Wednesday 21 November 2012
Bible Study
Pleased with the way the new Bible Study my supervisor got me to start, is going. Numbers up from 6 to 12 great group of people who genuinely want to learn about Gods word. They also were all really encouraging about the service I took on Sunday and gave lots of positive feed back which was lovely. At the end a man ( the only man) asked for a word in private. He then proceeded to tell me he couldn't hear much of what I said on Sunday and he used to be a lecturer and could lecture to a hall of 300 people and could tell if one person wasn't picking up what he was saying. He also couldn't see me. I'm not quite 5 feet tall. The church is HUGE they all sit at the back. The voice I can do something about though I've never had that comment before, the height? I suggested perhaps sitting nearer the front would help. I should have left feeling up beat and positive having had a good night. What did I go on about to Lucy the dogs dad when I got in. The one negative comment from the whole night had pulled me down. So now I know I'm not used to criticism ( not when I'm preaching anyway) and perhaps I don't react well to it. Definitely need to work on that!
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You will never get anyone in the CofS to move forwards. I've tried. I've failed!
ReplyDeleteI'm building an impression of "The Man" here that's less than positive... Did he give you suggestions for improvement, or was it just a "back in my day..." monologue?
Do you get the speech trainer as part of your training? Last conference we had a speech session which I found useful, and when I start "real" training, he wil be coming to hear one of my sevices. I'm not sure what sort of area he covers though.
I'm with you here. Mrs G was much more magnanimous! Ill see what feedback is from the folk my supervisor had on Sunday but at the end of the day, if he was just being a dinosaur
DeleteI'll just have to smile sweetly and thank him for the benefit of his wisdom and experience. Grrr
Though I wasn't there, it does seem like the man was trying to be supportive. After all, he did let you know privately. If he'd not been supportive or have been insensitive, he would have just told you in front of the whole group. So, unlike spot, I am seeing him in a positive light, for the moment...
ReplyDeleteI'm not very tall and I rarely get complaints about people seeing or hearing me, so perhaps it's where you are standing? Do you use the pulpit for preaching? In most churches the pulpit is located so everyone can see. If it's too tall for you to see over, get something to stand on. Same goes for behind the communion table, or move the lecturn off to one side a wee bit.
Is there a PA system and do you use it? Make sure the mic is directly below your mouth and no more than 8 inches from your mouth, otherwise it won't pick you up very well. Is there a t-loop in the church? Sometimes churches with balconies have the wire for rhe t-loop around the front of the balcony, so it's only effective if you are in front of the balcony *and down stairs, naturally). This is the case at my home church. They let people know this is the case and most who need it moved. Okay, some just won't move, but that's just the way things are.
Just as an aside, it might be worth sussing out with your supervisor if this is a general problem you need to work on, or this is just this man's opinion, in which case take his advice with a pinch of salt!
I must admit I'm with Spot here. What really p****ed me off is I'm in the drama group I act without mic's etc there is a brilliant sound system in the church which I was using, I have a box at the lectern and I'd lowered the pulpit lectern. I'm thinking (perhaps wrongly) he thinks he has the benefit of experience to offer me and I'm just a " wee lassie" it'll be interesting to get the feed back from the observers chosen by my supervisor (since he was away) to report back to him! At assessment we were asked how we'd deal with criticism. There's constructive and justifiable criticism which I'm happy to take on board but there's also unjustifiable criticism, which I suppose in the ministry comes with the job! (According yo lucythedogsdad, who's finding the whole thing hilarious!
ReplyDeleteAh, in that case, ignore this man. Sounds like he's maybe doing the whole 'silly wee lassie thing'. So much for me trying to give him the benefit of the doubt!
Deletestill, as you say, part of the learning is listening to what people like him say, but not taking it to heart.