Two songs

For some reason, it has become a practice at our church to start the service (not wanting to be boring, but the biblical term is 'meeting'. 'Service' is too pagan for my liking, but I'll not mention this again too soon) by singing two songs or hymns in the one bracket (songs are the trite ditties we are modernly subjected to, hymns are proper reflective works).

Many years ago I toyed with this very same practice when presiding, but after watching the reaction of the congregation, once was too often. How do I pass on my experience to our current service conductors? I must say, I'm usually tempted to sit during the second one, as are some of our older members.

Another exciting moment in the service was when one of the ministers mentioned disquiet that the giver of last week's sermon had caused with a misunderstanding on the faith-works question.

Part of this would have been solved if a sermon was less a liturgical performance and more a discussion, with people free to ask questions, kindly, one hopes, at its conclusion, or in a separate seminar afterwards.