Monday, October 04, 2004

Dedication....to what?

Maggi
got me thinking, as she so often does, this time about how we do, or should do, church....In the light of yesterday's highly entertaining extravaganza this gave me pause. I guess that the intentions of all those present were entirely honourable, but it's also undeniable that anyone straying in from outside would have been at best bemused, and more probably hopelessly alienated. Worse still, I'm pretty certain that any member of the congregation, asked to justify the whole thing, would have come up with something along familiar lines "It's just the way we do it here". Mind you, our official mission statement includes the rather dubious aim "To nourish our spiritual growth through worship". Funny. I always thought worship was more about what we did for God than about what we might hope to derive from it....I wonder if I dare ask anyone what they think they're doing...and whether I've the courage to do anything with the answers, if I get any.
Don't hold your breath.


2 comments:

Kathryn said...

Well, I'd say that worship, putting God in his proper place in the order of things, is what we were created for....so it's not really an either/or...we are most fully the selves He created us to be when we are worshipping Him. Yes I think you are right that we are the ones who benefit from this, but (catch 22) if we go into it seeking what we can derive, then it seems likely that we wont in fact be truly worshipping...Does that make sense??

Kathryn said...

Oh humble secretary, I think where we are crossing our wires is in our definition of worship...because during the time when we turn our thoughts, hearts,minds and souls towards God He meets us and it is this revelation of Godself that we are nourished, inspired, given the gifts we need to live out our faith beyond the church. Its the other half of the conversation that happens when we gather together to focus on the glory of God..He meets us and transforms us...again,and again and again.