We celebrated the life of one of our elders today. She was a woman of dignity, and deep faith which saw her face a diagnosis of liver cancer with grace and hope. She chose the songs for the service, and as a community we were able to proclaim the good news and affirm the Christian conviction that death is not the end, as well as celebrate a life of service to others.
In contrast, a celebrant took the service of another church member, in which the gathered mourners were encouraged to dwell on our memories of the deceased, for in this way she would never die. Vague, secular platitudes are a meager diet for those in grief.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
on building worshiping communities
We are in a conversation about worship in our Parish. We amalgamated four congregations on November 29, 2009. Part of the story is a commitment to the integrity of each congregation.
However, we have four similar services in different parts of our provincial town, with elderly and declining congregations which do not reflect our communities, and do not even serve well all the people who 'used to come.'
Part of our journeying together is a conversation around the fact that church or congregation doesn't consist of those who spend an hour together on Sunday morning. In fact, it is the small groups, the service, the working together that is the heartbeat of our life together as much as the corporate worship. Corporate worship is public, visible and important. But it is not the only way to be a congregation.
One of our churches closed a satellite church in 2008 and the members have found ways to still be church together through eating together and serving together. I think they are more a church now than perhaps they were, even though they do not worship as an independent small church family.
There are undertones of church size and church growth here. There are questions of ecclesiology. And there are questions of how we make decisions as Presbyterians. Other churches might just decide. But we talk and talk and listen and listen.
However, we have four similar services in different parts of our provincial town, with elderly and declining congregations which do not reflect our communities, and do not even serve well all the people who 'used to come.'
Part of our journeying together is a conversation around the fact that church or congregation doesn't consist of those who spend an hour together on Sunday morning. In fact, it is the small groups, the service, the working together that is the heartbeat of our life together as much as the corporate worship. Corporate worship is public, visible and important. But it is not the only way to be a congregation.
One of our churches closed a satellite church in 2008 and the members have found ways to still be church together through eating together and serving together. I think they are more a church now than perhaps they were, even though they do not worship as an independent small church family.
There are undertones of church size and church growth here. There are questions of ecclesiology. And there are questions of how we make decisions as Presbyterians. Other churches might just decide. But we talk and talk and listen and listen.
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