Church Conflict 101- temporary resolutions...and other random thoughts!

Things are starting to look up...for now...regarding the casual service at church.  I met with the music director today and we talked through some issues and sat down and picked out music together and talked about the future of the service.  He's even offered to let me change up the worship order and take over some of his organizational tasks, which is a really good thing for me to work on (you will understand this if you know me well enough!  Haha...)  Anyway, it was a good day, and I feel so much better about things.  This, of course, is not to say that things are perfect now.  We still have a long way to go and many more issues to work through.  But if the music director and I are on the same page and willing to work together as a ministry team to make at least the music better, then we are at least getting somewhere.  I know that this service can be much better than it is now, and I hope to make it a service that inspires and touches people's lives, and gives them a new experience of God through worship.  I know it will take some time, patience, and prayers, but that with some faith and God's help, and the help of some people who are willing, we can make the service live up to the church's "motto", which is "More Spiritual, More Enthusiastic, More Alive."  Stay tuned- we'll see what happens!

I finally got to visit Corey's church tonight. He was asked to speak at a revival event they are having this week, and I was glad that I finally had a Monday night free of meetings and got to go.  The church where he works feels like a totally different world than my church! It's a Methodist church, but it has this almost camp meeting feel, a little charismatic, a little non-denominational, a little Baptist...and a little touchy feely.  I enjoyed the evening over all, but it was definitely an interesting experience.  I always find it interesting that churches can be so different even within the same denomination, particularly Methodism with all of its rules so clearly spelled out and hoops to jump through, etc.  But I feel that so often churches tend to stray from our Wesleyan heritage and tradition, and the Discipline, and go on their own way.  I'm not sure how I feel about that to be honest.  I like the fact that I can (most of the time) walk into a United Methodist Church and find obvious traces of Wesleyan theology, traditional liturgy, and (sometimes) the hymns.  I also appreciate the newness and freshness of the contemporary services that bring Wesleyan theology into a new light.  But...sometimes these things cannot be found in the UM churches today, even when the cross and flame are so prominently displayed.  So where does that leave us self-proclaimed United Methodists?  Are some of us moving away from the traditionalism that is so distinctly United Methodist?  Or are we simply trying new ways to bring Wesleyan thought to life and worship?  And finally, should it even matter as long as a church is filled with spirit-filled people who are praising God with all of their being?