Maggies Co Chair Blog Nov 2024
I grew up at a time when children in church had to be seen but not heard although my church did not have a restrictive naughty pew like the one in the picture I do remember sitting on a hard pew with my feet dangling wanting to ask questions but being told Shh.
As an adult things did not change much. My children were tutted at for fidgeting and I was given frosty looks when they inevitably needed the toilet at a key point in the service. As a Sunday school teacher fifteen years later I had a complaint that one of the children ran down the aisle yelling yippee to come into the hall for my session. I took the view that such enthusiasm should be encouraged and maybe the adults should try it.
Later as a ministers wife I happily joined in with marching around the church to “we are marching in the Light of God” but it was still considered by some as revolutionary or not quite seemly. As a youth club leader I took young people to see Christian rock band Delerious In concert and danced my socks off in the dark but feeling like the oldest swinger in town when the lights came up.
Later I visited the Church of South India and saw how movement and dancing enhanced their worship. Men and women of of all ages were engaged in the music and dance. Sadly I did not master the art of dancing gracefully in a sari ..I lived in fear of it unravelling at any moment… but I enjoyed being part of their liturgical dance.
A later visit to Kenya saw me in Nairobi where I was introduced an african way of worship.I danced at the church and I danced in the streets as part of the churches outreach.I soon lost my inhibitions and moving and singing soon became second nature. Later in the trip we visited the Massai where I learned the joy of losing yourself in dance as part of worship. Both the pastor and the choir moved and weaved around the congregation for the whole time of worship.
Given my past experiences the recent World Federation day at Stamford brought back many memories . Dr Nancy Day led us out of our comfort zone and helped us to use muscles and movements that may not have been used for a while. Despite parts of my body feeling a bit “snap crackle and pop” the next day the day left me uplifted and keen to look for other opportunities to do the hokey cokey in church.
