Women............... The
fascinating article about the choir in All Saints Church
in last month’s ‘Community’ got me
thinking. On a
recent Sunday in All Saints there were fifteen boys (most
- but not all in the choir) aged under 16 in church for
the 9.30 service - and two girls. We must not be
surprised; there is very little to attract girls to All
Saints, indeed the message given out (I’m sure
unintentionally) by articles like the one in Community
make it very clear – it’s the boys who are
really important. So, let us not be surprised when
girls don’t come to All Saints Church. I
wonder how much longer we will be prepared to tolerate a
situation where girls are treated so unequally? In
other organisations there would be uproar, possibly even
disciplinary action would be taken; yet we tolerate it -
and indeed encourage it! My own
view is that the alleged ‘purity’ of boy’s
voices is a red herring (this is anyway an issue of some
debate amongst musical scholars); surely our concern must
be the engagement of young people in our church and
ensuring that our church is relevant and real for them,
rather than for concert-quality performances. I must
make it very clear that very much I admire the work done
with the choir at All Saints whose singing is often
wonderful; on occasion I find it inspirational. I
also know how difficult it can be to maintain membership
of mixed choirs of young people. But the example of
some of our cathedrals – notably It makes
me wonder whether we really do believe we are indeed
‘all created in God’s image’ - or whether
that applies only to the chaps! The
examples we set in our church are important to the
children we purport to value so highly. To teach
them - by our actions - that women are actually in some
way less valuable is, at best, unfortunate. Our task
must be to create a church fit for, excited by, and ready
to witness in the twenty first century rather than
constantly referring back to the mediaeval church of 600
years ago. Please let us think, pray about and work
towards more effectively involving girls and young women
in our worship. John
Fowler December
2005 |