OVER the past two weeks, our church has welcomed more than 650 primary school pupils to explore the building and the Easter story.
One unexpected highlight for many of them was the drum kit.
This raised questions for me as a children and families worker: Do children see church as outdated or overly quiet?
Does a drum kit feel out of place here?
Reflecting on this, the irony became clear.
As we repeatedly shared the Easter story, we were reminded that Jesus himself was seen as radical and forward-thinking.
His teachings: loving your neighbour and treating others as you wish to be treated, remain deeply relevant to lives today.
Other modern elements are also part of our church life: QR codes, social media, live translation via phones, and card payment facilities.
In that context, a drum kit hardly seems unusual.
And while churches are often associated with silence, our recent school storytelling sessions were anything but quiet.
Children reenacted Palm Sunday with loud shouts, dramatic table-turning in the temple, and dozens of drum rolls introducing storytellers.
Finally, while a drum kit might seem suited to a superstar’s stage, Easter invites reflection on a different kind of ‘superstar’ – Jesus.
Though not a celebrity as we understand it today, his miracles, teachings, sacrifice, and resurrection have impacted lives for over 2,000 years.
Perhaps the real question is not whether a drum kit belongs in church, but whether we’re ready to hear this noise-worthy, enduring story.
Lois Theobald is children and families worker at Wokingham Baptist Church, which meets on Sundays at 10.30am.
For information, visit: wokinghambaptist.org.uk
