Mystery Worshipper Guidelines
Amanda B Reckondwyth
Shipmate
Welcome to The Mystery Worshipper, where you may comment on Mystery Worship reports that have been published on the Ship and reply to comments that have been posted by others. As always, please read the guidelines before posting. Please read them in conjunction with our FAQs & the Ship's 10 Commandments.
1. New threads
New threads on this forum are begun by posting a comment within a Mystery Worship report itself. If you are not registered as a Ship of Fools user, you will be asked to register before you may post a comment. The title of each thread is generated automatically by the software.
2. Staying on topic
This is a dedicated forum and the discussion should focus on the contents of the reports themselves. The kinds of threads acceptable here are: feedback or disagreement by clergy, staff or congregation regarding what was reported; sharing of experiences, both positive and negative, you may have had at the church; emerging and traditional worship practices as reflected in the church’s way of doing things; debates about liturgical and worship issues raised. Unacceptable threads include gossip, whether substantiated or not, about the church or its clergy and staff; and hate speech directed against the church, any person associated with it, or the denomination of which it is a member.
3. No outings!
There will be no outing of Mystery Worshippers, so do not ask or speculate. By the same token, any Mystery Worshipper responding to a thread about one of their reports is requested to maintain the same pseudonym under which they submitted the report.
4. No names!
Nor should anyone who participated in the service be mentioned by name. Thus, not "The rector, the Revd Pius Allworthy, celebrated and preached" but rather "The rector celebrated and preached." An exception can be made if the service in question was "newsworthy" -- for example, a state funeral, in which case the decedent's name may be included.
5. No personal attacks
All the Ship of Fools discussion forums are governed by the 10 Commandments, our set of agreed rules, and this forum is no exception. If you must get personal, or feel the need to flame a Mystery Worshipper to a crisp, take it to Hell. Other than that, enjoy yourself.
6. Your host
Need help? The “rite” people to go to are @Spike and @Nenya .
1. New threads
New threads on this forum are begun by posting a comment within a Mystery Worship report itself. If you are not registered as a Ship of Fools user, you will be asked to register before you may post a comment. The title of each thread is generated automatically by the software.
2. Staying on topic
This is a dedicated forum and the discussion should focus on the contents of the reports themselves. The kinds of threads acceptable here are: feedback or disagreement by clergy, staff or congregation regarding what was reported; sharing of experiences, both positive and negative, you may have had at the church; emerging and traditional worship practices as reflected in the church’s way of doing things; debates about liturgical and worship issues raised. Unacceptable threads include gossip, whether substantiated or not, about the church or its clergy and staff; and hate speech directed against the church, any person associated with it, or the denomination of which it is a member.
3. No outings!
There will be no outing of Mystery Worshippers, so do not ask or speculate. By the same token, any Mystery Worshipper responding to a thread about one of their reports is requested to maintain the same pseudonym under which they submitted the report.
4. No names!
Nor should anyone who participated in the service be mentioned by name. Thus, not "The rector, the Revd Pius Allworthy, celebrated and preached" but rather "The rector celebrated and preached." An exception can be made if the service in question was "newsworthy" -- for example, a state funeral, in which case the decedent's name may be included.
5. No personal attacks
All the Ship of Fools discussion forums are governed by the 10 Commandments, our set of agreed rules, and this forum is no exception. If you must get personal, or feel the need to flame a Mystery Worshipper to a crisp, take it to Hell. Other than that, enjoy yourself.
6. Your host
Need help? The “rite” people to go to are @Spike and @Nenya .
This discussion has been closed.