I feel the need for some church-related silliness. These actually happened: I was there (as a teenager).

A church organist decided to play some more contemporary ‘voluntaries’ in the services and discovered that some enterprising Christians had written some lyrics for well-known tunes. Sadly, few people in the church knew of the worshipful lyrics, so when he began playing ‘O Sole Mio’ during the offering many people smiled and wondered why he was playing the music and some asked the stewards for ice creams. (O Sole Mio was used to advertise Cornettos at the time).

On another occasion during a parade service he played the Match of the Day theme (to which someone had written lyrics ‘I want to give my life to Jesus, my Saviour and my King…’), breaking into the worshipful atmosphere and causing much merriment among the Boys’ Brigade boys (of whom I was one).

The most memorable, however, was when he played the Largo from Dvorak’s New World Symphony during communion as the servers were taking the bread around. At the time that piece of music was the background to the adverts for Hovis bread. The pew-shaking and handkerchief-in-mouth-stuffing happened all over the church. Not the sense of reverence that was hoped for by the minister!

Be blessed, be a blessing (and don’t take yourself too seriously)