Dear Sounders,

It has been awfully quiet recently, I hope you aren't all away! I 
assume that many of you are from or are involved in a Baptist church. I 
am from a Plymouth Brethren church. I was wondering if some of you 
could comment on a few topics for me or direct me to where I might find 
some good scriptural information. My questions specifically are:
1) Are women supposed to have a head-covering (1 Cor 11) on when the 
church gathers for a meeting (ie worship, preaching, prayer)?

2) 1 Tim 2:12 states that a woman should be in silence during the 
gathering of the church. I understand that this entails preaching and 
teaching but does this also apply to prayer meetings? If there was a 
prayer meeting where both men and women are gathered is it right for 
them to pray out loud? Are they taking a leadership role within that 
group by praying out loud? To me it seems that when a person prays out 
loud they are praying on behalf of the group and therefore are leading 
the group.

To some of you this may seem petty and divisive but right now I am in 
great need of good scriptural council. I have grown tired in my young 
age of man's (or woman's) opinion. What I want is scriptural truth. I 
pray that you all won't dismiss this e-mail because this topic is of no 
interest to you.
My wife and I have left our home church and are presently without one. 
We are at a loss as to what to do. All there is here in Victoria right 
now is a small Free P work. We have no sovereign grace baptist pastor 
starting anything here! I have prayed that God would send a man our 
way. I have friends who are pushing for us to simply start a meeting 
but I am not sure if it is as simple as that.
So, if you would be kind enough to comment on my questions I would 
greatly appreciate it.
In Him,
Adrian