Is it just me, or is it too early to have to go putting my foot down this hard?
Don't know what got into Dolorez. She asked me over breakfast if we can sing "They Will Know we are Christians by our Love" at this morning's Pouring-out of Beakers.
Well, I spoke the truth in love. I told her that song is the most drivellous, hippiest, unpostmodernist, daisy-chain-making piece of tosh that was ever sung in a forwards thinking, worship-lite context. We're not wasting our time singing stuff that a four-year-old would consider theologically shallow.
Nope, as it says in the pre-printed and therefore immutable order of service (which is for me - everybody else faces the other way, so can use the screen), the song we are singing to reflect our status as a respectful, loving and above all middle-class, intelligent congregation will be "Brother, sister, let me serve you."
Sadly I won't get the chance to be as Christ to Dolorez this morning. She went off in a huff and said she won't be there. How am I ever going to get to model Christlike behaviour to the Beaker Folk if they're always going to take offence? Dolorez has made my job really hard today. I hope she reflects on that. Still, I can be graceful. I'll go round after the Occasion, give her the chance to apologise.
I'm reminded by a quote in a book I read from someone who confessed to doing an act of charity in such a way that she'd not be asked to do another one.
ReplyDeleteCheryl: if it's the book I read, it was 'In this House of Brede' by Rumer Godden. At least the sentiment appears there, even if it wasn't where you read it.
ReplyDeleteArchdruid: a (late) colleague of mine used to quietly sing 'and they'll know we are Christians by the silly songs we sing…'
I'm sure you're right. I hesitated a bit over that book and one of the two written by Monica Baldwin, and ended by just not saying which one fo three it might be.
ReplyDelete