Why Community?

Many years ago, when my boys were still boys, I was speaking to the mother of another one of the youth in our church. I would guess she was part of the church because her son was part of the youth group and that she and her husband attended because a neighbor had invited them. She said to me that she felt closer to God in her backyard, being part of nature, than in worship.

I don't think that is a unique experience - I think many of us have felt the presence of God in God's creation. Let's set aside my opinion that our church's traditional style of worship wasn't her cup of tea, and just think about corporate vs individual means of grace.

Laceye Warner, in the book All the Good: A Wesleyan Way of Christmas, writes this:

The vitality of the early Methodist renewal movement depended on small group gatherings.  John consistently urged that authentic spiritual formation could not take place 'without society, without living and conversing with [others].'"

I think this statement makes sense when one considers the emphasis the Wesleys placed on accountability groups. These small group gatherings were the heart of the spiritual growth Wesley envisioned for those who participated in his movement.

What is the benefit of a communal experience of the means of grace (according to me)?

• Wesley would say to encourage nurture and accountability. While we can practice self-discipline, we are prone to self-justification of our actions, aren't we? At least I am. Having others to encourage and provide truth is helpful.
• When we are part of community, we have opportunities for service. We care for each other, and together, we can reach out beyond ourselves. On our own, who do we love? Who do we care for?
• We are more - synergistically - when we are together than when we are alone. The church - our community - is more than the some of the members.
• When we say, "I'll just sit here in my backyard to worship," we selfishly think that God's desire for our worship is only that we are individually edified. What do we bring to worship than can build up others? What do we bring to church that can help others to grow?
• What about when we are grieving, lost, alone, unwell? Community can support us. And when others need help? Sitting in our backyard doesn't help anyone.
• What about stewardship? What about giving of our gifts and talents? Who do we give them to in the backyard?
• In isolation, our experience of God is one-sided, flat - created only from our own perceptions of God. In community, our understanding of God is broadened, strengthened, because other voices and experiences contribute to it.

Please don't misunderstand me. I think times alone, times in nature, are wonderful gifts of grace. I just think they can't be everything and all. We are called to be in community, called to be of service to each other and to those around us. God is surrounding us, entering the spaces between us. We need each other.

Sense of Urgency

Yesterday, Marv taught a Sunday school lesson based on one of Moses' speeches from Deuteronomy.  He provided a list from the curriculum of ways we can prepare ourselves for worship.  I thought the list would be the basis of a series of blog posts.

The first item on the list is to have a sense of urgency about worship - Anticipate something new.  When I heard that, a few things came to mind.

In the Walk to Emmaus, we are told not to anticipate.  And during our recently Academy, there was a lot of talk about broken expectations - the way to prevent broken expectations is to not have them.

And yet, there is the passage from Isaiah 43:19 -- I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

While this passage from Isaiah isn't specfically about our topic, it does remind me that God is strong enough to bear our expectations - our anticipations.    If we come to worship with a sense of urgency, expecting God to be present, and for God to reveal God-self to us, then isn't God faithful and reliable enough to show up?

Urgency - coming to worship with a sense of anticipation.  It's not something I usually do, but it is something I should do.

In Between

Some would even say that it is only in the in-between times that we are free enough form the structures and strictures of ordinary life to hear God’s voice.  (Guthrie: From Pew to Pulpit: A Beginner's Guide to Preaching)

I read this book along with my CLM students, and this sentence really caught my attention.  From that quote, I created a questions for them:  Think about this quote in the context of our current reality as churches and communities living  through a pandemic.  In what ways are we in an in-between time?  Has this enabled the church  or you to hear God more clearly?  How will that impact your ministry as a CLM? How will this  impact your church into the future? Have opportunities for the church’s ministry opened from  the challenges?

For me, it feels as if we are currently in an "in between" time in our churches.  We are still in the pandemic, although we had hoped it was ending.  We are still trying to have some sense of normalcy in our churches, and think there is a part of us that would like to "go back" to the way it used to be.

On World Communion Sunday, we celebrated the Lord's Supper as a church.  We all came to the front of the room and were handed a small goblet-shaped cup with juice and a wafer sealed inside.  It isn't what it used to be, with sweet bread torn from a loaf and dipped into a cup, but there was liturgy, and there were the words "The body and blood of Christ, for you."  We waited until everyone was served, and then ate and drank together.  The people at home, watching on the internet weren't able to have consecrated elements, but did, I hope, feel the community of communion.  

It's better than it was - when we were all at home.  And it's better than the basket of elements at the door that you pick up without the face to face contact of being served and of receiving.  

And in this in-between, I remember why we have communion in the first place.  When we were worshiping from home, I really felt the lack of this meal.  The in between at that time focused my attention more on the need for remembrance together.  

I would love to go back to no masks, and to torn loaves, and to praying together at the altar; however, in this in between, I can be more grateful for what we do have, and for the ways we can come together.

Book Review: Guide to Preaching and Leading Worship

Information about the book

A Guide to Preaching and Leading Worship by William H. Willimon.  Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, 2008 (Previously published in 1984)

Summary

Quoting the introduction, "This handbook is a practical guide to enable you to be an effective preacher and liturgist.  Too much is at stake in the life of the church for us pastors to be anything less than competent committed, and well-informed "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Cor. 4:1).  Topics included are planning the service, public prayer, sacraments, and preaching.

Impressions

I purchased the book to be used as a reading for a CLM class I am leading.  The session where we'll discuss this book is one centered around planning worship, so I hope it will be a help for them.  It is focused on being the pastor, with the assumption that pastors are clergy.  My CLM students may (or may not) be assigned as "pastors" to churches, so I hope they can see the information around the bias toward it being for clergy.

I do think it provides good information regarding the planning of worship and preaching.  I am especially impressed with the emphasis on evaluation and how to go about change.  I especially like the chapter on prayer, and think it will be helpful to the CLM students.  I like the emphasis on using lectionary readings for biblically-based sermons.

I did find some of the Bishop's proclamations about worship to be - pardon me - not up to date. For example, the rule that scripture should be read only from a bound book, with no modern paraphrasing seems out of step with modern worship where young people bring their phones to the lectern to read.  I'm not sure he would find the Common English Bible to be appropriate (at least not when this was written).  The idea that preaching is the realm of the pastor (only) - and I may be misunderstanding him in this - seems to exclude lay activity - although I love the statement that lay people should be included in planning and implementation of worship and should be well trained.

Call me Back

Hoyt Hickman, in his book Worshiping with United Methodists, wrote about Jesus’s words, “Do this, as often as your drink it, in remembrance of me.”

He wrote, “The word remembrance has a meaning stronger than we ordinarily mean by the word ‘remember.’ We might better use the word ‘recall’ in the sense of to ‘call back’ — ‘Do this to call me back.’”

This is part of the holy mystery, isn’t it? That we can worship in a way that doesn’t just remember Jesus, but that calls him back to be with us, in that moment.  Communion isn’t a scrapbook event, where we think about Jesus.  It’s a meal WITH Jesus and all the saints.  It’s a family dinner. 

Use any of the words you want.  It is holy ground.  Thin place. Encounter.

I remember going to the funeral of the father of a pastor in our Annual Conference.  He led those gathered in communion, and he talked about it as worship where we gather with those who have gone before - a meal with his father. And his Father.

Recall.  Calling Jesus back.  Remembrance.

 

Perspectives: Advent at Home

 

This was our advent candle at home last month.  I missed Advent in Church, but we can worship anywhere, can't we?  That said, I miss the community of worship.

One Minute Message: Salt and Light

Notes from a One Minute Message I did at church a few weeks ago.  These are targeted to children in the congregation, but we deliver them to the whole congregation.

Part of today’s gospel according to me:  You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  You are the light of the world.  Do people light a lamp and put it under a basket? Or do they set it on stand so that it gives light to the whole house?  (From Matthew 5)

I need a volunteer.  Will someone help me? You don’t need to sing or dance, just eat a cracker? (ask person to taste a salt-less saltine)

Does the cracker taste OK? Or is it missing something? It’s a saltine but it is missing salt.  It doesn’t really live up to its name, does it?

Steve’s grandmother always said that all recipes need salt.  Without salt, any food is going to taste flat.

So, now, look around the room.  When the sun is out and it shines through our windows, they are beautiful.  When it is gloomy or dark outside, the windows lose their beauty.

I think salt and light are analogies for love.  We are love in the world. We sang a few weeks ago that the world will know we are Christians by our love.

But when we fail to be salt, and when we fail to shine, we don’t live up to our name.

Just like in the old Wendy’s commercial where the older woman would say, “Where’s the beef!” when we don’t live up to our name, the world will say “Where is the love?”

Because we are it.  Where will you be salty today? Where will you shine?

Litany: Psalm 96:10-13

A Litany based on Psalm 96:10-13

One: Declare to everyone

All: The Lord is King!

One: The world is established on a firm foundation

All: Built on a rock.

One: Our God judges with mercy and fairness

All: Our God is full of grace and love

One: Let the heavens be glad

All: Let us all rejoice

One: Let the sea roar and all that fills it

All: Let the fields shout for joy and all that is in them.

One: The trees shall sing for joy

All: The forests shall hear God coming

One: God is coming today to bring righteousness

All: May we know God's truth.

Call to Worship: Psalm 7-9

A call to worship based on Psalm 96:7-9

Leader:  We come this morning to this Holy Ground to praise God.

People: Open our minds to remember the Lord's glory and strength.

Leader: We stand on this Holy Ground to praise God.

People: Open our hands to bring an offering.  Open our hearts to release what weighs us down.

Leader:  We worship God so that we may come into God's presence.

People:  Open our eyes to see God among us.

All: Open our lives to worship the God who creator us, who saves us, or loves us.

Why church?

Why church?  Why come together on Sundays (or any other day) to worship God as a community? Why be part of a community at all? We had this discussion in Sunday school, and I had some pushback to the idea that we need to be in church in order to ... well... be church.

A person once said to me, "I can experience God better in my back yard than in 'church.'"  I get that. I understand that in the quiet and peacefulness of nature, our souls are more quiet, and we can see God more.  I've talked about that alot on this blog, and I have certainly experienced it.  God is present right now, as I sit at my computer and type this post.  I can hear - discern - God more easily in the quiet, without the organ or the distractions of watching other people or hearing the comments in the pews behind me.  I can see God in a tree rustling in the wind,  or in the sunrise on a mountain, or in the beauty of a flower.  

But, how does that help us to be the church other than prepare me to be a part of the church? Other than prepare me to fulfill the mission I've been given and that the Church has been given?  How does me finding God in a bird help anyone else?

Yes, there are ways, but aren't there other ways we cannot ignore? Ways that God intended for us through the Church?

If God is present in a rose or a sunrise, then isn't God present in me? In you? And if I stay home from worship, how will others know God? That sounds very self-righteous, but I don't mean it to be.  Let me turn it around. If you stay home and enjoy your garden, how will I come to know what God needs me to know through you?

There are means of grace.  Some are can be very private and  individualized, such as contemplation, study, fasting, And then there are those that are corporate, such as communion, visiting the sick and those in prison, feeding the hungry, holy conversation, and communal worship.

In our gathered worship, we are Christ to each other.  If we stay away, we miss that experience, and we withhold it from those who would gather with us. 

What prevents you from worshiping?

In Sunday school today, the teacher asked us, "What impedes your worship in the Sanctuary?"  The question was met with crickets.  No one really had an answer.  

I've heard various answers before from others.  Some of them included:

• Applause prevents me from worshiping (Oh, please, don't get me started - applaud.  It's worship.  Anyway, moving on...)
• ___________ kind of music.  Fill in the blank here.  It can be anything from contemporary, to classic, to organ.  
• Today in class, someone said "the absence of children" which I thought was a cool answer. I've heard the opposite, though - that the noise of children prevents some people from worshiping.
• Long sermons.  Short sermons.  Sermons that are read from a manuscript. (Truthfully, none of these matter if the sermon is good, to me).

How would you answer? What prevents you from worshiping?

As I thought about the question, ironically, during worship, the answer that was the most honest (to me) came to me.  I prevent myself from worshiping.  I fail to focus, I fail to silence the distractions in my mind.  I fail to worship because I can be my own biggest obstacle.

Language of Worship

Yesterday was Pentecost.  In our church, we celebrated with youth-led worship. Our Associate Pastor, Alan, said that it was an illustration of the breakdown of the language barrier that happened during Pentecost in the infant church. The older people in our church understand the language of traditional worship; the younger people among us would be sharing a more modern language of worship - one that they understand and that brings God close to them. And this day, Pentecost, is the day we strive to understand that.

It reminded me of when I was a youth at JM. We planned and executed a youth-led worship service, but the goal seemed to be to learn the traditional form and language of the adults in worship, and to demonstrate that we could plan worship in that style.

When I was a youth leader, the goal was different - help the youth to plan worship in their language, and help the congregation to understand that.

Yesterday, the congregation seemed to welcome the language difference with open arms - or at least I hope so. I hope we all grow enough to realize that God is brought close to each of us in different ways, and one of the best ways we love each other in worship - one of the most obvious ways God can inhabit our worship, is when we lift of the language of worship that reaches those we love instead of insisting that everyone speak the worship language that reaches us.

Silence

I have been attending a class at my church about finding God through silence and starting conversations with God. It was taught (very well) by one of the college students who attends our church. Last summer, she spent some time in France at the Taize Community. Go read about it - it's fascinating.

Her class centered around helping us to understand some of the practices they use in the Community, especially music, silence, prayer, and study. The class culminated in a worship service.

Part of the service included several minutes of silence.  Have you tried to be silent? A few things I noticed:

1. It is hard to find a silent location. Noise is all around us.
2. It is hard to silent your mind. Let me rephrase. It is impossible to silent your mind.
3. The difficulty in finding silence is magnified in a room of people. 

I think silence - real silence - is something we rarely experience. Even right now, sitting at my desk, there isn't silence. No one near me is speaking, no television or radio is on, but cars drive by, the keyboard makes noise, people on the floor above me are walking around. When I'm looking for silence, I hear all of those things. Normally, I ignore them.  Silence amplifies.

My mind moves from one item to the next. I'm not sure this is bad - if I'm centered, I think God can move my mind from one thing to the right thing, but I"m never sure if that is the case.

Have you tried to experience silence? Have you been able to find silence? Does it bring you closer to God?  I may keep attempting it and see where it goes.

Prayer of Supplication

Oh, God, our God,

Our minds are full of worries,

and our hearts are full of concerns.

We lift them all to you,

knowing that you are God,

and we are not.

There are those among us 

who are ill,

who are mourning,

who are hurt, 

who are hungry.

Care for them.

Help us share their suffering.

Bring them healing

Through us or 

in spite of us.

There are those among us 

who are joyful,

who are celebrating,

who are singing,

who are happy,

who are dancing.

Smile on them.

Help us to share their wonder.

Bring them laughter,

through us or

in spite of us.

Each of us has 

spoken or unspoken needs.

Hear those.

Make us aware that we are not 

the only ones who have needs.

Help us to answer the needs of others.

Walk hand in hand 

with those who lead us.

Give them wisdom.

Give them ears to hear you

and hearts to follow you.

Raise up from your children

the leaders who you choose,

and help us to follow them wisely.

Let us church be a church.

Let your church serve you

in obedience and grace.

Lead us so that the world is changed.

Amen.

Prayer of Praise

Oh, God, our God,

In our hearts, 

In our minds,

In our very souls

is a never imagined gratitude

for all that you are in our lives

And in the lives of those around us.

We offer our praise.

We know that the praise we offer

will be a pale return 

for what you have given to us.

For the grace you shower on us.

For the forgiveness that change our lives.

For the love that shows us who you are.

All that we have that matters is from you.

We have nothing to offer except our pale praise.

Inhabit our praise 

so that it is worthy.

Sing with us so that our song

is pleasing to you.

Help us to pray,

so that our prayers are lifted to your ears.

Inhabit our worship.

Oh, God, our God,

You love us in ways we cannot imagine

Or understand

Or grasp.

Help us to love you

Help us to love others

in ways that reflect

our grateful we are to you.

Amen.

Prsayer of Confession

Oh God, our God,

This morning we come as a church

that has not heard your word.

That has failed to be obedient.

The people around us are hungry.

There are people who are lost.

There are people who are alone.

And we do nothing.

Oh God, our God,

You became human

Left God,

And you came to save us.

You came to rescue the oppressed.

And in our gratitude,

we do nothing.

Forgive us, we pray,

and free us for joyful obedience.

Free us from other idols

those things that distract us from following you.

Free us from the past

that clouds of view of the future.

Free us from our sin

So that we can with joy and passion

Offer God to others.

Free us

Forgive us

Change us

Amen.

Prayer for Worship

Oh, God, our God,

Who could imagine it?

Who could think it?

Who could even begin to believe 

that you welcome us to worship?

Grant us the grace 

to know your presence.

Grant us the ability

to sing your praise.

Grant us the humility 

to confess ours sins.

And lift away our pride

so that we can accept your forgiveness.

Use this time to remind us

that we belong to you.

That you are our God,

and we are your people.

And when we leave his place,

Help us to remember that you have 

gone ahead of us,

and prepared the way

for the ministry you send us

out to do.

Amen.

Prayer for Tonight

Oh, God, our God.

Hear our cry today.

Hear the heartbeat of our sorrow.

Hear the franticness of our minds.

Hear our cry at the hatred.

Hear our disbelief.

Hear our shock.

We stare in horror at men

walking with torches.

Carrying mace and lighter fluid.

Driving a car into a crowd.

We cannot believe that 

hatred would surround 

as it did.

Reality doesn't seem true.

And yet we know it is.

We pray for the life that was lost.

For the pain that was inflicted.

For those who were afraid,

For those who were threatened.

We pray for the ones we want 

to surround with our arms in protection.

We pray for the lives of the lost.

For the hatred they spouted.

For the fire and pain and venom.

For those that threatened.

We pray for the ones 

we find hard to forgive.

We pray for ourselves

and our neighbors.

For forgiveness as we see those

who are different than we are

as different

instead of beloved.

We ask tonight that you would

change the world.

And if you can,

use us.

On my blog in the coming week I have scheduled a series of prayers. These were planned and written weeks ago, but as I queued them up to publish, I felt something missing. Tonight needs a prayer. Alan preached today about standing up and stepping out of the boat - where is God calling you to stand up and walk tonight? How do you respond to the hatred that was shown in Charlottesville? What will you do? What will I do? Tonight, we need a prayer.

Notes about Worship

I attended a Diversity Summit a few weeks ago. The last session was a panel of people discussing worship. These are my notes, not organized in any particular way, but still containing some good thoughts from the discussion:

• Why consider inter-cultural worship? We are preparing for the church that we want to be. (isn't that true in so many ways?)
• When we pray, we pray with the whole world in mind.
• Worship should represent the voice of the people who are there.
• The worship leader should be listening to the worshipers in order to represent them genuinely and authentically.
• Worship should make us feel a tad uncomfortable - examining how it is with our souls - movements of the mystery of God.
• Diversity in worship can make it fresh and revitalize the worship experience.
• Music is a divine gift that can make the Word more beautiful and break down barriers.
• Liturgy needs to be brought into the language of 20 year olds - use words we understand.
• Worship is always contextual.
• If it is not transformational, then it is a waste of time.
• There is a fluidity - a flow - to worship. Go with the flow. Don't be afraid to adapt plans to the flow.
• Have a deep commitment to intentionality and thoughtfulness - it seems to be the opposite of laziness
• Have courage to take ownership of the leadership position.
• Minor keys allow the heart to cry.
• In times of crisis, stand in it with your people.  Your actions don't have to be perfect - just be in the midst of it with them.

Worship in a Synagogue

In December of last year, there was a fire in the Sanctuary of our church.  Luckily, the fire was detected quickly and extinguished, but it did cause some damage to one side of the church.

The damage was limited enough that we can still use the building (not the Sanctuary), but construction started the Monday before Easter to repair the worship space.

As with most church, our attendance increases on Easter, so the alternative spaces we've been using in the building weren't going to be large enough.  The decision was made to accept the offer from B'nai Sholom Synagogue to meet in their facility on Easter Sunday.

It is a beautiful space, and it was worship inhabited by God. A few comments:

1. This is hospitality, when a congregation of another faith, one that doesn't believe in the resurrection of Jesus, offers to house your worship celebration.  It is radical, and it is what the God both congregations worship tells us we should do.
2. This is evidence that "church" has nothing to do with the building.  The "church" is wherever the people are gathered.  I hope we learn that.
3. I hope this is a door to greater community between us and the B'nai Sholom congregation.  

Over 80 years ago, our church had a fire that destroyed everything except the outer shell of the building.  The congregation then met for 2 years at the Synagogue, so this Easter, there was a sense of home in a different place.  The church is the people.