A Curious Girl: Minster Ball

Hello...

Well, lots of things to talk about. By the time I've finished I'll probably have forgotten most of them.

On Monday night I spoke to a guy from the Christian Union, who used to be on the committee. I'm not sure I've ever been more forward in my life, but it was nice to get some of my frustrations off my chest. He was a friendly person, but after our talk I've decided that I'll try out Christian Focus and leave CU alone for the time being. Everything's committee all the time and although he was very earnest, it's well... to put it lightly, not my scene. It's nice though, I don't feel quite as bitter as I did, not that I should have felt bitter in the first place :) I still don't like the way it's run but I don't think they're bad people.

The CU Minster Ball was yesterday. A large number of students, posh frocks, smart suits, pretentious menu, loud jazz band and after-dinner speaker, t'was indeed an interesting event.

York Minster is a beautiful place. Awesomely high walls, intricate carvings... and cold. Lots of girls with bare shoulders (including me) in a stone building heated by a few radiators in January... On reflection, I don't think holding it in January was really such a good idea. All the food was cold too. It was meant to be, but what I wouldn't have given for hot roast potatoes and gravy. I had two cups of coffee (with lots of sugar of course :) ). It was classy though, there is, for some reason, something wonderful about wandering around dressed up formally in a beautiful building, fairy-tale-ish maybe.

The after-dinner speaker, this being a Christian Union event, was there to tell us all to become Christians. I thought he was all right (granted he didn't argue his case all that thoroughly but he didn't have all day), he used a couple of nice analogies etc., but on reflection I think it would have been better if there hadn't been a specifically 'preachy' bit.

Heretical? Hedonistic? Should we really let all those non-Christians come in, have a good time and then leave without hearing the Message?

Once upon a time, I would have thought the complete opposite. But now... I can't judge as I don't know if anyone actually became a Christian last night, but my instincts tell me that most if not all of the non-Christians there would have been either uninterested or even put off by being told that Jesus can bring them happiness when all they really came for was a nice event in the Minster. True, the speaker thankfully wasn't pushy - he invited the people there to accept Jesus rather than severely pressurising or telling them they were going to hell or some such thing. But as Matthew and I came back to his room, we chatted to a couple of people who had actually avoided the after-dinner speech, because 'It's pretty rude, when they know there's going to be a lot of non-Christians there, to preach at them.'

Seriously, I thought that having someone preach was unnecessary, and there was something very heavy-handed about the way they waited until there was an almost captive audience. I think it would have been better just to allow Christians and non-Christians to mingle, and of course they provided a way to get in touch with the Christian Union and were handing out tracts and lollipops at the door. I didn't mind that, because I don't think a non-Christian would. It's someone's choice about whether they read a little leaflet or fill in a card, but if you've paid to go somewhere you don't want to walk out when the speaker says something you don't want to hear... Furthermore I think it would have been amusing to see the disbelief in all the people expecting a preacher and steeling themselves wondering why there wasn't a preacher. It would give an impression of the CU as people who don't try to lure people in then persuade them to convert. Because ultimately, in organising an event that made people happy they had... well, made people happy. Which is worth something in itself, I'm in favour of Christians making people happy. I think if non-Christians get the impression of Christians as people who ultimately care for others' well-being rather than (as they may see it) raking in the converts or assimilating people, they might be more willing to actively seek out just what it is that makes us do it. But... *sigh* we're only human. Soo... let's keep trying... and think for ourselves rather than just going with what seems like a good idea... After all, people who spoke to Jesus might not have liked what he said, but it seems to me that all the big meetings where he preached that we might like to liken to our big meetings today were composed of people who wanted to listen to him. Maybe they were just curious, but he never forced himself on anyone. Approached people on their level, invited them to join him, but never with the slightest bit of force. His context was always appropriate.

Matthew's moved to my block, because it's cheaper in my college... Someone left some pieces of bread shaped into the word 'HI' by his door :)

I went to Night Prayer on Friday (silent prayer with some readings at the ickle nearby church), and found myself giving massive apologies for neglecting my relationship with God lately. Granted I might argue that I've been doing a lot of thinking and I'm having trouble settling into a church etc but I can't go around blaming circumstances or the CU for something that is ultimately my fault. It became rather obvious that I spent more time searching for popularity (make people like me!) than seeking God, and being busy is no substitute for being effective. I'm not saying that I should become anti-social, quite the opposite in fact, but that I should spend more time leaning on God's love for me and actively loving other people rather than trying to make them like me.

"Don't worry and say 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' The people who don't know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows that you need them. The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things will be given to you." - Matthew 6:31-33

Ooh, and my parents came over today. It was nice to see them :)

Right... today's rant over. You can go get a cup of tea now :)

Random word for today: frock

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