June 2008 ” From the Pastor…”
“Church Growth Part Three: Paying Attention”
While we continue to explore the things that prepare us to enter into a season of growth, I pause to remind us of a simple truth: It is God who will spark and drive any renewal among God’s people. We are responsible to make ourselves fully prepared and available but the prerogative as to “when” and “how” is that of the Holy Spirit alone.
The good news for us is that God is active in all places at all times. The Holy Spirit is busy in the hearts, minds and circumstances of all people everywhere. Our task is not to force, direct, or manipulate the activity of the Spirit, but to witness, celebrate and join into the ongoing work of God in our midst. The not so good news is that we do not always notice, appreciate, or respond, as we should.
How are we to notice and discern this activity in order to be faithful in our response? Pay attention. It is possible that God has been speaking to us and we have been unable or unwilling to listen, understand or respond. This is something that we can learn to do better as a community of faith. While we need to learn to pay attention and listen for God in all aspects of our lives, it only makes sense that we should begin in the times and places were we gather expecting to hear from God, worship.
For some of us Sunday morning just comes around each week and worship is just something that we take as it comes. But what would it mean for us if we really believed that God not only has a word for us on any given Sunday but also is actively using a variety of mediums to convey that message? What does it mean for us to pay attention on Sunday morning?
Preparation: Inspiring worship rarely happens in a spiritual vacuum. Take time during the week to read and meditate on the Scripture Lessons for the coming week (these are listed in the bulletin each week) allowing them to begin to work within your heart and mind. Pray for the Sunday Service and for those who are preparing to lead and participate in it, Ask God for guidance, insight and strength that they might faithfully plan and lead worship in a way that is consistent with Scripture and speaks to our experience. Even better, offer a prayer and then go find a way to help them (Lectionary Bible Study, Choir Practice, Worship Planning Meetings).
Make Space for God: We all come together from somewhere else and we all leave with somewhere else to go. Take a moment before the service to become centered and quiet letting all those other things go. We simply cannot pay attention if we are mentally somewhere else. Have a sense of holy expectation, come expecting to hear a word from God. Come expecting to see evidence of God’s presence and activity in the congregation.
Take a Closer Look: Most worship services are not like pearls on a string, isolated individual unrelated events strung together. Each portion of the service is intended to blend into the larger whole. Usually there is a single theme for each service based on the Scripture Lessons and the Liturgical Season. There is a reason why we are singing these hymns and saying these prayers… Look for the ways to see the larger theme and direction of the service and be ready to move along the order of worship as smoothly as possible as the service progresses.
Dig Deeper: What did the hymns, prayers, creeds and sermon say to us today? God does not stop speaking at noon. Spend some time discussing and reflecting throughout the week. Look around and see if you can spot the Gospel lived out in all the ordinary business and tasks of life. Bring Sunday Morning into conversation with the rest of the week.
As we learn to pay attention and attune our ears to God’s voice we might discover that God is not nearly as silent or elusive as we once thought. We might come to understand some of the ways that God has already been at work within us, with us and through us. By looking for God’s fingerprints on Sunday mornings and throughout the week we will be in a better position to witness, celebrate and join into the ongoing work of God in building up a people of God for the transformation of the world.
In Christ,
John