Worship Wars

Good morning Trinity Tribe!

I cannot believe that it is already Thursday! Ever since I came to Trinity, time seems to fly! I have now been in ministry with you for a month! August is just around the corner! Ahhh! We are not ready for fall to happen! Eek!

Sean Boyles was kind enough to point out an interesting article on the United Methodist News Service yesterday. I will include the link at the bottom of this email, if you didn't get a chance to read it yet. The point that struck me, since I am working on planning today, is what a new study out said about vital congregations in the United Methodist Church.

According to the study, the four main drivers of vitality are:

A mix of both traditional and contemporary worship services
Small groups including programs for children and youth
Inspirational preaching and length of pastoral appointment
Lay leadership
As Trinity continues to examine where we have been, where we are, and where we are going to do ministry in the future, I thought it might be helpful for us to pray about and pick apart these four drivers of healthy congregations.

A mix of traditional and contemporary worship services…
This point is one that makes many people uncomfortable. They call it the worship wars. Churches of other denominations have split over worship music styles. Changes in worship cause tears and hard feelings. No matter what age you are, there are certain things that make worship comfortable to you. If the music is familiar, it helps you feel comfortable. If the people leading worship look like you, it makes you feel comfortable. If the congregation worships in a manner you have worshipped before, you feel comfortable.

My parents went to an Episcopal Church while I was in my 20s and 30s. So, when I went home to visit, I would worship with them. However, I felt so uncomfortable there. Much of the worship service was similar to what I had experienced, however, I never knew where the page numbers were. I didn't know if I should have the hymnal or the prayer book. We were always flipping back and forth. I never knew what to expect next, even with a bulletin. They would stop the hymn in the middle of it to read the Gospel. I didn't know what to do and always felt like a fish out of water.

I felt the same way the first time I worshipped in a contemporary service in the UM church I attended in my 20s. People raised their hands during the music. We sang 5 or 6 songs in a row…then read the scripture…then had preaching….then the offering and we would sing and then leave. There was no liturgy to speak of. Everyone else knew what was coming next. And there was no bulletin! Again, I felt like a fish out of water.

However, God was glorified and worshipped in both settings. With liturgy and without, people were brought closer to God. With drums and without, people sang praises. With priests in robes and without, people were in awe of their creator.

One common thread through both of these experiences was my feeling of uncomfortableness. I did not feel like I belonged. I did not know what the insiders knew. I also had a bit of a "holier than thou" attitude when I thought the way that I felt comfortable worshipping was the best. I see now that that is not the case. My way of worship is not better, it is just different. It is comfortable to me, but that doesn't make it better or even optimal. For example, people who worshipped by singing along with guitars and reading the words off the screen actual sang better than when my congregation sang out of the hymnbook. People were more into the worship. They were participants rather than spectators. They answered the pastor when he preached. They participated in the sermon. After I became more comfortable, it was more fun and meaningful in many ways than a traditional worship service.

That beings said, I am the daughter of a church organist. So, there is nothing that feels holier to me than the Hallelujah Chorus. However, that rises out of my story. What if in your story, you had never attended a church? Would those hymns with "thee" and "Thou", words that aren't even in your vocabulary, feel comfortable? If you are used to 30 second sound bytes and constant communication, would sitting silent during a 20 minute sermon feel comfortable?

I do not know how we will address styles of worship here at Trinity. I certainly don't want people to feel uncomfortable as they worship. I don't want people who like the organ to feel uncomfortable when a praise team plays. However, I also don't want young people that have grown up with guitars and drums to feel alienated by sedate organ music. I am reminded that Bach was once avant guard in his day.

How can worship be fresh and alive no matter what the music style is? We don't want people who worship God well in traditional music to feel kicked to the curb. So, how can we create an alternate entry point for people who feel comfortable worshipping differently? How can we have the best of both worlds?

Lots to think about! Lots to pray about!

Have a blessed day!


Article on Vital Congregations and other UM things to ponder: