The Sandbach Memorial

The picture above is a life-sized memorial to a former clergyman of Sandbach Parish Church, the Rev. Armitage. He appears to be looking down, rather unimpressed by what he sees. It set me wondering what former pastors of Salem Chapel would have thought about our church services, if they were permitted to peer down one weekend. Although our Sunday worship is deemed rather traditional by modern standards, Reverends Partington, Bray and Nightingale may well raise an eyebrow at some of our carries-on:

Bright clothes

Relatively short sermons (30-40 minutes)

Musical instruments (especially the organ)

Open prayer

Chatting before and after the service

Cushions in the pews

Had someone set up a lifesize effigy of my erstwhile, nineteenth-century predecessors, they may have frowned and scowled as much as Rev. Armistead, though I think the latter would be more perplexed by contemporary Anglicanism’s descent into woke-ism than my wearing of brightly coloured neck ties. Of more concern than the theoretical observations of a former generation is the view that the Lord Jesus Himself takes of our affairs. We know from the early chapters of Revelation that He is not always pleased by what goes on in His name. We in office shall answer for it.