Categories: community
Tags: worship, ponderings
Date: 06 June 2008 13:33:50
I very nearly entitled this entry "What do you do in worship, and what does it do in you?" but thought I'd psyche myself up to the question...
To provide a little context, there is a person I know who responds to worship quite differently from those around him, and the way expected by convention. He often arrives in plenty of time before the service, doesn't rise or noticeably respond to any of the spoken prayers nor hymns, and even (I'm led to believe) will walk out when he feels he's benefited sufficiently from the time of worship. During the service he draws. He sits there, sketchbook in hand, and responds visually. He produces very challenging and beautiful images which, during a meeting, we were given the opportunity to explore. His images don't necessarily present the stories in the way you'd expect but can offer very interesting interpretations - far more striking (and debatably more relevant) than many sermons or sermon illustrations.
The group who were looking at these images consisted of many people, like myself, who are familiar with leading worship. We were challenged to think how we'd respond to someone in our own congregations acting in such a manner. I said that I'd like more people to do things like that in the services as it means they're engaging with, and having a direct response to, what is shared. It harks back to my desire, by choice, to lead services with interactive elements and another preacher said similar in our meeting. We talked about the way people are frequently very passive in traditional style services and what we can do about that. I said I'd like to knit (but then I'd like to knit in most places).
With all these thoughts and discussion in my mind I would like to ask anyone reading this to comment on the initial question - and also what (if any) interactive things they've done in worship and valued.