Worship
Worship is the heart of church life. It is one hour a week when we can take time out of our hectic schedules to come together as the beloved community. The music, prayers, hymns and sermons of a worship service give us a chance to experience so many aspects of our faith: gratitude, connectedness, awe, humility, hunger for justice, moments of grace.
I like to hear many voices from the pulpit and take every opportunity to engage a diversity of people in the welcome, readings, prayers, and other elements of the service so that the worship truly reflects who we are as a church community.
As a lover of music and the daughter of a church music director, music is a huge part of worship for me. It has been ever since I was a little girl and the doxology sung every week in my home congregation signaled to me that it was time to center myself, time to become present to worship… "From all that dwell below the skies, let songs of hope and faith arise; let peace, good will on earth be sung, through every land, by every tongue."
Music really does signal things to us, deep inside our bodies. Other elements of the service act as important rituals as well…prayer, candles of joy and concern, taking hands for the benediction. I look forward to discovering what the treasured rituals of your congregation are.
I am always aware when crafting a worship service that each person is coming bearing different emotions that morning. Some will be carrying joy, some grief, some doubt. The sermon cannot hope to touch all those chords, but I take heart that while my words might ring empty to someone someday, they will still be touched by the power of the music, feel held by the flow of the service, and marvel at the beauty they see around them as they worship.