Comments on: After McDonaldization

By: Dick Wolff

Dick Wolff — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:58:47 +0000

Fred Kaan’s hymn (1980s, I think):
The church is like a table
a table that is round.
It has no sides or corners,
no first or last, no honours;
here people are in one-ness
and love together bound.
The church is like a table
set in an open house;
no protocol for seating,
a symbol of inviting,
of sharing, drinking, eating;
an end to ‘them’ and ‘us’.
The church is like a table,
a table for a feast
to celebrate the healing
of all excluded-feeling,
(while Christ is serving, kneeling,
a towel round his waist).
The church is like a table
where every head is crowned,
as guests of God created,
all are to each related;
the whole world is awaited
to make the circle round.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:51:37 +0000

We had a new altar commissioned for our Lady Chapel. It was made in the round and when it arrived the chairs were placed around the altar in a semi-circle except the president’s and assistants chairs which were placed in across in a striaght line. A suggestion ws made to put the three chairs at the cardinal points leaving the fourth space as a way in and ot of the circle. Feels more encompassing and welocmimg. Also a comment was made by one celebrant about ‘But where do i stand…?’

By: Caroline Too

Caroline Too — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:39:03 +0000

sigh, this poem is so rich, so profound and so hard
because, of course
the round tabling is not a structural thing but a heart thing
and I so want to be recognised for how I’ve contributed and how wise I am..
and I find that, however hard I pray for an anonymous heart,
this wish to be recognised wriggles in, and I have to start the sanding and sawing of a round table heart all over again,
sigh

By: ash

ash — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:52:35 +0000

I like this. I remember hearing John Bell speak at greenbelt once about how the women’s group used to meet in church round a table, with coffee in the corner, and how civilised it was; and how the PCC met with the leaders at the front facing the rest of the members, and how uncivilised it was… Round Table sounds good to me.