Posted on 07/14/2006 5:01:16 PM PDT by sionnsar
Apparently, the Church of England feels that people like me don't poke enough fun at it:
Evensong at one of England’s most intimate cathedrals has been replaced with an evening of worship led by an Elvis impersonator in a black leather jacket.
In a radical departure from the psalms of a traditional Sunday evening, Truro Cathedral has decided that its flock needs to rock.
In place of the 6.30pm Sunday evensong, which has been moved to 4pm, the Cornish cathedral is holding "alternative" services involving line-dancing, jazz sessions and cowboys singing country and western.Now the chapter of the cathedral, which is concerned about the "limited appeal" of its traditional services, has expanded this repertoire to include Elvis "the other king" Presley.
During the event, Canon Perran Gay will give a talk on Presley’s spiritual side and meditate on the significance of the lyrics. "We want this to be partly like an Elvis ’gig’ and partly like an act of worship," he said.
"We were concerned that we weren’t reaching people who aren’t drawn to traditional services, so we decided to consider alternative ways of worship. We are confident in our numbers to try something slightly wacky. This is just one of many authentic ways of worshipping God."
"Partly like an Elvis ’gig’ and partly like an act of worship...try something slightly wacky." An Elvis impersonator, line-dancing, jazz sessions and cowboys singing country and western are "one of many authentic ways of worshipping God."
Canon? May I make a suggestion? I understand the desire to seek and save the lost. That's why Jesus came into the world and He did suggest that we "go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in(Luke 14:23)."
But isn't evangelism a tiny bit more than bodies in the pews? Isn't it possible that one reason the British "aren’t drawn to traditional services" these days is that they're not getting fed when they walk in the door? Aren't Elvis impersonators, jazz and country-western merely whitewashing the C of E's spiritual emptiness?
Thanks to Captain Heinrichs.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Oh come on.
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