From an Australian Uniting Church Minister (name withheld):

G’day Rowland and the Group Re the loud music discussion:

A couple of years ago at my local church, some of the pre and post twenty-somethings spoke at a congregational meeting. They were asking if some more contemporary music could be used during the family service. At the end of their presentation, one of the matriarchs of the congregation rose, smiled and said that of course younger people were more than welcome at “our church” but that they “must respect our ways”. That was the end of that discussion. After the meeting was over, I wandered out with some of the twenty-somethings who had given the presentation, and one exclaimed “Why are they so selfish? Why do they have to keep it all for themselves?”

Some months later, at another congregational meeting, the question of music came up again. This time one of the elderly members of the congregation rose and said that if the younger people in the congregation wanted more modern music and worship styles, then why didn’t they go to the local Church of Christ or Baptist Church, which she understood used modern music in their worship.

A year or so after that, I overheard another discussion. A couple of the elderly members of the congregation were wondering what the Elders were going to do about the young people in the congregation who no longer attended. One of the elderly members had heard that some of them were going to the local Church of Christ and a couple had even joined in worship with the happy clappies who meet in the local high school. Another elderly member said that the Elders needed to talk to those former younger members about their “disloyalty to their church”.

As of now, the congregation has maybe 3 or 4 pre-twenty and twenty-somethings left. Some of the 18-30 group who were there 2 or 3 years ago have moved to other UCA congregations (which have a more contemporary style), some have moved to the local Church of Christ or Baptist Church and a couple are on the fringes of the local AOG.

Meanwhile, the local UCA congregation continues to get smaller, to get older and to experience increasing financial stress.

Shalom!

Rowland Croucher