|
To contact us: |
|
17800 Elgin Road Box 68 Poolesville MD 20837 |
|
Phone: 301-972-7452 Fax: coming soon Email: poolesvillepresbyterian@verizon.net |
|
Poolesville Presbyterian |
|
Who's On Stage?
"That was a pretty good sermon, preacher." "I thought the choir sounded especially good this morning." "Wasn't this morning's monologue inspiring?"
These are the kind of comments people often make as they shake my hand on the way out of church. The comments make me smile -- people can't squeeze past me in our little entranceway without shaking my hand -- they have to say Something! And most people are too polite to voice their negative thoughts.
But positive or negative, comments like this reveal something important. Most of us treat a worship service as a product that can be assessed. Was it a "good" worship service? Did we enjoy it?
This is an especially interesting topic right now, because this Lenten season our worship has been enriched by the participation of many members of the congregation. Each week we have had a dramatic monologue, and on March 26 we will have a dramatic presentation of the Holy Week story. On April 2, Palm Sunday, members will read segments of the Passion story from scripture, and on Easter Sunday our choir and a narrator will present the story of the Resurrection through music. Lots of folks are "on stage," which is wonderful!
Should we be assessing "performance"? Ahh, but whose performance should we assess? Soren Kierkegaard developed a wonderful concept called "The Theatre of Worship." He compared worship to a theatre -- but the question is: Who is the performer and who is the audience?
Each worshipper is the performer. God is the audience. The preacher and dramatists and choir are directors or acting coaches.
Did you just say Yikes!! You just got it! Yes, I'm saying that on Sunday each of us is on stage! No wonder we'd rather assume we're critiquing the minister's sermon!
As we gather to worship through the rest of Lent--and into Holy Week and Easter-- I invite you to pay attention to your performance in worship. Ask yourself: Was my spirit receptive to the Holy Spirit? Was my heart ready to adore Jesus? Did I use these moments to encounter God?
May you have a worshipful Lent and a joyous Easter! See you on Sunday! |
Rev. Ruth's Ramblings |
|
Most of us treat a worship service as a product that can be assessed.
Was it a "good" worship service?
Did we enjoy it? |
