Ship of Fools: Emmanuel, Weston-super-Mare

The Mystery Worshipper

Ship of Fools: Emmanuel, Weston-super-Mare

In a seaside holiday town, sharing the joy of a congregation with their newly priested curate

Read the full Mystery Worshipper report here

Box Pew

Years ago I used to think, when finding myself the youngest person in the congregation, that it wont be like that forever. But like the Mystery Worshipper in Weston Super Mare, I still often find myself the youngest person there ....... This is not a good situation.

Bishops Finger

Box Pew wrote: »

Years ago I used to think, when finding myself the youngest person in the congregation, that it wont be like that forever. But like the Mystery Worshipper in Weston Super Mare, I still often find myself the youngest person there ....... This is not a good situation.

I agree, but, in this case, it does appear from their website that the sister church (Christ Church) has a different, and younger, demographic, as the MWer implies in the *Church Info* section.

angloid

There are plenty of churches like this: evangelical or low-church liturgical tradition, predominantly elderly congregation, that tend to get ignored or passed over in the HTB-inspired rush to be 'relevant' and 'successful'. Despite the demographic pessimism, I have a feeling that many of them will still be around when the trendier places have collapsed.
Irrelevant PS though: I can't help squirming when I come across 'priest' being used as a verb, especially as a synonym for 'ordained'. Am I the only one?

Bishops Finger

No - I don't like the use of *priest* as a verb, either.

Back to Weston-super-Mare, and I see from their website that both churches have their main service at 1030am on Sundays, so it seems as though those who want quieter, more traditional worship don't have to get up at silly o'clock for a 9am service...which, for older people (and I know whereof I speak) is sometimes asking too much.