The context is vital for a relevant church.
When I lived in 'Skeggy' (Skegness) our home was on the edge of a classic council estate. My chapel ‘Seathorne Methodist Church’ served its local area which was mainly the council estate. Many of the members lived there. The large Sunday school and youth club was drawn from the estate.This was the chapel's context. Yet in spite of that it could sometimes find ways of being exclusive. My mum and dad ran the Friday night youth club. In those days a sort of unspoken requirement was if you came to youth club you went to worship. Amazingly many of the young people did attend on a Sunday evening and would end up at our house later. Sad to say just a few folk didn't like the fact the youngsters would occasionally talk during the service. As my mum was in the choir it might mean as the choir walked in a youngster would shout 'hello Mrs Goodhand'. In the end a fuss was made and the then minister was told 'either they go or we do'. Well he gave in and the young pe