During the month of April we celebrated the history of our church by using forms of worship from several different decades. It was a time to remember and reflect on God’s faithful presence with us through the years.
There were some difficult decisions with regard to following older forms of worship in our day and time. A very significant issue involved the children’s sermon. A special time for children to be addressed in worship was a very late development. They were not invited forward until late in the last century. Even so, we kept the practice in our worship. Giving announcements is another facet where the practice of earlier times differs from our own. And in reading a book on the history of American Presbyterian worship, I discovered that ministers in the 18th, 19th and the early part of the 20th century were encouraged to go “from their knees to the pulpit and from the pulpit to their knees.” In other words they shouldn’t linger before or after worship to chat with the congregation. And the congregation was discouraged from speaking to each other as well, they were to sit in silent prayer before and after worship.
And here’s another fun fact: in the late 18th century Presbyterians in the new nation were experiencing conflict over music in worship! One side wanted to keep worship as it had been - with only the singing of the Psalms allowed. Another group wanted to include the singing of hymns as well as the Psalms. The group that wanted to keep only to the Psalms said the hymns were rowdy and not as theologically deep as singing from God’s own word. The side that wanted to include the singing of hymns said they expressed faith in the words of their generation and moved the spirit. The more things change, it is said, the more they stay the same.
Soon, you will receive the survey that the Visioning Team has put together. In it, you will be asked about your thoughts and feelings about a lot of things, including worship. Receiving your ideas will help the Visioning Team and your Session discern God’s presence and movement among us in this time and place.
May the thoughts of our hearts and the actions of our lives give glory to God!
Karen Pollan
