So I find myself dwelling on yet more madness from the Methodists, this evening... Today, we had a visit from the Superintendent Minister. Not because he was scheduled to be on our plan (although he is quite often) but because (his words) he had used his power as the Super to change the plan. He had come to us this morning, for a reason. We weren't to find out about this reason until he was good and ready for us to know which naturally, really pissed me off. And the reason it irked me quite so much was because I already knew why he was here.

Last week at church, "something happened." I wasn't actually there myself because my good friend "Mrs T", who is one of the finest people I have ever had the privilege to know, was preaching at Wesley Methodist up the road and I thought I'd rather go and listen to her than sit, bored in my usual pew.

While I was listening to Mrs T talk about P.I.S.S (which was only pointed out to me later and I can't believe I missed it while she was delivering a sermon about taking care of the Physical, Intellectual, Social and Spiritual!!), it transpired that the preacher who was on our plan was actually accompanied by a local preacher who is in training. This is where it all gets rather complicated as I know the trainee in person through choir and I happen to be friends with his wife as well.

So when I turned up at choir last week, having not been for several weeks, I found myself confronted by said wife who was rather upset and had something to tell me. Well, what she actually told me was not very much and she left most of it to my imagination which, as we all know, is not usually a good thing.

So back to this morning... the Super informs us that we aren't to gossip, if we weren't there, we don't need to know what happened (because of course no one has been gossiping already -eye roll- and if it isn't already half way round the circuit then the Methodist grapevine has utterly failed) and furthermore, he will be around so that if what happened stirred anything up or people feel uncomfortable or have questions or whatever, then he is there for us to talk.

So basically, something happened which has the potential to seriously affect my church family and I am not allowed to know what it was because I wasn't actually there?! Is the Super for real?! Well Mr O, I bloody well have got questions, but I can't ask you, can I, because I'm not supposed to know anything because I wasn't there...?! I confided my upset in Mrs T this afternoon as we had lunch and she agreed that the Super has handled it badly but also that it's very difficult to know what else could have been done in the circs.

What I think should have happened was that the Super should have called a meeting rather than addressing in it in the middle of a sermon and he should have asked anyone who was not a member or an adherent (i.e. visitors) to leave or talk amongst themselves over a nice cup of tea and then he should have said "Look, this happened, I know it's difficult but this is the way we have handled it and if you are upset or concerned and you need to talk, let's do it together as a family and support each other."  And then he should have asked us to contain the gossip.

As it is now, half the congregation is riled about something the other half know nothing about and how are well supposed to support each other properly...?!

It's just 50 shades of wrong.

The Super must love living on the edge  because he chose two modern songs to start the service with this morning which he had Heather play on the piano. About two of us in the congregation appeared to know them and we had the usual amusement with Heather's jaunty speed not matching what the congregation was doing. It would have been highly entertaining had I not been preoccupied with what I suspected was coming. As it was, it was just irritating.

Next week we've got a family activity afternoon based on Daniel and the lion's den which will be good or awful depending on your point of view but I'm on the cake team so every cloud...