the Church. Although many people give excuses for not attending Church, and the behaviour of other church members is an often quoted excuse, make sure that you are not the one responsible for turning someone away. "Thick skins" should not be needed here!

Fr Mike