PAWS - An introduction

How do we relate to God in the modern world? Can Jesus have any relevance to any of us, today? These are the questions that are creating ‘alternative worship’ – that is a new way of meeting together, to rediscover what ‘worship’ could and, perhaps, should be for us now, away from the confines of a normal church service.

PAWS stands for 'Parallel Alternative Worship'. This is a monthly event which sprang from a need to explore new ways of centering on God. The uniting theme had to be involvement. Involvement of all people present, of all ages, in whatever the worship turned out to be. It needed to include all ages and be free of traditional constraints but at a time that was available to all ages – which is why it takes place on Sunday mornings and is ‘parallel’ to the traditional service.

Accordingly, now, on the third Sunday of each month (except August) an alternative worship experience takes place at Quinton Methodist Church, Halesowen, Birmingham. Since the first PAWS in September 2003 these events have taken many forms. There have been multi-media presentations, explorations of symbolism, recorded music, video presentations, Iona and Taize based services, noise, quiet, candles, graffiti walls, Trivial Pursuit, Lord of the Rings, art based services and prayer, talk and activity. Skills that may be considered alien have been discovered to add significantly to the events that take place, and existing skills have been used and offered in worship - computer and graphic design skills for example.

When there is a PAWS event at Quinton Methodist Church some join the normal congregation in the main church building for the first part of the traditional service and leave that service after the second hymn to take part in PAWS but others prefer to wait in the alternative venue - another room in the church building - simply preparing for the PAWS worship, which they find more helpful. Certainly attendance at PAWS does not require any attendance at a traditional service.

PAWS is an attempt to create a venue for inclusive alternative worship. It draws together new experiences for all ages. It enables those who find the traditional services unhelpful but wish to discover or explore the eternal questions to do so. It refreshes many who are also regular attenders of traditional services. If you wish to join us please do so. Check out the meeting dates. We look forward to seeing you.