Church Time

I just got back from church (!)

Kosraean church. 

Which was quite an experience.

I'm not a regular at church in the UK, although I am very fond of my times with the choir of Hendon, St Mary's (a fine church choir in North London who I shall miss very much as they go to Germany on tour this summer whilst I'm away). 

But given how important the church is to society here in Kosrae, I jumped at the chance to attend a Sunday morning service with my friend Janise who sometimes goes with the host family she's staying with. 

They go to Lelu church, on the little island that's just off the side of Kosrae but is connected by road. This is a Protestant church and is one of the big ones on the island. 

(Each of the five villages in Kosrae has it's own church then there are several other churches/places of worship spread around the place: Catholic, Latter Day Saints/Mormon, Jehovah Witness, Seventh Day Aventist, Assembly of God, plus a whole lot more that I'm probably not aware of).

Lelu church

The building on the left isn't a church hall as I suspected at first but is indeed the children's church. They have a completely separate service to the adults and meet up with the grown up congregation at the end of the morning. And it's not so much Sunday school as I recall from my childhood days but is a full on whole service. 

There were sill a few children in with the adult service though. Babes in arms and the like...

When we arrived, the service had already started (!). Despite it being a few minutes to 10am. Who knows what time it actually started but this is quite typical of Kosrae life; to just start or finish whenever most folk feel like it. 

But there's a very nice environment at church here for latecomers. You wouldn't even be labelled as a latecomer really. It's totally fine whenever you turn up. 

You just have to politely wait at the back/outside until the current hymn or prayer has finished and then you can walk on in. And no one minds. Honestly. There's no tutting or rolling of eyes as you try to creep into a row at the back. Just walk on through to find a seat wherever there is one and no one is really bothered. I thought this was very refreshing.  

And when I did sit down - my word! 

The comfiest chair I've sat on in the last 2 weeks!

It was blue. And had a handy wire shelf underneath for your bag and belongings. But was padded (both seat and backrest). And had a slight recline. 

It was bliss. Haha. I remembered at this point that a lot of the power and money on the island is tied up with the church so no wonder the nicest chairs on the island might be here.

With this thought I began to look around and the decoration. There were no lavish paintings or wall hangings of Jesus or biblical stories but it was white, plain and clean. The cleanest place I've seen on the island so far. People take a lot of care of this place.

Up at the front was a stage with some white-sheet-clad tables, one with a microphone arising from it, and a central banner that said 'Mutual Mutual Mutual' (?). So the set up was more like a church hall rather than alter, nave, lady chapel etc etc. 

A lot of people wore white. The typical clothes in Kosrae are moo-moo dresses for the women and many were wearing an all-white version for church today. I was later told that white was the colour for women part of the church's 'Women's Group'. The other ladies wore their standard floral patterned moo-moos. Men wore either normal clothes or a white buttoned collared shirt and black suit trousers. Many wore sunglasses which caught my interest. 

I, wanting to respect the culture of covering the knees/shins and shoulders, didn't wear a moo-moo you'll be pleased to know but wore a plain tshirt with cap sleeves tucked into a long skirt with feathers on it. I think I fitted in okay!

The men and women sit separately in church. Something I noticed only about half the way through. 

And it wasn't as jam packed as I thought it might have been. Alike to back home, the front few rows of chairs were completely empty. No one wanting to be the keen-bean sitting right up front. There were probably about 100 people there (a lot for British congregation!) but in a room with a capacity for about 300. 

There were hymns a plenty and lots of speaking from the two men in white suits on the stage. A few times people looked to their bible and read along, silently or aloud, to a reading from Colossians. The congregation just had one prayer in unison - the Lord's Prayer. 

And then there was of course the singing! I liked this bit very much. I didn't get to sing sadly (you have to buy and bring your own hymn book here) but fortunately I could get a peek at one in front of me. And to my amazement it had music in it! Two part harmony. And even more amazingly the congregation were singing it in near-perfect two part harmony. I do so wish I could have recorded some for you but it didn't quite seem respectful to get out my phone and record. I'm sure if you were able to google 'Kosraean church choir music' you might get something close. 

No organist or pianist, no choir at the front leading the hymn singing. Instead, there seemed to be confident singers (perhaps part of the choir?) randomly distributed amongst the congregation.... When it was time for a hymn, one brave sole started off singing the first line when they felt like it and then others nearby started too, with the whole hall singing by the end of the first verse. It was a different lone singer who started off each one! 

As for the number of hymns, I lost count fairly close to the start. But there must have been about 7 or 8 in total. None more than three (short) verses each. 

And I knew the tune of one them! I've no idea what it was called, being someone who remembers tunes and pictures much better than names of things, but I sure knew the melody and so hummed along. (The words were lost on me as I couldn't see a hymn book close enough)

Of course, I nearly forgot. There was communion. Rather than going up to the front, a team of about 10 helpers collected plates of firstly bread and then, what can only be described at tiny shot glasses, of wine. There was a group of ladies to present the dish at the end of the ladies' rows and men for the other side. And people just reached to the dish and collected the communion rather than the person giving it out. There was a person at each end of a row and multiple aisles so no one was ever too far from a dish. It was all very civilised. 

Done just after communion, a similar thing happened with the collection. And I'm pleased to say that collection here went a lot more successfully than the last time I went to church in a foreign country. But only just.

Collection etiquette always seems a little different with each church you go to. And here there was a church helper at each end of a row who, starting from the back, made their way down the aisle. Of course, you can't quite tell when they're going to turn up and, being new to this, I didn't know there was a person at each end of the row. Nor did I know there was a basket for collection (although I assumed this would be the case as it's fairly standard). When, then, a church person came to stand next to me (I was at the end of a row), I rightly assumed he was the collection man. However, being just him who arrived at my row, I wrongly assumed it was him I was meant to give my donation to despite the fact he didn't have a basket. 

Turns out the blokey who was meant to be at the other end, who actually did have a basket, was about two rows behind his partner and so I hadn't seen him or knew he was coming. Doh! 

Fortunately I had been subtle enough in offering up my donation to this basket-less man and he wasn't really looking anyway so no offence created. And it wasn't too much longer until a basket was actually passed to me. 

Deary me. I was glad that bit was over and done with. It never goes smoothly. 

Towards the end of the service, two ladies, dressed in white, around the age of my mum, came up to me. They looked so happy to see me, and a little surprised. They were two ladies from the hospital, Sepe and Annie, nurses whom I had worked with during parts of this week in public health and antenatal clinic. They came up to me and immediately held my hand in that 'it's a joy to see you, you are so welcome here' way. It was a wonderful moment: to be recognised after such a short time with these people at the hospital and being so new and different. And to be so warmly accepted into a native's special place of worship. It was lovely.

Oh, and the whole service was in Kosraean.

At the end of it all (actually only 40 minutes - a lot shorter than usual I was told), I stepped out into this view to continue my Sunday and walk my journey home with Janise.