Worship Weblog
Worshipping Communities
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
B&C on ‘Sundays in America’
Review of ‘Sundays in America’ at Books&Culture’s website:
I’m trying to think of something that’s as strange as church. As frankly odd. As consistently peculiar. My own church, for instance. I love it. But I wonder how it might appear to a Martian. Or, to John the Baptist, say. Or, for that matter, to Suzanne Strempek Shea, author of Sundays in America: A Yearlong Road Trip in Search of Christian Faith. Shea, a writer who made it her business to visit fifty-two churches in a year, and to write a chapter about each one. It’s a lot of churches. It’s a lot of chapters.
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Monday, June 30, 2008
60 Minutes on the persecution of Christians in Iraq
An abandoned Christian church in the Baghdad neighborhood of Dora.
60 Minutes re-aired this story last night on Christian congregations in Iraq. It was a reminder of the harsh persecution that has fallen on Christians in Iraq, most of whom have either fled or been killed by Islamic radicals. And it was a cause for gratitude and awe to see what God is doing in the face of death through Canon Andrew White, a courageous priest ministering in Baghdad (learn more about his foundation, his books, and his work). He and his wounded flock need the fervent prayers of Christians around the world.
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Friday, June 20, 2008
Oldest Christian Church found in Jordan?
We often say that worship wasn’t invented yesterday; we inherit centuries of Christian practice. No matter what this cave actually is, this news release is a reminder that our liturgical heritage has deep roots.
Excavators in Rihab, northern Jordan, say they have uncovered a cave underneath a third-century church that they believe was used by the very first Christians between the years 33, about when Jesus was crucified, and 70 A.D., when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. The cave contains a circular structure that may have been an apse, and the floor of the later church above contains a mosaic that refers to the “70 beloved by God and the divine”—a reference, the excavators say, to the first followers of Jesus, who went to that area of Jordan to flee persecution.
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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Workshop and Worship at Open Table of Christ United Methodist Church in Providence, R.I.
We were grateful to get this note and these pictures from Open Table of Christ United Methodist Church in Providence, Rhode Island, one of our current grant recipients, and share them here with permission.
We had a glorious, Spirit-filled Pentecost that touched everyone involved.
Over 20 people attended the Saturday afternoon workshop that Jorge led. At
its conclusion at 4 PM, many people asked, “Can’t we just keep going?” We
learned to think more thoughtfully about style versus content, sacred
moments and memories and how to attempt to facilitate the holy.
Jorge continued the singing and teaching at our Pentecost potluck for about
90 people, including some new Cambodian refugees.
Sunday morning was glorious with Jorge both leading music and preaching. We
sang new music and experienced a new beautiful sung communion. We had a
powerful sense that this weekend was a turning point for the church in terms
of worship renewal and that we now moving forward with greater joy,
enthusiasm, fuller conscious participation and awareness of the Holy Spirit
in our worship and in our lives.
Learn more about our Worship Renewal Grants Program
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Ministering to returning soldiers: an urgent but underappreciated need
At staff meeting last week, we met with Herman Keizer, director of Chaplaincy Ministries for the Christian Reformed Chuch, about how churches can better enfold returning soldiers from overseas duty. Too often, churches fail to minister to returning veterans who may have profound psychological and spiritual needs, including PTSD. Some of the many needs, challenges, and other considerations we discussed:
- the need for churches to understand and minister to the psychological effects of military service
- the need for churches to understand and minister to the abrupt adjustments to civilian and family life that returning from service brings (and the continual abrupt adjustments of multiple tours of service)
- the need for churches to avoid idolatrous nationalism on the one extreme, and silent detachment on the other
- the need to minister to people, regardless of politics
- the need to identify, in prayer, song, and in other ways, with Christian communities in areas of military combat--to see believers of other nations as “us,” not “them”
- the need to lament and pray for the suffering of innocent victims in all areas touched by war and combat
... and many more. We plan to develop resources around this theme; here are some initial links:
-Resources from Chaplaincy Ministries for Soldiers and Families
-National Center for PTSD from Veteran Affairs
-’Beyond the Yellow Ribbon: How Churches Can Help Soldiers and Their Families Readjust After Combat‘ from Speaking of Faith
-’Clergy learn together how to help vets‘ from the Boston Globe
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Thursday, May 15, 2008
Friendship Ministires on ‘What can I do to make large-group prayer more meaningful?’
From Friendship Ministries(pdf):
If you’ve ever asked this question, you’ve probably asked another: “What is prayer?” The answer may be simple–prayer is talking with God–but of course this simple answer raises even more questions! And perhaps your old answers to these questions have changed as you’ve experienced prayer with people for whom spoken communication is difficult or impossible. In the context of so much intriguing mystery, we would like to share some practical ideas to consider as you seek to enhance group prayer:
The newsletter goes on to provide 12 helpful pointers for leading prayer with those with disabilities--check it out(pdf)
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B&C on Charismatic Christianity in South America
Years of skilful interviewing by David Smilde of the men in two churches in dangerous parts of Caracas, Venezuela, conducted during the period just before Chavez, confirm what investigations have shown from Kingston, Jamaica, to Accra, Ghana, and points east. Evangelical, charismatic, and in particular Pentecostal Christianity offers visions and revisions of lives changed for good, spiritually, morally and (so far as may be, given the changes and chances of life) materially. Of course, some fall by the way, because things don’t to work out as hoped, or else they are pulled back into old ways by boon companions. Most encounter experiences which try them “as gold in the fire,” and getting right with God may turn out easier than getting right with a wife or partner. All the same, there is enough evidence of some betterment affecting all the interlinked dimensions of life to vindicate Providence in the eyes of believers rather than the influence of fortuna and fate. Even when sorely tried, Pentecostals turn to ancient, indeed biblical, ways of searching out the ways of God: for example, that he is teaching his children through adversity, that his ways are not as their ways, that their way of life has somehow been displeasing in his sight, and that the goods of this world corrupt our treasure in heaven.
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Alban Weekly on ‘Congregational Web Sites: Our New Front Door’
Jonathan, 28, believes Web sites functions like a “front page” for organizations. He notes that his generation surfs the Internet continuously, both during the work day and during leisure hours, and that they would almost never visit a church or other organization without first checking out its Web site. Whether or not Jonathan can speak for an entire generation, organizational Web sites are certainly proliferating. More congregations are establishing Web sites and more congregational leaders are realizing how helpful, even strategic, Web sites can be.
Related Resources
Using Your Website to Enrich Worshipers
Working With Your Local Media as a Worshiping Community
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Corwin Smidt on political cues during worship
A belated link: CSR’s blog links to a draft of a working paper co-authored by Corwin Smidt of Calvin College as part of a research initiative supported by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.
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Gerardo Marti on ‘fluid ethnicity’ in JSSR
Gerardo Marti, whose research we’ve been blessed by (see this and this), has a paper in the current issue of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion:
Fluid Ethnicity and Ethnic Transcendence in Multiracial Churches
Gerardo Marti
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 47 (1), 11–16Abstract
Assumptions of racial essentialism lead to inadequate analysis of multiracial churches. Instead, acknowledging ethnic identity as a negotiated phenomenon encourages a richer investigation of how congregational participation stimulates and redefines a person’s racial and ethnic identity. The malleability of ethnic identity is such that it is often obscured in favor of other aspects of self. Ethnographic analysis of two multiracial churches, Mosaic and Oasis, indicates that particularistic ethnic affiliations recede when otherworldly, value-rational interests are emphasized. Ethnic transcendence occurs when members adopt a shared identity based on a uniquely congregational understanding of what it means to be a properly religious person (a proper “Christian,” “Jew,” “Muslim,” “Buddhist,” etc.). In short, the distinctive accomplishment of multiracial congregations is the cultivation of an inclusive religious identity that overrides divisive aspects of ethnic identity. Moreover, recognizing the varying salience of racial and ethnic identity evokes greater caution regarding what can be assumed when researchers apply the label “multiracial” to congregations.
(We may be able to make a copy of this paper available to your church by request.)
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Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Report from National Ministry Summit
Above: Betty Grit talks with Michael Cymbala of GIA Publications.
From Betty Grit:
This past weekend’s Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership National Ministry Summit in Orlando, Florida, provided a unique opportunity to meet with old friends and introduce others to the work of CICW. One pastor told me that he is on our website frequently. He finds insights and resources valuable for sermon preparation. Another stopped our CICW exhibition table to say that she knows several grant recipients and appreciates what has been accomplished through Worship Renewal Grants. Dolly Sokol, project director for grants to the Office of Worship and Christian Initiation of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, thanked us for the grants and said that she is “spreading the word” about the grants.
We were grateful to talk with Bill Johnston, a member of the Worship Renewal Grants Advisory Board. He had sent us information about this conference and encouraged us to be here to introduce conference participants to CICW and the grants.
A highlight of the conference was a conversation with Father Tom Willis, project director of the 2007 grant to the Diocese of St. Augustine Office of Liturgy. This project brought together 18 parish musicians to study music and liturgy. Father Tom told me that the first time the group gathered for a retreat and learning, some participants were in conversation with Kathleen Harmon, the facilitator, until 3 AM. The eagerness to learn has been evident throughout the year. Pastors reported to Father Tom six weeks later that already there was evidence of renewal in worship. The participants have now met with Kathleen twice and recently gathered to reflect and celebrate. Father Tom notes that the learning process has been marked by trust and affirmation. Participants have shared newly composed music and made revisions based on thoughtful input by other participants.
A final workshop of the grant year is planned for May. An extensive evaluation process will include participants, pastors and others in the congregation such as choir members. The leadership team is eager to assess the learning that has spread throughout the parish. We are most grateful for the vision and leadership that is creating a model for training local musicians in liturgy and music.
Previous Report: Visit to El Buen Vecino Presbyterian
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Report from El Buen Vecino Presbyterian
From Betty Grit:
It was Sunday morning and the leadership team of El Buen Vecino Presbyterian Church had gathered in their new worship space in Kissimmee, Florida, to tell me about their grant year. Led by Pastor Sandra Luciano-Andujar, they had offered classes in music, dance, visual arts and drama for worship. The previous week participants and members of several congregations had come together to see what had been learned, to celebrate, fellowship and worship concluding with the Lord’s Supper.
The leadership team includes adults and children with many gifts. One young girl, Lauren Marie, told me that she loves being involved in drama and visual arts. We were shown a video of the learning workshops as well as pictures of the recent celebration.
Later today the congregation will worship in a nearby church. Some of the learning through the grant year will be a part of this service that will include a baptism. It is their prayer that construction permits will soon be in place to allow them to worship in their new space.
We are reminded of the privilege of partnering with this young congregation as they develop the gifts of their members for worship. Should we have the opportunity to visit again in four or five years, it is our prayer that we would find fruits of the grants flourishing to provide vital worship in this growing Hispanic community.
Next Report: Report from National Ministry Summit
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Thursday, April 17, 2008
Easter Visuals at First Reformed in Pompton Plains
The picture and below note were sent to us by Roy Okma and are posted here with permission:
I am a Calvin graduate and I recently attended your Worship Symposium as a representative of the First Reformed Church in Pompton Plains, NJ. I have attached a picture of our first experiment of using visual arts within the church as a way to enhance the worship experience. I just want to thank-you and the staff at Calvin for an excellent conference and I wanted you to see some of the impact that you are having around the country.
Our church has been around since 1736 and the worship style is more traditional.
Looking at the picture, we made the following changes for our Easter Sunday service:
1) Built and stained the wooden cross in front of the church
2) Ran drapes of white fabric from the cross spreading over top of the entire congregation
The visual effect on Easter was unbelievable as the sunlight played off of the fabric making for an inspiring visual effect. The project was so successful that we are starting a visual art team in our church and also adopted the idea of displaying art work through out the church.
I just wanted to write you an e-mail to share with you and the Calvin staff some of the results from all of your work. As you stated in the conference it is not at all about the ”grant money”; these ideas can be implemented by anyone.
Regards,
Roy Okma
Related Resources
Eyes to See: Grassroots Discoveries on Worship and the Visual Arts
Worship and the Visual Arts
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Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Prayers for Blacksburg - one year later
Today we remember and pray for people in Blacksburg, Virginia, on this first anniversary of the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech University. We got to know several worship leaders in Blacksburg through a Worship Renewal Grant; their collaboration and spirit of gratitude have been a real witness. Anne Campbell of Blacksburg Presbyterian Church sent us this picture shortly after the shootings last year, showing some of the outpouring of support for the VT community.
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Monday, March 24, 2008
Easter Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Christian worshippers attend Easter Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, traditionally believed to be the site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, in Jerusalem, Israel, Sunday, March 23, 2008. (AP Photo/Ahikam Seri,Pool)
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