Pet peeves (Clapping!)

c_man

I've moved recently and at the new Church I go to, there's a hardcore group of clappers! After every midday Sunday Mass, they give the choir a big round of applause. It's really grating and I think completely out of place.

Anything going on at your Mass/service which gets on your nerves?

homer911

If you don't like the church, find another one, or learn to tolerate and love others for their differences - When you get to Heaven, you will want to get on with everyone..

(Sounds a bit like being on a Ryanair flight..)

c_man

Ah it's only a minor peeve! Not worth changing over, and I only go to Midday Mass every other week

Although I was at a funeral (in Ireland) a few years back, the singer was very good and on the conclusion of the Mass, got a *huge* round of applause to my shock :eek:

Mrs OBumble

Yeah, clapping is totally inappropriate, but very much something that Irish Catholics do. They don't seem to get that they're supposed to be praying not being entertained. Very hard to find a place with music where it doesn't happen.

Nick Park

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Yeah, clapping is totally inappropriate, but very much something that Irish Catholics do. They don't seem to get that they're supposed to be praying not being entertained. Very hard to find a place with music where it doesn't happen.

Heard a young man singing in church recently. He ended his song with with an Elvis-style "Thank you very much." I nearly fell out of my seat!

pawrick

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Yeah, clapping is totally inappropriate, but very much something that Irish Catholics do. They don't seem to get that they're supposed to be praying not being entertained. Very hard to find a place with music where it doesn't happen.

I've seldom gone to church in recent years outside of the big family occasions (deaths births and marriages) so maybe it's a new thing or area specific rather than an Irish Catholic thing as I never heard anyone clapping after the music during service when I was growing up.
Recently, however, I was attending one of my old churches when people started clapping after one of the hymns. This was completely new to me and seemed very out of place in the middle of the service. It doesn't bug me but I did find it odd and a bit hippyish.

Pet peeve would be people going in and out during service banging the door and being a disruption. If you need to leave at least be quiet about it.

loobylou

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

They don't seem to get that they're supposed to be praying not being entertained.

If they want that type of thing go and see Jean Michel Jarre or someone.

blackvalley

Nick Park wrote: »

Heard a young man singing in church recently. He ended his song with with an Elvis-style "Thank you very much." I nearly fell out of my seat!

Dead right you are ! . Down with that sort of thing . Whaaat ? people actually singing , clapping and happy in church cant have that now can we .
Bring back the missioner I say , a good hell fire and dalmnation sermon to put the fear of god into them and get young people involved. :rolleyes:

Mrs OBumble

blackvalley wrote: »

Dead right you are ! . Down with that sort of thing . Whaaat ? people actually singing , clapping and happy in church cant have that now can we .
Bring back the missioner I say , a good hell fire and dalmnation sermon to put the fear of god into them and get young people involved. :rolleyes:

We're not talking about clapping along with the music, but about applauding after the performance is over. The latter is never ok in church, the former depends on the church and situation.

blackvalley

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

We're not talking about clapping along with the music, but about applauding after the performance is over. The latter is never ok in church, .

Why ?

Mancomb Seepgood

I attend a Quaker meeting and love it,but silent worship means that any noise is far too obvious, particularly if people are talking outside the room.I try not to let it bother me too much-needed helps is to call to mind my own (many) imperfections and that puts a little noise in context.

Clapping in a church service is only something I would have experienced at funerals when a relative says a few words at the end.I don't think it's completely inappropriate in that context,but in the middle of a spoken liturgy it would be a little much.

Nick Park

blackvalley wrote: »

Dead right you are ! . Down with that sort of thing . Whaaat ? people actually singing , clapping and happy in church cant have that now can we .
Bring back the missioner I say , a good hell fire and dalmnation sermon to put the fear of god into them and get young people involved. :rolleyes:

Talk about missing the point. :rolleyes:

I'm referring to a church where many people, including myself, danced and clapped while worshipping.

The problem in this instance was that someone saw the song as being about them and their performance, rather than it being an act of worship to God.

blackvalley

Nick Park wrote: »

The problem in this instance was that someone saw the song as being about them and their performance, rather than it being an act of worship to God.

Perhaps the singer in question is used to singing at other events , parties , cabaret etc where it is normal to thank the audience when he has finished a song and in the heat of the moment forgot where he was .
Someone should inform him as to the nature of the audience in church lest he cause a health and safety incident when someone as has been stated " falls of their seat " with shock at a simple " thank you"

Nick Park

blackvalley wrote: »

Someone should inform him as to the nature of the audience in church lest he cause a health and safety incident when someone as has been stated " falls of their seat " with shock at a simple " thank you"

Sorry, you've got it wrong again.

I nearly fell out of my seat in laughter, not shock.

the_pen_turner

Why is it wrong

Jellybaby1

This is my own personal view. When I attend a service of worship, everything that is going on is to do with worshipping God, not being entertained by musicians or singers. Christian songs and hymns are part and parcel of the communal service of worshipping God. The musician and the singers are still a part of the congregation, just using their talents to praise and worship God. The important words which I emphasise are worship, and service. Certainly not entertainment, to be applauded as I feel applause breaks the atmosphere of worship and changes it to entertainment. Having said that I have also attended churches where I and everyone sang, moved and clapped to time during a song, but there still wasn't any applause when it finished as all present were aware of their position as worshippers, not audience.

J C

the_pen_turner wrote: »

Why is it wrong

It is wrong because it isn't worshipping God ... and it's complementing man i.e. the singer(s) or speaker(s) instead.

A dignified silence after a hymn or eulogy praises both God and man IMO.

... I have even been present in a church when mild cheering broke out (as well as clapping).
... it sounded more like a concert ... rather than a church service ... and therein may lie the reason for this new phenomenon ... the line is being increasingly blurred as churches are increasingly used as concert venues.

the_pen_turner

J C wrote: »

It is wrong because it isn't worshipping God ... and it's complementing man i.e. the singer(s) instead.

A dignified silence after a hymn praises both God and man IMO.

... I have even been present in a church when mild cheering broke out (as well as clapping).
... it sounded more like a concert ... rather than a church service ... and therein may lie the answer ... the line is increasingly being blurred as churches are increasingly used as concert venues.

surely you believe that man is one of gods creations. so by clapping you are showing appreciating gods work and the gift that your god has bestowed on man .

J C

the_pen_turner wrote: »

surely you believe that man is one of gods creations. so by clapping you are showing appreciating gods work and the gift that your god has bestowed on man .

Clapping is primarily an expression of appreciation for the people being applauded.
Church services are not the time or place for such appreciation.

No problem showing my appreciation for people in other venues ... but not in a house of Divine Worship.

blackvalley

Nick Park wrote: »

Sorry, you've got it wrong again.

I nearly fell out of my seat in laughter, not shock.

My apologies . You were laughing so uproariously you nearly fell off your seat.Not the sort of carry on I would expect in the staid church you describe.
It was our friend below c_man who went into shock .
I notice that Ryanair has been mentioned in this discussion already and perhaps therein lies the answer. SEATBELTS.:D

c_man wrote: »

a few years back, the singer was very good and on the conclusion of the Mass, got a *huge* round of applause to my shock :eek:

Jellybaby1

the_pen_turner wrote: »

surely you believe that man is one of gods creations. so by clapping you are showing appreciating gods work and the gift that your god has bestowed on man .

The singer/musician is of course one of God's creations, and so is every other individual in the church. Do you think we should clap each other on the back all through the service? Surely not. I think you may be nitpicking here.

the_pen_turner

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

The singer/musician is of course one of God's creations, and so is every other individual in the church. Do you think we should clap each other on the back all through the service? Surely not. I think you may be nitpicking here.

I'm not nit picking . #I just cant understand why its bad form to clap after someone has put them selves up there to perform and make themselves part of the mass or service
each to their own

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

The latter is never ok in church.

Says who?

I don't recall the 11th commandment "thou shall not clap".

Peregrinus

blackvalley wrote: »

My apologies . You were laughing so uproariously you nearly fell off your seat.Not the sort of carry on I would expect in the staid church you describe.

(I think you could could characterise Nick's evangelical pentecostal church in a number of ways, but "staid" is probably not one of them. Just sayin'.)

TeddyTedson

We always clap after the speaker after communion in our parish

homer911

Beautiful worship to God is often entertaining, particularly if the congregation are spectators to a choir or soloist

ezra_

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I'm not nit picking . #I just cant understand why its bad form to clap after someone has put them selves up there to perform and make themselves part of the mass or service
each to their own

The appropriate time for that would be after the service is concluded.

c_man

blackvalley wrote: »

It was our friend below c_man who went into shock .

Huh? Perfectly possible to be shocked and not "go into" shock. They're different things after all.

Ashbx

ezra_ wrote: »

The appropriate time for that would be after the service is concluded.

Which is what happened with the OP....but people still seem to have a problem with it.

My church growing up was a group of people getting together and worshiping (i.e. was not in a church or a priest etc). We did not sing hymns. We sang somewhat upbeat Christian music which involved a lot of dancing and singing. As a child, this made going to church a lot more fun and I actually looked forward to going rather than getting "dragged" by my parents.

To me, I don't see a problem with it at all. It doesn't take away what they are there for in the first place so clap away in my opinion!

NinetyTwoTeam

I wouldn't attend any service where people were clapping that would do my head in and just feels out of place.

ezra_

Ashbx wrote: »

Which is what happened with the OP....but people still seem to have a problem with it.

My church growing up was a group of people getting together and worshiping (i.e. was not in a church or a priest etc). We did not sing hymns. We sang somewhat upbeat Christian music which involved a lot of dancing and singing. As a child, this made going to church a lot more fun and I actually looked forward to going rather than getting "dragged" by my parents.

To me, I don't see a problem with it at all. It doesn't take away what they are there for in the first place so clap away in my opinion!

I should have clarified - if you feel the need to congratulate someone, do so in the normal conversations that take place after mass. Not seconds after the final blessing has been conferred.

c_man

Ashbx wrote: »

Which is what happened with the OP....but people still seem to have a problem with it.

Well as said, it's a pet peeve. I'm not going to live and die by it, I didn't expect to open this can of worms!

Jellybaby1

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I'm not nit picking . #I just cant understand why its bad form to clap after someone has put them selves up there to perform and make themselves part of the mass or service
each to their own

In a church situation I wouldn't refer to the musicians as performers, because they are worshippers, just like me. They worship with their talents.

TeddyTedson wrote: »

We always clap after the speaker after communion in our parish

I agree that its quite all right to clap a speaker, however, I would also say it is not right to clap a preacher.

Don't think I can add any more to this thread.

Nick Park

blackvalley wrote: »

My apologies . You were laughing so uproariously you nearly fell off your seat.Not the sort of carry on I would expect in the staid church you describe.

Yes, we're pretty staid - as you can see:

Jellybaby1

Oh, she's just fabulous! Wish I had been there!

frag420

I wonder will people clap after the pope says his mass in Croke park next year...I would bet my house that if one person started clapping after his sermon then the whole place will erupt into applause and the pope will raise his arms, wave to the crowd and acknowledge the applause doing his best Bono impression!!

Besides if someone sings beautifully in a church then perhaps the people are in fact applauding gods beautiful creation, the singer!!

People wonder why traditional church attending numbers are dropping...make it fun for people to worship! Dont forget that before Jesus suffered on the cross he was a child who enjoyed fun things...it shold not all be about the suffering as that is perverse and sad!!

c_man

The flu is putting the hand shaking sign of peace to bed in a parish in the North

A Catholic Church diocese is suspending the "sign of peace" between Mass goers due to the recent surge in flu cases in Northern Ireland.

The Diocese of Down and Connor has also advised priests to disinfect their hands before they distribute Holy Communion.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-42596020


This can be a real divisive one! I know people who love it and hate it. What say ye on the matter? I'm a big fan of it