Worship: Gather in community
weekly to thank, praise, & dwell with God
Something wonderful happens when the people of God gather
in worship. Whether it’s a small congregation, a crowded cathedral, or the main
Eucharist at General Convention; whether the occasion is joyful, mournful, or
penitential, coming together as followers of Jesus reminds us that we are indeed
the body of Christ in the world (not just in the Church) and that Christianity
is very much a communal faith. We are not on this journey by ourselves; in
fact, we need one another. The word worship
originated in the Old English expression “worth ship”. Our worship seeks to give
to God what is worthy of God, as best we can. In our tradition we refer to worship
services as liturgy, from Greek words
meaning “the public work of the people” (note that word, public). Worship, liturgy, is a two-way street, in which there is
always communion of some kind between God and God’s people. And though certain
persons – clergy, other ministers, musicians – have specific roles, everyone
present is meant to be an active participant. There are no bystanders in the
church’s worship of God! When someone is missing, the body is incomplete.
One of my favorite hymns is “We
the Lord’s people” (#51 in The Hymnal 1982). The text is by John E. Bowers and the second stanza, in particular, describes what our
worship gatherings are meant to be, and how they help draw us closer to God: “school
for the faithful, refuge for the sinner, rest for the pilgrim, haven for the
weary”. Perhaps, from time to time, church has been each of those things for you. It certainly has for me! Out of this text arise two questions: What do we bring to worship? What do we take away from it?
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