No rumbling yellow busses today, President’s Day. So the walk was cold, but quiet. As the weather folks promise for several days now. Moscow enjoys the fact that a few feet of snow brought government nearly to a halt in D.C.
I was thinking of the conversation a fellow pastor reported. Several of the younger members came with this request. “Pastor, why don’t we have more praise songs, more input from members, more experiences. And we need to change the liturgy we are using. It’s not relevant”.
My friend had been Pastor for many years in the same church. He thought for a bit and then asked, “Relevant to what or whom?” "Well, our age group. We need to attract more young people.”
His answer went something like this. In the congregation I am Pastor of there are many needs, older people, sick people, shut-ins, people with drink problems, people with family trouble, others with loss of job, or loss of retirement. Some lost a family member, others are in deep debt and are struggling. Many needs and worries I am not even aware of.
To get back to our way of worship, liturgy, as you say. Have you ever really listened to it? It all comes from Scripture, and takes us from our needs and cares into the presence of God. Suddenly we stand there. And the first thing we do is make confession. “There is no health in us.” Then we hear His Word, and a sermon based on that Word which applies to our life situation, and that is followed by His Holy Supper which tells us God has not forgotten us, but has forgiven us our sins because His Son, Jesus Christ, died in our place.
Liturgy is not a sudden thing, it comes from centuries of practice and use, from all kinds of people in all kinds of situations, to fit every need in every possible place.
Gently it opens our eyes to HIM. We are reminded again that we are not the center, God is, and He is there as Our God, ready to listen to us, to help us, and to bless us. That is why we worship and praise and thank Him as we do. Then we return home and we return different people, ready again to face the week, strengthened by His Word and comforting presence.
There is a story about a father and his daughter caught in the open prairie when a fire comes roaring from the west. The father burns the grass at their feet, and then does so all round, so when the fire reaches them, it races by because they stood where the fire had been. So Liturgy reminds us all we stand where the judgment has been, and we are called righteous because of the Blood of Jesus.
Does this help, the Pastor asked? Does it help you?
GPD 2/15/10
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