Weekly News

A REFLECTION FROM JACKIE TUVEY-SMITH

In the essentials, unity.  In the non-essentials, liberty.  In everything else, love

Last Sunday morning I spoke about a passage from Romans (Chapter 14 v1-12) about divisions in the Roman church regarding attitudes towards eating meat offered to idols and observance of the Sabbath.  On Sunday evening at a lovely Evensong service Rev Sue talked about divisions in society, in different parts of the world and in our churches.  I am going to continue that theme of division in this reflection, in particular division in our churches, or at least, one aspect of it.

Let me start with my journey through the churches in York.  I started my journey at St Michael le Belfry (now just called The Belfry) where I worshipped for approximately four years.  I was there at the height of Rev David Watson’s fame as a wonderful preacher and the leader of the missionary team which went out from St Mike’s, as it tended to be known in those days, to different areas of Britain in order to preach the Gospel and lead people to make a commitment to Jesus.  The emphasis at St Mike’s was definitely on the preaching, not on the liturgy.

One Sunday evening I was convinced that God told me not to go to St Mike’s anymore but instead to come to St Oswald’s, the church in which I was baptised, and I had lived in the Parish all my life up to that point.  It was a bit of a culture shock.  The most obvious difference which hit me immediately was in the hymns and the lack of modern worship songs.  The teaching was very good and the liturgy was definitely more formal.

After nearly three years I got married and moved out of the parish and started to attend a very evangelical church, still Anglican, which made St Mike’s seem decidedly formal!  We worshipped there for sixteen years before returning to St Oswald’s in 1999.  By this time there was a more ‘modern’ feel than previously and we transitioned very readily from Holy Communion once a month to Holy Communion three times per month.

Over the years I had experienced Book of Common Prayer services although very infrequently, but I decided a few years ago to give our Wednesday morning BCP service a try.  I would describe the service as being outside my comfort zone but I thought it was worth exploring because it was another way to worship God.  I very quickly came to value this service.  It became a quiet oasis in my week in which I could share with others the liturgy which had been appreciated by many generations for over 350 years, hear God’s word read and receive Rev Sue’s wisdom through her preaching.

On Sunday evening I went to Evensong, not a new service to me, but again, one outside my comfort zone because  I struggle with the responses and the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (although, of course, these will be easier to sing with familiarity) but enjoyed hearing the choir sing so beautifully.

So, what has all this to do with division?  Just as the Roman Christians criticised each other for eating or not eating meat offered to idols and for observing or not observing the Sabbath, so today we hear many Christians criticising each other for the different types of worship they enjoy.  The traditionalists can find very modern services disrespectful or even flippant.  Those who prefer these more modern services find the more traditional services staid or even  incomprehensible.

The different styles of music can be even more emotive as can the instruments used, but I can assure you there are people who love both the organ and drums!  Me for instance.
In the Church of England there is a huge range in styles of worship in our churches.  Does that matter?  No.  What matters is who we worship.  All that matters is Jesus is the one who is worshipped and the teachings of the Bible are taught and upheld.

Finally, I want to re-iterate what I said on Sunday morning.  Paul’s teaching could be summed up as in the essentials, unity; in the non-essentials, liberty; in everything else, love.  So let’s not criticise our Christian brothers and sisters for the type of worship service they choose to attend, but celebrate that they are our brothers and sisters who share in our common faith in, and love for, Jesus.  There is so much more that unites us than that which divides us.  So, if you think a service may not be for you, go on, be brave and give it a try.  Who knows you too may come to value those services which you thought weren’t for you?