Having visited a small church again this weekend, I am feeling enthusiastic about such congregations. After a busy and emotionally demanding week, walking into a room with 150 people in it produces a strongly negative reaction that I have to get past in order to pay attention to anything. I had forgotten that in small congregations:
You can 'pass the peace' with everyone in the room.
You can talk to the same person you spoke to last week without feeling overwhelmed by how many people you haven't met yet.
Communion doesn't take forever, and the minister has time to chat to the kids about what it all means.
People feel comfortable calling out prayer requests.
As visitors you get lots of attention (and cake)!
You feel as though the minister knows the people to whom he's preaching.
I'll avoid becoming some kind of small-church fanatic (I have met a few!) but at the moment, 30 or so seems a very sensible size for a congregation!
You can 'pass the peace' with everyone in the room.
You can talk to the same person you spoke to last week without feeling overwhelmed by how many people you haven't met yet.
Communion doesn't take forever, and the minister has time to chat to the kids about what it all means.
People feel comfortable calling out prayer requests.
As visitors you get lots of attention (and cake)!
You feel as though the minister knows the people to whom he's preaching.
I'll avoid becoming some kind of small-church fanatic (I have met a few!) but at the moment, 30 or so seems a very sensible size for a congregation!
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