It is interesting to me that almost universally folks have had a harder time putting into words their thoughts about worship. It is much easier to discuss the how's and why's of making a person feel welcome at church but I think it can be more difficult for us to put into words what makes worship important, meaningful or even transformational. I have also been less verbal. Perhaps it is hard for me as well ... hmmm... could it be that something special happens during worship and if we talk about it, it somehow diminishes it or our experiences. It is hard to talk about - let's call it - the "God" moments we have had, during worship or otherwise.
I think for the sake of our deepening conversations I would ask a few questions for you to ponder.
Are there parts of the service that feel more meaningful to you than others? Do some elements help you feel closer to God or one another? What parts of the service are we as a church most successful at? What parts could we work on? Share a meaningful time in a worship service.
My hope for worship is that somehow, through the music, spoken word, quiet time, people's hearts are touched, moved; they are inspired, find hope, find forgiveness, find renewal,they leave feeling different (in a good way), more alive, more joy-filled, more comforted, more able to endure...
So often worship is left to the pastor to figure out. After all they have the degrees and all... but I need your help. We need to work together to understand the worship needs/life of this congregation.
Don't hold back, let's share!!!!
Rev. Patty
Are there parts of the service that feel more meaningful to you than others? I find the sermon/meditation the part of the service that often has the most meaning for me. I also often notice the prayers frequently seem to be in sync with what I need to hear/say/acknowledge.
ReplyDeleteDo some elements help you feel closer to God or one another? Singing, prayer, and sharing Communion all help me feel close to God. I think when people share their concerns and celebrations it invites closeness with one another.
Share a meaningful time in a worship service. Listening to the comments of the first group of NOLA travelers; I was particularly moved by Jamie Pratt’s recollections....Feeling a hand on my shoulder during music that brought tears to my eyes....A “point/counter-point” between Rev. Patty and Judy Medeiros following the 2004 tsunami. All of these experiences touched me deeply. There are also many small quiet moments that our pastor has tenderly conveyed a deep caring and understanding...and those moments always feel very sacred to me. So yes - in worship I have been touched, inspired, comforted, and found hope, forgiveness, and peace.
I posted some other comments on Sat. nite that answered some of the questions. Yes, the music, sermon, and the liturgy in the service become part of me as I worship...but I see God in little things....Nathanial gently hugging a little kid, Shannon humming "Alleuia" as she was coloring, Joe and John hugging the boys, the "happy shiny" smiles from people, folks willing to share their pain and trusting the God will respond....the list goes on and on. I love seeing our Board members attending regularly and making an effort ot reach out to people......and then there is you, Patty, leading us to be BOLD in our faith. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI think NCC is doing extremely well with passionate worship. I know we can always improve and need to keep an open mind, BUT this is where we really shine. Other areas of the book may have bigger challenges for us.
ReplyDeleteI am at NCC because the worship struck just the right chord and continues to uplift my spirit and make me think - every week!!
Jackie here...can't figure out how to sign on like eveyone...so here goes.
ReplyDeleteI think we at NCC have the music down. It's relevant. We use the old..some new...the choir always makes me feel centered. Kinda like Rev. Pattys sermons....always relevant...how she takes the readings and meld it into whats pertinent to today's real life.
There are times I wish we had more quite time for selfreflection/prayer.
One of the most meaningful moments for me was when Rev. Patty "auditioned" for NCC. It was the meeting we had right after. THe openness that we discussed the pro/cons of having her...But it was the willingness we had to be open to her word of God and her joy for preaching. Another meaningful time in church was when we were told about a young member of our church who told her mother she did not want any birthday presents .....she wanted to give it to charity. God is still speaking!
Could it be "hard to discuss worship" because we are walking on the slippery slope of the differences of our beliefs?
ReplyDeleteI, for one, am a novice when it comes to religion and therefore, worship. I can say with utmost confidence that I probably do not share all of the same beliefs as the person sitting in the pew beside me, or the one in the back, my fellow choir member, or Sunday School teacher.
But I also strongly feel that one of the benefits of coming to NCC each week, (and what we do well) is that I am given the opportunity to explore religion but never at the expense of the beliefs I walk in the door with. I am given the opportunity to learn but I never feel "preached at". I am given the opportunity to share, or not to share - and never looked at differently for doing one or the other. Ultimately, I and my beliefs are given the opportunity to evolve at my own pace.
If I were to decipher a typical Sunday service and pick the "parts" that have become more meaningful for me, I would have to say that it starts from the moment Scott begins the music of the Gloria Patri and the children make their eager (and sometimes not so eager) move to the front of the church. It is something about seeing them march to the front that opens my heart, "puts me in the moment" and ready for what they are meant to teach me - and then, in turn, ready for the scripture readings, the meditation, the hymns and such. When something truly clicks with a child's message, I feel closer to God. Does that say something about me and the fact that I was not raised in a church and therefore go to the core of the teachings at a child's level? I am not sure, but it may be why I connect so keenly to that part of our service.
Not to just jump on board and make it a "praise Rev. Patty party", but from the first sermon I heard her deliver, right to yesterday's "You Light Up My Face", I am always and still amazed at the relevance of her sermons and how they either relate to something I am currently going through, have gone through, have pondered or need to hear. It is a gift with which we at NCC are blessed with - being able to take the sermon and relate it to our own lives. Having been to many churches in the past, I can say that is truly not always the case.
The parts we are most successful at I would have to revert back to "binding to one another" - it is clear through the welcome and annoucements (where different Missions are announced) to the cares/concerns (where support and prayers can offer an unburdening of sorts), we are a group of people who care about eachother, the community and the world at large. If a visitor were to join us on any particular Sunday, I am confident that they would get a clear glimpse of this as well, and how we - as a congregation - become closer to God through these moments.
And for what parts we could work on? I think it would be nice to involve the children more periodically - maybe one Sunday a month, one of the older children (and not only the Confirmation Class) could do one of the readings. Or relate what they have learned in a recent curriculum to the scripture or the sermon - I know that would take a lot of pre-planning, so maybe just a scripture reading would be more appropriate.
Also, I have heard from some of our younger adult members that they would love to hear some more "current" gospel music. I know that this is something Scott has looked into and done, but even something as simple as what he and Rev. Patty did yesterday with the R.E.M. music during the postlude? I think having a cd of a current gospel group play would mean alot to the younger set.
Once again, I have been beyond wordy! :o/
As I mentioned in previous posts, worship for me is a time where all of life comes to a pause and I am reequipped with the strength and energy to carry on my own ministry. I was raised to believe that singing joyous praise is twice praying. While I realize that this could come off as offensive or disagreeable, this has always stuck with me. Music is the above all most meaningful time for me; it is my time of praise and prayer. I struggle with the traditional congregational hymns, some are familiar to my childhood, but most of the time I am so concentrated on trying to make sense of the lyrics that I can’t center myself on prayer. My most enjoyable experiences are listening to the choir or anytime a contemporary song is performed. This is no doubt a generational difference and I would agree with Ellen that my assumption is that many younger folks coming into NCC or out still looking for a faith community favor this. The Congregationalist in us must remember that each of us have our own experiences during worship. What I enjoy for music may be different than my brothers and sisters. I believe we are most successful with our communion practice. Having an open table and enthusiastically inviting and sharing that monthly meal all of our brothers and sisters no matter their faith practices is rare. While many protestant churches practice an open table, not many stress the invitation to those in the congregation. I have great respect for how NCC handles this time of spiritual nourishing. Above everything else we all arrive at NCC on Sunday mornings from different places and situations. Our task is often tricky, but we are called to welcome all people into our community of differences, united by the love of Christ.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I feel the same as what Ellen posted in her first 3 paragraphs. It's difficult for me to discuss worship in words; I don't remember much of Sunday School, and there were many years I was not involved in church at all, but I know God is in my heart and has guided me throughout my entire life's journey. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason, good, bad, somewhere in between--and having faith in Jesus and God have sustained me through many difficulties and celebrations in my life. I especially feel close to God singing the Doxology and Gloria Patri. They have been consistent in every church I've attended and usually can bring tears to my eyes. The music is very special to me Again, as I explained briefly at the BOM meeting, I was drawn back to NCC after visiting because of Rev. Patty's enthusiastic and down to earth teaching. The sermons related to me directly every time I was there; I have learned so much in the 10 months I have attended. I am enjoying this exercise as another learning experience. Thank you all! Jan
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