Worship 10 July 2011

This report is the letter that I sent to two of the leaders of the congregation I attended this Sunday.  Chad

Dear Pam and Lauren,

I attended worship at ECLC last Sunday, July 10, and want to express my gratitude and appreciation for the welcome your congregation extended to me. 

I did talk with both of you, but to refresh your memory, I am currently on sabbatical from my position as Director of Music at First Lutheran Church in Saint Peter.  As part of my sabbatical, I am visiting a number of churches, of a variety of sizes and liturgical approaches, to glean wisdom for the way we worship at FLC. Among the many questions, two in particular that I am contemplating are “How does a congregation extend its welcome to guests” and “What is the role and value of long-standing liturgical orders in worship.”  I learned much while attending ECLC. 

First, I offer thanks to all of your congregational members who recognized that I was a guest and then engaged me in conversation.  Although this particular Sunday was an unusual one, in terms of worship pattern, I felt (mostly) comfortable joining in the “Head, Heart and Hands” activities following the sermon.  Perhaps the greatest value of the break in the middle of the service for me as a guest was that there was time for engagement with members of your community.  I planted some flowers, got to know a couple of folks, and then felt a greater connection with the people present at communion.  Lauren was gracious to talk a little bit about the Bonfire service, and offer even further assistance as our own congregation at FLC contemplates a similar type of service.  Last, one member, whose name escapes me, made sure to converse with me following worship and offered me a visitor’s packet. 

Second, although I did hear somewhat of an apologetic tone about the style of worship from those I talked with, I truly appreciated the sense of flexibility of the service and the intimacy of the breakout session.  Pam mentioned in her sermon how the parables of Jesus don’t always have to invite linear thinking (that is an analytical view,) but rather some revelation might come from an experiential approach.  To be honest, I can spend most of my time comfortably doing linear analysis, so the thought of the breakout sessions made me sweat a bit.  But, afterwards, the experience enriched my time of worship and made the mission aspect of the gospel more tangible. 

Last, I have been finding as I visit various churches that the most satisfying encounters are with those congregations that authentically engender in their worship a sense of their mission, their life together, and what they hold dear.  After this Sunday morning’s visit, I can describe with some clarity your community’s mission and the way you live out the gospel.  That you are a peace church and a welcoming church is ever so clear.  I have also found that my experience as a guest is more fulfilling when a common liturgical order is present.  The style of the music and the exact content of the service can vary, but I still can find depth within the worship.  This was the first service in which we all paused for 25 minutes, went out to some activity, and then returned to communion, but all along, I knew what was coming.  And, the music was marvelous.  I love singing a cappella, and I appreciated the care and guidance the music leaders expressed while teaching songs that might deviate a bit from what is on the page. 

I hope that I will visit you again, likely on a Wednesday evening, and that your new Bonfire worship is a marvelous experience. 

Chad