In worship last Sunday, we touched upon the topic of making space for both those who love the tradition of the Presbyterian (and general Christian) faith and for those who yearn for innovation in their faith experience. I listened to an internet radio show broadcast today which was the first of a series by our PCUSA moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow and Pastor Carol Howard Merritt. They talked about the balance of tradition and innovation as it applies to membership and perceptions of church. It made me think we are not alone in seeking this balance.
The image that came to mind for me after hearing this broadcast was this... I know that we will never create a worship service that appeals to everyone's needs/desires 100% of the time during the worship experience. (Can I get an amen?!?) However, I do believe that we can work together to create a worship experience that is even more meaningful for all. I believe that we can enhance our worship in ways that the most traditional person will feel blessed. I believe we can also enhance our worship in ways that the more contemporary worshipper will feel blessed. And I believe that we can create a culture at First Presbyterian where each of these people will desire to bless the other.
When the more traditional hymn is sung, the traditional person will experience a deep, faithful connection to God and the more contemporary person will sing that hymn with all their heart to give praise to God and to say (in action) "I am glad to participate in this act of praise and in this blessing for those whose soul is fed by this kind of music." And vice versa as well! I believe the Kingdom of God includes worship where we are fed and where we rejoice at the thought of others being fed.
It's like Thanksgiving Dinner. You may not like sweet potatoes on the table for Thanksgiving, but if you know that your child or your father or other loved one is truly blessed by those sweet potatoes, then you are glad that they are on the table. We are blessed by a wonderful worship committee and an open-minded church family. I think exploring how we can combine tradition and innovation would be an interesting conversation.
The image that came to mind for me after hearing this broadcast was this... I know that we will never create a worship service that appeals to everyone's needs/desires 100% of the time during the worship experience. (Can I get an amen?!?) However, I do believe that we can work together to create a worship experience that is even more meaningful for all. I believe that we can enhance our worship in ways that the most traditional person will feel blessed. I believe we can also enhance our worship in ways that the more contemporary worshipper will feel blessed. And I believe that we can create a culture at First Presbyterian where each of these people will desire to bless the other.
When the more traditional hymn is sung, the traditional person will experience a deep, faithful connection to God and the more contemporary person will sing that hymn with all their heart to give praise to God and to say (in action) "I am glad to participate in this act of praise and in this blessing for those whose soul is fed by this kind of music." And vice versa as well! I believe the Kingdom of God includes worship where we are fed and where we rejoice at the thought of others being fed.
It's like Thanksgiving Dinner. You may not like sweet potatoes on the table for Thanksgiving, but if you know that your child or your father or other loved one is truly blessed by those sweet potatoes, then you are glad that they are on the table. We are blessed by a wonderful worship committee and an open-minded church family. I think exploring how we can combine tradition and innovation would be an interesting conversation.
ONE WAY FOR YOU TO ENTER THIS CONVERSATION IS BELOW...
(there will always be other opportunities... like Sunday School which is every week, Sunday, 9am! [shameless plug, I know])
(there will always be other opportunities... like Sunday School which is every week, Sunday, 9am! [shameless plug, I know])
Next Monday, I invite you to join me (if your schedule allows) from 11am-12:15 to listen to "The God Complex" internet radio show at the church. This radio show features Presbyterian leaders talking about faith and culture, meeting tradition and innovation. You can listen to it at home over the internet. You can even listen to it after the broadcast, but listening to it "live" gives us the opportunity to join the chat room, ask questions, etc. with Pastor Rob "driving" the computer to do all this. After the broadcast, we'll have a little conversation, sharing our own thoughts about the issues raised and about our church. If it catches on, we may offer this gathering every week."The God Complex" is described on its website like this...Bruce Reyes-Chow is a pastor of a church that recently completed the new church development process in San Francisco, a blogger at reyes-chow.com, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Carol Howard Merritt is a pastor in D.C., a blogger at TribalChurch.org and the author of Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation. Join them for a coast-to-coast conversation about faith, culture, politics, and life.Through their diverse congregational experiences, Bruce and Carol share a deep common yearning to find bridges between tradition and innovation.Gleaning from the practical knowledge of special guests, questions from call-in listeners and a never-ending well of current issues and church happenings, Bruce and Carol will take on issues of the secular and the spiritual. Find out more at: http://godcomplexradio.com/the_god_complex/
