First Full Service

Sunday was the day!! I did my first full service. It went well I was not paralysed by nerves and I remembered my sermon. There is of course room for improvement but it can only come with time, I still don't know enough but I can't do that all at once. It takes years to get all that Bible knowledge. The bits where I knew what I was talking about were away from the paper but the bits that were Bible based were a bit stuck to it. However I am not dismayed it could have been a lot worse. But there were not many people there. I did not mind because it made me feel more at ease, although in some ways I guess it was more difficult because they were so close it seemed very personnel.
It was an evening service and my feeling is that these should be much more mellow than mornings when you want praise and jubilation, but because it was my first full service I stuck to the script and made it, what passes for normal/formal. I am glad I did, because to do a relaxed easy going service with discussion and meditation might have been difficult in the circumstances, and this gave me the practise I need for my trial service which is coming up in a months time.
I feel as if I am learning and moving forward quite well now. I feel more at home with what I am doing and I understand more of the underlying structure of Methodism and worship.
It may sound very silly but organisation of papers and books on the lectern is crucial for good performance once you are up there. It gives you a feeling of security to know that all your stuff is well balanced and not likely to come tumbling down when not expected. Getting rid of paper once you have finished with it is difficult to as you have to either litter the floor with it or bend to put it on the shelf underneath, meanwhile keeping your finger on the point where you are!!
When you get to that marvellous position of knowing so much that you don't need reams of paper to remember points it must be fantastic. I don't think I am destined to live that long, however we can only hope and pray.
Anyway I am off this morning to do Luke, then I have to get down and write my sermon for my trial. It is early but this gives me the chance to hone it to what I hope may be something like good, if not perfection. Then I can concentrate on putting the service around it and then practising what I have before the day. I will get quicker but it is so important for it to be right. People cannot get the most out of worship if they feel the preacher has not prepared properly.