For Paddington Station (London), get the tube to Lancaster Gate and walk. Good advice, but in the lift as you ascend from the tube, there is a poster advertising the local church. (I'll be discrete and not name the church.) Service times, denomination, address .. OK. But what else does it want to tell us about it's life?
Professional Choir at all services.
What's going on here? Is it a monastery, with 'professed/professional' monks or nuns? No. Is it some relic of the private chapel, singing mass for the soul of some long deceased benefactor? No. It is a mainstream church, in a wealthy part of London no doubt, but an ordinary part of the body of Christ living out its Christian mission in the big city. And all it wants to say about the spiritual life of its congregation is that it pays professionals to sing every time it meets for worship.
I've no doubt they are excellent, and as a musician I know what an important source of income such work can be for struggling young singers. But is this really the most important thing about this church's life? What of its ministry to the young, the old, the family, the single person? What of its sacramental life? Its social life? What are the issues it sees itself engaging with in its community?
Not to mention the daft question, does anyone actually sing here without being paid for it?
So much for my first rant. Choirs can be a beautiful enrichment of worship. I could lose every orchestral piece ever written if I could keep the choral repertoire. But if the choir has become the most attractive feature of your church, I hear Amos in the distance, quoting God (and I approximate):
How I hate your noisy songs! What I want is justice, not sacrifice.
Look for something better to put on your church poster.