tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post8550620617492667003..comments2024-03-28T10:26:20.408-04:00Comments on Ponderings on a Faith Journey: A Sermon Church?Robert Cornwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581876323110725024noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-75705463551010461112010-06-14T23:13:14.152-04:002010-06-14T23:13:14.152-04:00I suppose the first question should be addressed t...I suppose the first question should be addressed to the issue of what exactly is worship.<br /><br />I have thought that worship was about sacrificing to God. That is what the Hebrews did at the Temple and that is what my Catholic teachers taught me was what Jesus' death on the cross accomplished, once, and for all - the preeminent sacrifice, which we re-celebrate each time we participate in Eucharist.<br /><br />But lately I have come to think there is a broader range of worship practices, starting with the teaching from Acts, that is: devoting ourselves to the Apostle's teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. All of these practices form parts of a more complete worship experience, one in which the congregants are not mere spectators, but vital participants.<br /><br />It's not just about the Word/Sermon (the Apostle's teaching), and not just about the Table/Eucharist (the breaking of bread) but also about prayers and fellowship. I have heard some churches disparaged as country clubs, and others as too inwardly focused. But Acts seems to say that fellowshipping is an integral part of the worship experience, and not just folks socializing. Fellowshipping builds community, builds bonds, builds caring networks, and it is one way we live out the command to love one another. And Acts teaches that prayer is worship, whether it is sung, spoken, unspoken, and whether it is said individually or in community.<br /><br />So are we a sermon people or a people of the table? Yes. And a people of prayer and and a people of fellowship as well.<br /><br />At least I hope so.<br /><br />JohnJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06245470576919732592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-36414867267946841552010-06-14T10:08:32.397-04:002010-06-14T10:08:32.397-04:00I totally agree we're a word church, Bob! But ...I totally agree we're a word church, Bob! But one of the really exciting things about the whole movement towards "postmodernity" is that it's allowing us to get back to being who we really are as a movement. <br /><br />As my Disciples history prof tells it, prooftexting ran rampant in the Protestant church in the early 1800s--a preacher would take half of a verse and expound on it for 20-30 minutes in a worship service, the sole expert, the only person who could interpret the text.<br /><br />In the early days of the Disciples movement, some of the preachers liberated the bible and gave the gift of interpretation back to laypeople--a preacher might show up in town and simply tell the entire story of the book of Genesis and invite those gathered to DISCUSS TOGETHER what it meant. The preacher had a distinct role and voice, but not the ONLY role and voice.<br /><br />What happens if, even in worship, we foster that same attitude of creating space for the voices of all? I wonder if at some point we got coopted by mainstream Christianity and forgot the gifts of the priesthood of all believers. As a result, we've discouraged laypeople from taking ownership of deep reflection on and wrestling with the scripture. Is there a way worship can allow for multiple words from multiple sources, at least in the Disciples?<br /><br />Thanks for raising a GREAT topic!Sandhyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03712247990902718533noreply@blogger.com