Once more with the applause

Going back to the issue of response to worship...

Are there other observations I can make that help me to believe that applause is actually a response to worship? Yes...

• Sometimes my response to worship is silence. There are times when I feel no call to applause. If I were clapping as a compliment to a performance, then I would do it every time. To not do it would seem rude.
• There are times when my worshipful applause response is more enthusiastic when the gift presented is not excellent -- it is a response to the courage of the person rather than the gifts offered.
• One of the more holy, worshipful experiences at Annual Conference is the response of the candidates for ministry to the historic questions. It's a wonderful, holy moment, and the worshipful response of the congregation, when it is finished, is applause.

Not everyone is comfortable with applause in worship, and that is OK. Not everyone would bring applause to worship, and that is OK, too. I'm not particularly comfortable with raising my hand during worship. I don't think there is a single thing wrong with it; I just don't do it. I feel awkward when I do. I do believe it is a genuine response to worship, though. There are times, when I am listening to Christian music in the car, or even when I'm alone at church, baking in the kitchen, when my hand goes up into the air. I can't help it. It's as if I'm reaching out to touch God's hand. It's a worshipful response that I don't offer in worship. And that's OK.

There are times when I've seen our congregation respond with applause when I knew that it was something they had to do. After the choir's offering of The Requiem during Lent last year, worship was finished, and all was quiet. We were about to leave the Sanctuary, when the congregation stood on its feet and applauded. It was response to the presence of God, affirmation and love for those offering their gifts to God and praise to God for such wonderful worship. We couldn't help it; the response had to be made.

That's one of the ways I know it is worship. I can't not do it.

Image: Pansy in the snow at St. Marks