The pulpit is a raised platform and is often highly decorative. It is usually where a priest or minister will stand when preaching his/her sermon. They have it on a raised platform because it represents the time when Jesus preached his sermon from the mountain.
Banners are another way of praising the Lord for they are decorative beautiful and often have words of praise and celebration on them. This is very important for Christians, as they must be able to express themselves in different ways.
Certain banners may only be used at a certain time of the year such as Christmas, Easter or the Harvest.
The Notice Board
The notice board is not an instantly striking thing to glance at unlike the Stained glass windows or the banners but is just as significant to a modern day church. Churches are very important to local communities and any events that happen in the surrounding area. Examples of what can be found on a notice board.
- News on local events.
- Church specific rotas (Stewards, flowers, books)
- Charity news and events.
- Dates and times of services
- Contact Information
The Spire
When asked to picture a typical church in your head, you instantly picture a spire. That is the one of the main ideas of having a spire for if you see one, you can instantly tell that there is a church. The other meaning of the spire has a more spiritual significance. Like the bird on the lectern, it symbolizes closeness with God for it is pointing directly towards him.
Chesterfield Cathedral
Altar
The altar or nave as it is also known is the table at the front of the church. On it are the flagon and the chalice. The altar is used at times of Holy Communion. The whole table is meant to be a re-enactment of the last supper and so non-alcoholic wine is used to represent the blood of Christ and wafers or bread are used for the body of Christ.
Its original use in early times was for sacrificial purposes.
The Font
In order to become a member of the Church and Gods house, you must be either baptised as a child or be baptised as an adult. The font is used for infant baptisms where the child is blessed in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist. The fonts are usually highly decorative made out of marble or stone and are usually placed near a door or an entrance so that the child’s spirit is free to enter the congregation.
Crucifix or Cross
Known throughout the world as a sign of Christianity, the cross is a symbol of hope for it represents the time when Jesus rose again. In a Protestant church, the cross is plain and does not have Jesus upon it. This is because they want to show that he was resurrected and that he did not remain on the cross.
Pews and Kneelers
The pews in a church are the long seats on which the majority of the congregation sits. Each one is identical to any other in the same church to represent equality. The ends of the pews are can be very ornate which is a sign of creativity.
In the back of the pew in front, there is a section where you can put any hymn books or leaflets for easy access. On the floor are kneelers where, when praying, you may kneel.
The Role of A Priest or Minister within a Church
The ideal role for a priest/minister consists of love, sacrifice, caring and concern for all. The role of a priest or minister in a church is a very important one. If you think of it like the role of a shepherd, the sheep (the parishioners), have respect for you and will follow you. It is the shepherd’s responsibility to care for the sheep; to accommodate their feelings, to be concerned about the spiritual needs of the flock and offer love to those in need.
“The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him or knows him” (John 14:17)
This means that although the priest/minister is striving for the salvation of all, people are unresponsive and do not realise they are being saved thus they reject his/her efforts. In my opinion, secularisation is a main problem for this, for society is divided and people do not know their spiritual priorities and so cling to material possessions and popular beliefs rather than pursue spiritual well being and honesty with God
Within the community, the minister is a soothing presence as a part of his duty involves something called pastoral care, similar to a year head or tutor but on a wider scale. For instance, the minister will visit those that are sick in the parish, and will just pay general visits around the area. Also, the minister is on church committees such as the maintenance committee or the overseas charity committee.
Church in the Community
As said in the section on the notice board, the church display activities that go on in the community, these range from:
- Keep fit Classes
- Yoga
- Brownies/Guides
- Cubs/Scouts
- Committee meetings
- Coffee Mornings
The church will often participate in local charity events because it is a sign of a good Christian to be caring and have concern for others.
In a small village, the church is the community. The church is always open to those in need. With the closure of village shops and post offices, churches become the only community building in rural areas and so must be kept in good condition. Local people will often help raise money for the church.
In more urbanised areas, the church can be utilised as a homeless shelter as one of the teachings of Christianity is “love thy neighbour” however poor or sick they are.
In Africa there is currently an HIV/AIDS epidemic and it is spreading fast. Perhaps the largest contributor for educating the people about AIDS is the church. No other organisation can join people together in hope better than the church. It unites communities and can get its message across to a more widespread range of people. The hope is to educate the new generation of children, millions of which are orphans due to their parents death of AIDS. The children are also a victim of AIDS, they are left on their own with no family living in poverty with no future, the church is steadily working towards changing this.
My local church is not only involved in the local community but also the global community. It supports a Charity called JMA (junior mission for all) and also Christian aid which helps good causes all over the world.
An Interview With A Christian Faith Member
What is a church?
Various things : It can be an organisation, a building, a meeting place, a social centre, but, most importantly, anywhere where a group of Christians meet together in fellowship.
Do you attend church?
I do.
What denomination are you?
I became a Christian at the age of 38 and subsequently was confirmed along with my wife in the Methodist church although I consider myself as a Christian rather than a Methodist.
Which church do you attend?
Grangewood Methodist Church, Wollaton
Why do you attend that particular church?
I like the Grangewood mainly because of its family atmosphere and because of its location, just around the corner. However, when I became a Christian, I attended several different churches in Nottingham but eventually settled back at Grangewood because I feel that I am a part of the community to a greater effect. Also, the style of worship suited me a lot better than other churches I had been to for its not a case that “one church fits all,” and it is all down to personal preference and what can help you become comfortable in your worship.
How regularly do you attend?
Every week or as often as I can yet I cannot attend for half of the year as I work away
at sea.
Do you take part in any Christian activities whilst away at sea?
No organised activities but I do try and attend a church wherever I may be. I never hesitate to talk about Jesus and of my own faith at sea if the situation arises.
Does your church have a strong role in the community?
I’d like to think so.
What sort of services do you find the most fulfilling?
I tend to find lively services with a balance of good music whether it be traditional or modern hymns or songs yet with a period of contemplation and prayer.
So would you say that music played a strong role in your personal worship?
Yes, I think it is important that Christians can express themselves in a variety of different ways.
Is the church key to your faith as a Christian?
No its not because I have a personal relationship with Jesus and therefore he is with me all the time and whilst church is an important part of my faith it is not a key part.
Is the building significant to you personally?
No, it makes no difference. The same group of people can meet at any other building, even someone’s house and I would still regard it as my church for, in my opinion, the church is the people and not the building.
Do you attend just on Sundays or are there services any other time?
There are several other services that take place such as monthly “come together” and also house meetings. On a Thursday night is a prayer meeting and there are S.O.W services or services of worship every month.
Do you assist with the running of the church, e.g. building maintenance, finances, church council?
Yes, I am involved with the property committee and church council and I am also the mission secretary, which entails community work.
Do you have any influence in the style of worship?
Yes, to a limited extent for there is a “Worship Consultation” where people are invited to give there opinions and advice on forthcoming services and formats.
What kind of services take place?
Early Morning Communion at 8:00 Sunday (once a month)
- 10:00 service which could be a Family service where the junior church stays in the hall for the whole service.
- 6:30 evening service. A quieter, more reflective service.
- S.O.W, [Service Of Worship], services.
- Youth fellowship services led by the youth of the church.
Is there a junior church / Sunday school?
Yes, children are arranged in various groups ranging from the crèche to junior Sunday school up to youth fellowship. The children tend to leave after the second hymn on a normal service on a Sunday morning.
Are there any youth organisations affiliated to the church, e.g. scouts, guides, cubs & brownies?
Guides and Brownies certainly and the youth fellowship which meet in the week and on a Sunday evening respectively.
What links are there between the your church and other churches?
There is actually a monthly magazine called “LINK” that involve Grangewood Methodist Church, Saint Leonard’s, Kingswood Methodist, Saint Thomas Moore’s and another and they have a united service several times a year but they are never held at the Catholic church for they won’t allow it yet the vicar will come from there to preach at the other churches.
What links are there between the your church and other organisations?
Charities such as Christian Aid which is a charity that works in the third world to try and increase the standard of living.
What charitable activities is your church involved in?
The church supports a young minister David Cole and his family who now live in Sierra Leone after being trained here in England.
What is “church membership”?
To be a member you have to be confirmed into the church. Usually you must be either christened as an infant or baptised before you may be confirmed.
What facilities does the church have e.g. church hall?
The church itself with regard to sanctuary, a second hall mainly used for activities such as brownies and guides and also a place where the junior Sunday school takes place as well as a basic kitchen facility.
Section B: Do You Have To Go To Church To Be A Good Christian?
Firstly, I think that it is important to establish what exactly is a good Christian is. A good Christian is someone uses Christ’s teachings as a guide to their life. I would say that you have to go to church to become a good Christian because you need somewhere to learn and that, after all is the main role of the church, to learn about God and Jesus, about the faith and to learn about life.
On the one hand, many people need the church there as a focal point to bring them ever closer to God and they feel that church membership is like having an identity within the community and locating your worship towards God. Jesus said:
“Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them”
Matthew 18:20
In my opinion this almost makes it seem as though Christianity was not designed for individual worship but for worshipping in groups of any size in fellowship.
We fit into God’s plan by carrying out his Great Commission which is in 5 parts,
- Evangelism
- Adding to the church by baptising the saved
- Maturing believers through discipleship.
- Conforming ourselves to Christ
- Bringing glory to God.
“The gathered Christian community grows in godliness by means of the work of each Christian in the group by helping other Christians in the community grow”
Ephesians 4:16
On the other hand, is Christianity not a personal relationship with God that does not necessarily have anything to do with any other? It is a personal journey with God and so the only important factor is to be at peace with the Lord and to have a close relationship with him. People go to church to learn about the faith but when sufficient has been learned there no longer is the need to carry. This mean that people can live a good Christian life without having to go to church whilst still carrying out the teachings of Christ.
There are some people in the world that will go to church for the sake of going to church, keeping up appearances so to speak. Theses people think that by going “religiously” (excuse the pun) every Sunday that that automatically makes them a good Christian regardless of how they acted in everyday life.
The clergy can preach about all the goodness and joy in the world and still not make you into a good Christian for ultimately, it is your choice and the church cannot exclusively run your life. We are responsible for our own decisions.
In conclusion, it is my belief that there are no strict boundaries about whether you should or should not go to church to be a good Christians. I think that the church is not only a place of worship but also a house of learning, God’s house of learning and so you need to understand the teachings before you set out on your journey with Christ.
Bibliography
Basic Christian Living – Ian Barclay
Why Bother with Jesus – Michael Green
Get the most out of Church – Sheena Gillies
The Jesus Way – A. Morgan Derham
I want to be A Christian – J.I Packer
Uncommon sense, An Introduction to Christian Belief – Homer Rogers
Compton’s Bible 98 (CD-ROM)
Encarta Deluxe
New Light Bible
Mum and Dad
