I wondered why the service was so early at 0930, but I later found out the reason. It's because the minister has to travel and perform the service at another church at 1100. In fact he conducts three or four services each Sunday because there is a shortage of ministers for the scattered congregations in the Methodist church.
Shortage of ministers? There's a shortage of worshippers too! (The only thing not in short supply is large church buildings, scattered across the country) At this church there were only 10 worshippers - that's including me and the minister! Everyone was at least sixty years old, and a couple much older. Apart from me, I'm not sixty.
I got a friendly welcome, in particular from a woman whose title was "organiser" or something. I was on time so there was little time to introduce, but they told me where would be good to sit, and it was. We sat in a sort of semi-circle, with around 100 empty seats laid out optimistically behind us. This was the first Sunday of advent, but they didn't seem surprised to have so few in attendance.
The service insitally took a somewhat unfamiliar form. The minister read out portions of instruction and comment from a Methodist service book, and the small congregation repeated refrains back. He also read out formulaic prayers and blessings. Then we sang some songs, including one apparently written by John Wesley himself. For music they had a computer in the corner which played loud organ music when the "organiser" used the mouse to select and click the track. I didn't think much of the hymns. They were nothing compared with the rousing Pentecostal hymns I heard the week before.
The building itself is huge, well decorated and maintained, and utterly dwarfs the small congregation that meets there. In addition to the main church hall, there are many other rooms and halls, and a kitchen. None of it seemed much in use, but still well maintained.
There followed two Bible readings read by two women. There were four men (including me and the minister) and six women present. One of the women selected the wrong passage on her tablet (it was supposed to be Mark 13) and switched to a print Bible instead. One of the other men said it didn't really matter and she should read the wrong passage if she wants, with a wink. The minister disagreed in a good natured way and handed a copy of the Bible opened at Mark 13.
After that there was a brief sort of sermon from the minister that mainly consisted of some experiences from ministering to a couple of ill members in the congregation. Clearly two individuals who might have been present with the other 8 in the past. The minister also said that the Christian calls out to God and asks: "why don't you do something?" This is what we ask God in times of distress, whether personal or in the community or nation. It was quite a good short sermon. He seemed a genuine minister who cares for the church, its people, and has a sense of the majesty of God. During the service the minister talked about the need to "grow the church", but not with much hope for success, from what I was able to tell.
Then we had communion. I was a bit nervous about this. What would I do? Would they refuse to share with me, as the Christadelphians? Or would they offer and I should decline? I decided I would simply follow their prompts. First the minister said we must make peace with our brothers, before communion, as it says in scripture. So we all shook hands with each other first. As it turned out they shared communion with me without question. The minister handed me a small morsel of bread and I took it. We considered the sacrifice of Jesus and I took an individual thimble of Ribera wine too. I'm not sure if they are relaxed about sharing communion or they just assumed I was a baptised Christian.
At the end of the service I attempted to put the printed A4 programme in my pocket. But the woman next to me told me to leave it behind because it contained the programme for next week also. And they needed it apparently, including my copy. All eight of them. So no souvenir for me from this church.
After the service the minister asked me if I have a Methodist background. I said no and he seemed disappointed. I get the sense that they don't encounter much interest in their church from non-Methodists. So anyone who doesn't have a background in the Methodist church is likely only to be a transient interlocutor. They may have been hoping that I was a Methodist from elsewhere who was moving into the church.
I couldn't stay long after the service because I had to get to the Unitarian meeting which was a 20 minute drive away. But as I was leaving the church organiser invited me to another Methodist service in a nearby town that afternoon at 3pm. I said okay and made my way.
So at at quarter past three I arrived late at the second Methodist service of the day (I was delayed because I got into conversation after the Christadelphian meeting at 1.30pm) in a nearby town. This meeting was a combined service for the whole "circuit" as they call it. This circuit includes most of the west of Scotland as it turns out, and there were about 50 people in attendance. This included a small Christian band who were hired to provide the music. (One of the ministers forgot their names - which was a bit awkward) Again the hall was huge and dwarfed the small (combined) congregation. This hall had slightly more signs of use (full notice board and so on) than the other Methodist church I attended at 0930 in the morning. The service included small talks from about four different ministers. Apparently all these ministers are employed full time, despite rapidly shrinking Methodist congregations. I found out in conversation that a Methodist congregation in my hometown closed down (after around 200 years) only a few weeks ago. I missed the chance to visit it!
After the service I chatted again with the church "organiser" and a few of the ministers, including one who gave me a business card, and expressed regret that my local Methodist church had just closed town. It's been sold, and the tiny congregation that remained (who knows, maybe a couple of individuals at most) joined with the local Episcopalian congregation, a church which is also in decline. One minister suggested I might like to try the United Reformed Church rather than the Episcopalian church. I am not sure why. The "organiser" told me that her son lives in Aberdeen and is an elder in the Church of Scotland. She would have preferred that he remain in the Methodist tradition but she can tolerate Church of Scotland. They are not as friendly as Methodists, and more Calvinist. I think I know what she means, it's not entirely doctrinal.
There was a terrible sense of decline, almost impending doom for the church, in all the conversations. I sensed sadness at the loss of community, tradition and history. And the living sense of Jesus in the community of the Methodist church. During the songs for example, one of the ministers moved his arms in enthusiasm, as if to rouse the congregation around him (and by extension those absent) to greater participation. One woman alone raised a right arm in silent acclaim to Jesus, in the manner I have observed is common to Pentecostals. The rest of the congregation was reserved.
The congregstion was mostly white, except from one African and an Asian couple. The Asian man had what looked like an Islamic beard, and so I thought for a moment that the service may have an interfaith component. But in the end I think he was an Asian Christian who simply has a large beard.
Methodists are in rapid decline in Scotland. A recent church newsletter says there are now fewer than 2000 members of the Methodist church in Scotland. There are probably fewer than that who attend roughly 30 very small congregations across the country. At a rough estimate I would say they may have 500 active members, mostly very old. Yet there are around a dozen or so ministers who still just about have jobs in the church. I sense there is some anxiety, not only about dwindling congregations, but also about dwindling job prospects for those not quite ready to retire. One minister explained to me that he receives a stipend in advance for his role, rather than a wage. I am not sure exactly what the significance of the distinction is. But he felt there was an important distinction to be made. He also spoke some German with me because he has spent some time in Germany and I tried my best. He also worked as a minister in the Caribbean for a few years. I hadn't realised there were Methodists in the Caribbean.
One statistician has projected that the Methodist church in Britiain will decline to the point of extinction by the end of the 2030s. I imagine the church in Scotland will struggle to survive even that long. There has been much discussion of the Methodists rejoining the Anglican Church in England and the Episcopal church in Scotland, but it hasn't happened yet. If they leave it much longer they won't have much Church left for reunification. I guess it will be about apportioning and selling assets at some point. And looking after retired ministers. Oh yes, there was some discussion about manses and inspections that I didn't follow either. (In Scotland a "manse" is the name of the house the minister lives in) This is clearly a concern: what to do with the property.
After the service I talked with a man who plays violin for the national orchestra. I checked out his page on the orchestra's website afterwards. He said that he learned Elgar's violin concerto for his exam while a student. I said that's my favourite piece of music. He said they are playing Mendelssohn's violin concerto this weekend. I might go and see it with my dad. He said he has been a Methodist all his life and he worships at the main Methodist church in Woodlands in the west end. He said the congregation is very small, only around 20 people. He actually seemed a bit alarmed when I said I had been a JW. I don't know who or what they imagined me to be. But he was friendly overall.
I had tea and biscuits that was on offer. Then I went to the toilet. When I came out of the toilet they were closing the church and I was nearly the last to leave. It was the Asian Christian and his wife who was locking the large doors.