I've hung around the edges of 4 General Assemblies now, and led a little worship in one. It is a challenge. What can we sing that we all know? From such a diversity of faith and practice, how we can engage in worship that is meaningful, sincere, heart felt and Christ centered?
Malcolm Gordan led with grace, simplicity, humor, pastoral sensitivity, and wisdom. His creative musicianship added an inspiring lift to well known hymns, and the Kupu Whakapono. New songs were well introduced, accessible, brilliant.
I loved the dimension the cello brought! Such depth! Such richness! Sophie, Kirsten and Andrew were brilliant under trying circumstances. I never did work out who the sound technician was. Worshiping outside in the rain in Ohope was not ideal, but even inside at Boys High in Rotorua, between the data projector and the sound system, things just did not work well.
There is a cost to worship done well. We saw the tip of the iceberg at General Assembly. What we didn't see was the workshop weekend involving over 20 people that Malcolm pulled together, that provided the platform for new songs and new song writers to emerge. What we didn't see was the years of experience in rehearsal and performing that underpinned every note. We didn't see the early start to set up or the late finish for pack down. We didn't see the hours of prayer and reflection that went into the song choices or informed the prayers.
Worship costs. Too often in an evangelical context we see the music as 'just a few songs' before the main event - the speaker! Worship that engages with the reality of a context as demanding as General Assembly costs time and energy and attention to the 'feel' as well as the content of what is going on.
Worship costs every worshiper too. At the end of the day, the last thing we felt like doing was more listening. Our energy was sapped, our attention spans were worn out. And yet, in that moment, we were held and loved and lulled with a lullaby.
Personally, I wish we had spent more time in worship and less in business.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Who is at the centre?
One of the nice things about holidays is the chance to visit other churches incognito, and have great conversations about worship.
One observations it is worth making is about where the centre is in worship.
According to Rev Rory Grant, church architecture reflects theological perceptions. Churches built before the fourties often have a pulpit that is larger and higher. The preaching of the word is the key part of worship in reformed churches.
For the age group known as "Boomers" the cross is often central. You'll see crosses becoming bigger and bigger if you compare churches built into the fifties and sixties.
But for Generation Y, will the communion table become the defining centre of worship? That depends on what church you are in. In many contemporary churches, the worship team and musicians take centre stage. This was the case in both churches we visited recently; in one, the preacher then came down and spoke from floor level. In the other, there were three sermons, one before the Lord's supper who spoke from the side, a missions talk given on the steps, and the third given from centre stage. In terms of time, the musicians had at least equal time, if not more than the speaker.
At Wai-iti Road, you will find the communion table is the centre. The worship team is off to one side, and speakers stand to one side. The defining feature is the communion table, and the smaller tables around which we gather. They are symbols of God's hospitality, physical expressions of the invitation to sit and eat and be with God. We bring in the scriptures each week, and put them on the table, open, at the centre of who we are and what we do together.
One observations it is worth making is about where the centre is in worship.
According to Rev Rory Grant, church architecture reflects theological perceptions. Churches built before the fourties often have a pulpit that is larger and higher. The preaching of the word is the key part of worship in reformed churches.
For the age group known as "Boomers" the cross is often central. You'll see crosses becoming bigger and bigger if you compare churches built into the fifties and sixties.
But for Generation Y, will the communion table become the defining centre of worship? That depends on what church you are in. In many contemporary churches, the worship team and musicians take centre stage. This was the case in both churches we visited recently; in one, the preacher then came down and spoke from floor level. In the other, there were three sermons, one before the Lord's supper who spoke from the side, a missions talk given on the steps, and the third given from centre stage. In terms of time, the musicians had at least equal time, if not more than the speaker.
At Wai-iti Road, you will find the communion table is the centre. The worship team is off to one side, and speakers stand to one side. The defining feature is the communion table, and the smaller tables around which we gather. They are symbols of God's hospitality, physical expressions of the invitation to sit and eat and be with God. We bring in the scriptures each week, and put them on the table, open, at the centre of who we are and what we do together.
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