These comments derive from this summer's services, as well as a few more reflections from the SU workshops mentioned in the 7/31 entry.
Another idea discussed at the retreat was the recognition that drawings are offering that we can accept from children. At the 7/27 service Wes invited the children to show their drawings. Whenever we have the lectio service, we invite the children to draw their response.
Gary Ireland described one of his favorite General Assembly worship services, with Rev. Elias Chacour, author of Blood Brothers, that reminded me of a lament service. In such a service, we as a congregation would highlight an area of social justice that our earthly powers are ignoring. Witness committee could discuss designing such a service.
This summer's lectio service seemed to be a more familiar format. Of the several times we have used this liturgy, I noticed that we had the most congregational willingness to share their reflections during this service.
At this summer's SU workshop, Karen Tucker, a Boston University professor, described Methodist hymns as following the 5 E's—Explication of Scripture, Edification (putting holiness in personal and concrete terms), Evangelism, Entreaty, and Exultation. The “Explication” reminded me of last year's SU workshop visit to the Orthodox church. The priest described the abundant and beautiful icons in his church as explaining some of the mysteries of the Bible, especially in the early years of the church when many were illiterate.
Similarly, for our building plans, I recommend that any art we choose for the nave have one or more of the 5 E's. Our choice of music seems to follow these 5 E's, rather just being performance quality, like we would hear at a professional concert.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Retreat & SU Workshop Ideas
After the 7/08 all church retreat discussion on worship, I wanted to combine some reflections from the retreat and the Seattle U.(SU) 7/08 congregational singing and 7/07 art and architecture workshops.
Balance comes to mind. Should our nave have artwork like orthodox churches or be totally blank and neutral colors? Should our liturgy have abundant symbolism or the least liturgical activity and metaphor allowable?
Wes had a quip that could help. When people worship with us, one of the comments might be, “We're not in Kansas anymore!” Again balance should apply. If it's too strange, newcomers won't return. On the other hand, we might not want duplication of popular secular styles, such as loud praise music.
At last year's SU workshop we visited several interfaith congregations to get ideas on nave design and artwork. Several people at the retreat thought such visits would be helpful to them, too, in thinking about design at WPPC. The SU visits included St. James Cathedral, St. Mark's Cathedral, Church of the Assumption Orthodox, and Temple de Hirsch Sinai. Wes and I could also suggest several PC(USA) churches we visited at various Presbytery meetings.
The first service at this year's SU workshop included a renewal of baptismal vows. Everyone was asked to form four groups representing the major points of the compass. Each group had a pourer of water into a fount. We could add that as a congregational act, like the prayer candles. One person commented that some may miss the sermon due to the water sounds prompting restroom visits.
Another liturgical feature, we could use, was analogous to our Pentecost practice. Each worshipper was given a white ribbon to remind them of their baptism and/or baptismal robes. I suggested to one wedding planner to save her white ribbon for recycling at WPPC.
This year's workshop had ideas that will help in our Greening Congregation efforts. One around baptism would be to use those existing liturgies as a starting point to describe our responsibilities as stewards of water.
Balance comes to mind. Should our nave have artwork like orthodox churches or be totally blank and neutral colors? Should our liturgy have abundant symbolism or the least liturgical activity and metaphor allowable?
Wes had a quip that could help. When people worship with us, one of the comments might be, “We're not in Kansas anymore!” Again balance should apply. If it's too strange, newcomers won't return. On the other hand, we might not want duplication of popular secular styles, such as loud praise music.
At last year's SU workshop we visited several interfaith congregations to get ideas on nave design and artwork. Several people at the retreat thought such visits would be helpful to them, too, in thinking about design at WPPC. The SU visits included St. James Cathedral, St. Mark's Cathedral, Church of the Assumption Orthodox, and Temple de Hirsch Sinai. Wes and I could also suggest several PC(USA) churches we visited at various Presbytery meetings.
The first service at this year's SU workshop included a renewal of baptismal vows. Everyone was asked to form four groups representing the major points of the compass. Each group had a pourer of water into a fount. We could add that as a congregational act, like the prayer candles. One person commented that some may miss the sermon due to the water sounds prompting restroom visits.
Another liturgical feature, we could use, was analogous to our Pentecost practice. Each worshipper was given a white ribbon to remind them of their baptism and/or baptismal robes. I suggested to one wedding planner to save her white ribbon for recycling at WPPC.
This year's workshop had ideas that will help in our Greening Congregation efforts. One around baptism would be to use those existing liturgies as a starting point to describe our responsibilities as stewards of water.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
6/2 Bass lecture
At the 6/2 afternoon lecture that Diana Butler Bass gave, two lessons stick out. She gave us background as to how she and probably careful potential members might act. In deciding what churches to include as worthy of note, she and her staff looked at websites first. Then, deciding whether to fly and personally visit, she had a local contact check out the significant feature of the congregation.
While the web was not the only source of information, she said that potential new members may not be as careful an information checker as a seminary researcher, like herself. We need to make sure the WPPC website is as user friendly as possible.
We need to be careful of any claims to uniqueness, in this example, hospitality. Bass said the stereotypical example, which WPPC should study and discuss, was a church's web claim to have “extreme” (or some similar adjective) hospitality. She had a friend in the town who happened to be a six foot transgendered woman with a love of feathered boas. Only after this friend confirmed that she had the most warm welcome that she ever had in a church, did Bass include it on her list. WPPC may be a Covenant Network church, but what might we do if going to the next step?
Another definition she clarified was that the village of our childhood was mainly geographic. With the internet and especially in the PC(USA) our connectionalism is worldwide. For each present day congregation, the village is inclusive of different parts of society. WPPC should identify its stakeholders. Our outreach, as well as the rest of our church activities, should reflect our ministry for/to these stakeholders.
As a secular view of the changed environment we are operating, Bass recommended we read The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman. Apparently the three citations around religion were negative, but Bass feels he gives us good food for discussion. The one that she agreed in both the book and her lecture was the idea that churches generally resist change. Openness to change is key to the churches in her study.
Analogous to one of the individual goals of individual spiritual formation, that of transforming from a human doing to a human being, was one of her key findings for congregations. Her study churches focussed on the “be,” rather than “do.” She noted the congregations that stayed with the “do,” had the resulting burnout.
While tradition can be mantra of resisters to change, a positive use is the re-introduction of new members to their heritage to valuable spiritual disciplines not recently seen in that church. Bass noticed that people generally liked the idea of having roots. She said that folks liked to be flexible in using re-discovered traditions, but also knowing why the traditions were important.
Bass said she often saw examples in her study, churches that created a meaningful way of life that involved knowing God and living ethically. She also frequently saw churches that demonstrated Huston Smith's pearl of wisdom that religion approximates the wisdom tradition.
An individual example was Mother Teresa, who had doubts, but practiced wisdom. The laity in Bass' book did not want to leave their brains and doubts in the church parking lot. They wanted to enter the church to learn a wisdom way of knowing or knowing in a different way.
I like her riff on hospitality. She said it was not navel gazing for baby boomers. She also urged us to move beyond thinking of hospitality to those outside our boundaries. If churches invite the homeless in to be a part of the congregation, she rhetorically asked, “Is there a 'them' to whom to provide ministry, if they are part of us?” Maybe we need to just look upon a ministry to an inclusive definition of members. At the other extreme are the churches, she said, who are so fearful, they employ bouncers.
She answered a question to explain that people still like good preaching. She agreed with what Wes has told us that parishioners like a good story. They like narrative preaching. The challenge now is that people can download sermons from world wide sources to raise their expectations.
Bass said a common reaction to change is toleration, with the hope that it will go away. Another is, “over my dead body.” This often occurs around gender issues. She see gender as a trigger for people's unhappiness around cultural changes. She said pastors need to address concerns around, “we'll lose what we have.”
Nostalgia also holds people back. People need to realize those good old days, really were not that good, all things considered. Nostalgia says two things contrary to the Christian message—my experience is better than any other, and the best days are behind us.
She noted that some congregations that use more body prayer give opportunities for demonstrating community. Once a whole congregation senses everyone moving bodily during the liturgy, it is hard to keep a sense of individual prayer. Body prayer is another way to symbolize our becoming the body of Christ, in corporate ways.
She also gave ideas around Sabbath that her book omitted. Some sessions took an administrative Sabbath to devote a meeting to spiritual disciplines. Some churches practiced a technology fast on the Sabbath. Besides cell phones, and pc's, some churches used natural light only. She noted rather than looking on the outdoors as a competitor for people's Sunday time, she suggested looking on nature as a companion to help draw people to church. By making people thankful for natural light on technology Sabbaths, people can start to recognize previously overlooked natural gifts.
As a historian she suggested that we take lessons from the Protestant Reformation. She said the secular society at the time of Calvin and Luther was in turmoil, as it is now. She said the church needs to change now, just as much as in the time of the Reformers.
While the web was not the only source of information, she said that potential new members may not be as careful an information checker as a seminary researcher, like herself. We need to make sure the WPPC website is as user friendly as possible.
We need to be careful of any claims to uniqueness, in this example, hospitality. Bass said the stereotypical example, which WPPC should study and discuss, was a church's web claim to have “extreme” (or some similar adjective) hospitality. She had a friend in the town who happened to be a six foot transgendered woman with a love of feathered boas. Only after this friend confirmed that she had the most warm welcome that she ever had in a church, did Bass include it on her list. WPPC may be a Covenant Network church, but what might we do if going to the next step?
Another definition she clarified was that the village of our childhood was mainly geographic. With the internet and especially in the PC(USA) our connectionalism is worldwide. For each present day congregation, the village is inclusive of different parts of society. WPPC should identify its stakeholders. Our outreach, as well as the rest of our church activities, should reflect our ministry for/to these stakeholders.
As a secular view of the changed environment we are operating, Bass recommended we read The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman. Apparently the three citations around religion were negative, but Bass feels he gives us good food for discussion. The one that she agreed in both the book and her lecture was the idea that churches generally resist change. Openness to change is key to the churches in her study.
Analogous to one of the individual goals of individual spiritual formation, that of transforming from a human doing to a human being, was one of her key findings for congregations. Her study churches focussed on the “be,” rather than “do.” She noted the congregations that stayed with the “do,” had the resulting burnout.
While tradition can be mantra of resisters to change, a positive use is the re-introduction of new members to their heritage to valuable spiritual disciplines not recently seen in that church. Bass noticed that people generally liked the idea of having roots. She said that folks liked to be flexible in using re-discovered traditions, but also knowing why the traditions were important.
Bass said she often saw examples in her study, churches that created a meaningful way of life that involved knowing God and living ethically. She also frequently saw churches that demonstrated Huston Smith's pearl of wisdom that religion approximates the wisdom tradition.
An individual example was Mother Teresa, who had doubts, but practiced wisdom. The laity in Bass' book did not want to leave their brains and doubts in the church parking lot. They wanted to enter the church to learn a wisdom way of knowing or knowing in a different way.
I like her riff on hospitality. She said it was not navel gazing for baby boomers. She also urged us to move beyond thinking of hospitality to those outside our boundaries. If churches invite the homeless in to be a part of the congregation, she rhetorically asked, “Is there a 'them' to whom to provide ministry, if they are part of us?” Maybe we need to just look upon a ministry to an inclusive definition of members. At the other extreme are the churches, she said, who are so fearful, they employ bouncers.
She answered a question to explain that people still like good preaching. She agreed with what Wes has told us that parishioners like a good story. They like narrative preaching. The challenge now is that people can download sermons from world wide sources to raise their expectations.
Bass said a common reaction to change is toleration, with the hope that it will go away. Another is, “over my dead body.” This often occurs around gender issues. She see gender as a trigger for people's unhappiness around cultural changes. She said pastors need to address concerns around, “we'll lose what we have.”
Nostalgia also holds people back. People need to realize those good old days, really were not that good, all things considered. Nostalgia says two things contrary to the Christian message—my experience is better than any other, and the best days are behind us.
She noted that some congregations that use more body prayer give opportunities for demonstrating community. Once a whole congregation senses everyone moving bodily during the liturgy, it is hard to keep a sense of individual prayer. Body prayer is another way to symbolize our becoming the body of Christ, in corporate ways.
She also gave ideas around Sabbath that her book omitted. Some sessions took an administrative Sabbath to devote a meeting to spiritual disciplines. Some churches practiced a technology fast on the Sabbath. Besides cell phones, and pc's, some churches used natural light only. She noted rather than looking on the outdoors as a competitor for people's Sunday time, she suggested looking on nature as a companion to help draw people to church. By making people thankful for natural light on technology Sabbaths, people can start to recognize previously overlooked natural gifts.
As a historian she suggested that we take lessons from the Protestant Reformation. She said the secular society at the time of Calvin and Luther was in turmoil, as it is now. She said the church needs to change now, just as much as in the time of the Reformers.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
First 5/25 class posting
In a separate entry I'll add comments on Chapters 16, 17, & the Epilogue. As the news article appeared the previous day, I'll include it and comments for the first entry for the 5/25 class.
Leap of faith: Shopping around for a place of worship, 5/24/08
By Joy Jernigan
Special to The Seattle Times
When Randy and Joanne Harvey of Crown Hill set out to find a church, they weren't thinking so much about Sunday school for their two boys, Emmett, 5, and Griffen, 3.
They were thinking of the teen years.
"We didn't feel the need to go to church until last year, when I started to think about how hard it was going to be to raise two boys in an urban area without family nearby," Joanne said. "I wanted another place for them to turn to when they stop talking to us."
Like many couples, becoming parents made the Harveys think more seriously about finding a religious community that reflected their values. But a glance at one Seattle-area phone book reveals more than 10 pages of church listings. So how exactly does one find a church, and sometimes even a faith, when there are so many to choose from?
Joanne Harvey, 35, was raised Episcopalian in upstate New York.
"I still love the Episcopalian church I grew up with," she said.
She looked up Episcopalian churches in the phone book and attended a few close to home, but found them "too stoic, too folksy or too conservative."
Randy Harvey grew up in a Catholic family in Edmonds, but by the time he was 18, "I pretty much by that point had had my belly full of dogma and religion," he said.
A friend eventually told the Harveys about University Unitarian Church in Wedgwood. They went to a service and liked the church's focus on social justice, as well as the sense of community. They now attend regularly as a family.
Although getting both kids up and dressed in time to attend church on Sundays can be a hassle, Randy Harvey said that one hour a week has been a real comfort to him. "I never really imagined myself going to church again," he said.
Fluid faith
The Harveys' experience is not unlike that of many families. American religious identity is more fluid than ever, according to a study released in February by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. The study found that more than 1 in 4 Americans (28 percent) has left the faith in which he or she was raised in favor of another religion, or no religion at all. (If change in affiliation from one type of Protestantism to another is included, that number is as high as 44 percent.)
The same study, based on interviews with more than 35,000 adults across the United States, also found that 37 percent of married couples have a spouse with a different religious affiliation.
That can make finding a house of worship a challenge. For couples who share a faith, it's often simply a matter of attending services at a few churches to figure out which religious community they like best. But those who aren't even certain of their affiliation may find themselves scouring the Internet or the phone book, which might not be the best approach.
"I think it's better to start with who you are and who your friends are," said the Rev. Sanford Brown, executive director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle. "If it works for them, it could work for you, too."
That's how Brian and Sherrie McLoughlin of Sammamish found The City Church after they moved to the Pacific Northwest with their two kids from Atlanta in 2005. At a cookout they met their new neighbors, who later invited them to attend a service. Although they had attended a Baptist church previously, the McLoughlins both said they liked the pastor's preaching style.
"I think once we heard the message, we knew that was the right place for us," said Brian McLoughlin, 45.
Finding a church also helped their transition to a new city.
"We really feel that once you move into an area, you need to become a part of the community," said Sherrie McLoughlin, 47.
Checking out churches
Many churches post service times and information about their beliefs on their Web sites. Others go a step further, using podcast sermons or blogs to keep the congregation informed or to attract potential members.
"We find a lot of people go online and actually listen to our pastor's message before they come," said the Rev. Jennifer Kraker, an associate pastor at The City Church, which has locations in Seattle, Kirkland, Issaquah and Mountlake Terrace.
Religious leaders say it's OK to just show up at a church service without introducing yourself to anyone. But don't necessarily expect a warm welcome, said Jim Henderson, executive director for Off The Map, a Seattle-based organization that encourages Christians to serve others in ordinary ways. At many churches, he said, someone might greet you at the door, but that's it.
"If I had to pick one thing I would encourage churches to do, it's speak to the people who walk through the doors," he said.
As a former pastor at what is now Vineyard Community Church in Shoreline, Henderson once paid people to attend his church and fill out a survey so he could find out "what the customer actually thinks." The idea evolved into a book published last year, "Jim and Casper Go to Church," in which he and Matt Casper, an atheist, traveled to 10 well-known churches throughout the country and wrote about their experiences. Henderson wanted to give others the opportunity to review churches as well, and so last year he founded churchrater.com.
Although some might find the idea of rating a church controversial, or even distasteful, "I'm trying to advocate for churches to be more aware of the outsiders they're trying to reach," Henderson said.
Some churches recognize this and have taken steps to be more welcoming. Northshore Baptist Church in Bothell even has a first-impressions team, volunteers from the congregation who serve as ushers, welcome visitors and even assist with parking, said the Rev. John Czech, a pastor at the church. The church also offers orientation classes for new attendees.
Numerous scandals among religious institutions have eroded trust, Czech said, so he recommends that those searching for a church look beyond the religious leaders and focus instead on the core beliefs.
"Then," he said, "you can honestly say to your children, 'Here's what we believe and why we believe it.' "
Joy Jernigan is a freelance writer living in Redmond. Contact her at joy.jernigan@live.com.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Comments about this article included, the family could have chosen WPPC, except for their putting liturgy at a lower priority. The values & education of University Unitarian (UU) mentioned in the article, matched WPPC favorably. Others commented that their desire for a church that “will help their youngsters when they grow into their teen years...” naively reflected two common changes. In the 10 or so years their kids become teens both UU and/or their teens' favorable attitude could change. Either or both could mean a match for their teens won't exist. UU definitely received favorable free publicity. WPPC & other similar progressive churches are searching, through discussions of this Bass book, for ways to attract families with similar needs.
Leap of faith: Shopping around for a place of worship, 5/24/08
By Joy Jernigan
Special to The Seattle Times
When Randy and Joanne Harvey of Crown Hill set out to find a church, they weren't thinking so much about Sunday school for their two boys, Emmett, 5, and Griffen, 3.
They were thinking of the teen years.
"We didn't feel the need to go to church until last year, when I started to think about how hard it was going to be to raise two boys in an urban area without family nearby," Joanne said. "I wanted another place for them to turn to when they stop talking to us."
Like many couples, becoming parents made the Harveys think more seriously about finding a religious community that reflected their values. But a glance at one Seattle-area phone book reveals more than 10 pages of church listings. So how exactly does one find a church, and sometimes even a faith, when there are so many to choose from?
Joanne Harvey, 35, was raised Episcopalian in upstate New York.
"I still love the Episcopalian church I grew up with," she said.
She looked up Episcopalian churches in the phone book and attended a few close to home, but found them "too stoic, too folksy or too conservative."
Randy Harvey grew up in a Catholic family in Edmonds, but by the time he was 18, "I pretty much by that point had had my belly full of dogma and religion," he said.
A friend eventually told the Harveys about University Unitarian Church in Wedgwood. They went to a service and liked the church's focus on social justice, as well as the sense of community. They now attend regularly as a family.
Although getting both kids up and dressed in time to attend church on Sundays can be a hassle, Randy Harvey said that one hour a week has been a real comfort to him. "I never really imagined myself going to church again," he said.
Fluid faith
The Harveys' experience is not unlike that of many families. American religious identity is more fluid than ever, according to a study released in February by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. The study found that more than 1 in 4 Americans (28 percent) has left the faith in which he or she was raised in favor of another religion, or no religion at all. (If change in affiliation from one type of Protestantism to another is included, that number is as high as 44 percent.)
The same study, based on interviews with more than 35,000 adults across the United States, also found that 37 percent of married couples have a spouse with a different religious affiliation.
That can make finding a house of worship a challenge. For couples who share a faith, it's often simply a matter of attending services at a few churches to figure out which religious community they like best. But those who aren't even certain of their affiliation may find themselves scouring the Internet or the phone book, which might not be the best approach.
"I think it's better to start with who you are and who your friends are," said the Rev. Sanford Brown, executive director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle. "If it works for them, it could work for you, too."
That's how Brian and Sherrie McLoughlin of Sammamish found The City Church after they moved to the Pacific Northwest with their two kids from Atlanta in 2005. At a cookout they met their new neighbors, who later invited them to attend a service. Although they had attended a Baptist church previously, the McLoughlins both said they liked the pastor's preaching style.
"I think once we heard the message, we knew that was the right place for us," said Brian McLoughlin, 45.
Finding a church also helped their transition to a new city.
"We really feel that once you move into an area, you need to become a part of the community," said Sherrie McLoughlin, 47.
Checking out churches
Many churches post service times and information about their beliefs on their Web sites. Others go a step further, using podcast sermons or blogs to keep the congregation informed or to attract potential members.
"We find a lot of people go online and actually listen to our pastor's message before they come," said the Rev. Jennifer Kraker, an associate pastor at The City Church, which has locations in Seattle, Kirkland, Issaquah and Mountlake Terrace.
Religious leaders say it's OK to just show up at a church service without introducing yourself to anyone. But don't necessarily expect a warm welcome, said Jim Henderson, executive director for Off The Map, a Seattle-based organization that encourages Christians to serve others in ordinary ways. At many churches, he said, someone might greet you at the door, but that's it.
"If I had to pick one thing I would encourage churches to do, it's speak to the people who walk through the doors," he said.
As a former pastor at what is now Vineyard Community Church in Shoreline, Henderson once paid people to attend his church and fill out a survey so he could find out "what the customer actually thinks." The idea evolved into a book published last year, "Jim and Casper Go to Church," in which he and Matt Casper, an atheist, traveled to 10 well-known churches throughout the country and wrote about their experiences. Henderson wanted to give others the opportunity to review churches as well, and so last year he founded churchrater.com.
Although some might find the idea of rating a church controversial, or even distasteful, "I'm trying to advocate for churches to be more aware of the outsiders they're trying to reach," Henderson said.
Some churches recognize this and have taken steps to be more welcoming. Northshore Baptist Church in Bothell even has a first-impressions team, volunteers from the congregation who serve as ushers, welcome visitors and even assist with parking, said the Rev. John Czech, a pastor at the church. The church also offers orientation classes for new attendees.
Numerous scandals among religious institutions have eroded trust, Czech said, so he recommends that those searching for a church look beyond the religious leaders and focus instead on the core beliefs.
"Then," he said, "you can honestly say to your children, 'Here's what we believe and why we believe it.' "
Joy Jernigan is a freelance writer living in Redmond. Contact her at joy.jernigan@live.com.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Comments about this article included, the family could have chosen WPPC, except for their putting liturgy at a lower priority. The values & education of University Unitarian (UU) mentioned in the article, matched WPPC favorably. Others commented that their desire for a church that “will help their youngsters when they grow into their teen years...” naively reflected two common changes. In the 10 or so years their kids become teens both UU and/or their teens' favorable attitude could change. Either or both could mean a match for their teens won't exist. UU definitely received favorable free publicity. WPPC & other similar progressive churches are searching, through discussions of this Bass book, for ways to attract families with similar needs.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
5/18 & 4/6 classes
5/18 Class
Chapter XIV
What is the role of music & art in your spiritual life? In WPPC?
Do you use images or hymns to speak where you can't think through a spiritual problem?
Christopher keeps a lively pace to the hymns, which is noticeable when his substitutes seem plod out the music. Our prayer candles help those from other traditions, such as Catholic, feel at home. An artwork or hymn can help one focus on an idea or concept in the liturgy. Art and/or music can help us remember key events in our spiritual path. Words can be artistically grouped, as with our hymn lyrics. Artful use of light and darkness can enhance the worship. Darkness can also remind us that some believe God communicates with them in their dreams. We can see elements of theater in our liturgy.
Can you see the appreciation of beauty as an antidote to intellectual & spiritual aridness?
Do you see art/music as another form of prayer?
Does art/music help you deal with the mysteries of your faith?
How does music in WPPC help your spirituality, when compared to secular performances?
What do you think of icons?
Chapter XV
Does WPPC help you recognize our different kinds of metanoia [ spiritually transforming moments-page 222]?
Do you think WPPC welcomes people while they take time for their personal transformation or metanoia? (pp. 221-222)
Have you heard people discuss conversion at WPPC? If not, what term do people use, if any?
Are there mass market religious books, movies that you would recommend for WPPC?
How does a tourist become a pilgrim? (pages 215-17)
Do you find fellow travelers to help teach you your spiritual insights? at WPPC or elsewhere? (page 235)
Have you heard of spiritual opportunities in changing from wanderer to pilgrim (page 224); gathering meaning from work (page 226); detaching from consuming society (page 230); focussing on community spirituality, rather than individual piety (page 233); and discerning lost spiritual disciplines from discardable habits (page 235).
During our liturgy we are open to individual responses, whether raising hands, or lighting candles. We not used to hearing “born again, or altar calls.” However, WPPC folks are comfortable talking about small happenings along their spiritual path. Cynthia Bourgeault talks about the economy of the Spirit. The Spirit will provide you just what you need. Those who need a spectacular “road to Damascus” will get that. Others who can be transformed with something less will probably not see the fireworks.
4/6 Class
Chapter II
What images do you have of the US religious past?
28 – Conservative rewrite of history.
Have you heard of historical amnesia?
Genocide, racism, sexism.
Do you see WPPC in chapter 2?
35 – Christian exclusivism vs secular inclusivism
38 – pilgrims, exiles, and immigrants in a new world of post-everything
This chapter reminded us of the Angela Davis debate in the PC(USA). We saw that different people in WPPC have a sense of being a pilgrim, exile, or immigrant. Others said they felt they had two or all three components in their prior WPPC life.
Chapter III
Do you see yourself as spiritual, not religious; religious, not spiritual; or religious & spiritual?
What do you think upon hearing “tradition?”
45 –Borg's taking the Bible seriously, but not literally
--decline occurs with neglect of scripture, prayer, discernment, hospitality, contemplation, & justice
How would a congregation emphasizing “purity” differ from that preferring “practice?”
Is faith about asking questions or finding answers?
51-- If you think you know, you've lost perspective on wisdom—keep a “beginner's mind”
--wisdom, as knowing God, thinking like Christians, comfort with ambiguity & asking questions, rather than definite answers; prioritizing community over holding to dogma
2 Cor 3: 6 letter kills, spirit gives life
Some grew up in congregations where the 2 Cor 3: 6 was used to say their church gave life, but not others. Now we hear that verse in the context that rules stifle a congregation, while allowing “the Spirit to go where it wills” fits our laid back inclinations.
Chapter XIV
What is the role of music & art in your spiritual life? In WPPC?
Do you use images or hymns to speak where you can't think through a spiritual problem?
Christopher keeps a lively pace to the hymns, which is noticeable when his substitutes seem plod out the music. Our prayer candles help those from other traditions, such as Catholic, feel at home. An artwork or hymn can help one focus on an idea or concept in the liturgy. Art and/or music can help us remember key events in our spiritual path. Words can be artistically grouped, as with our hymn lyrics. Artful use of light and darkness can enhance the worship. Darkness can also remind us that some believe God communicates with them in their dreams. We can see elements of theater in our liturgy.
Can you see the appreciation of beauty as an antidote to intellectual & spiritual aridness?
Do you see art/music as another form of prayer?
Does art/music help you deal with the mysteries of your faith?
How does music in WPPC help your spirituality, when compared to secular performances?
What do you think of icons?
Chapter XV
Does WPPC help you recognize our different kinds of metanoia [ spiritually transforming moments-page 222]?
Do you think WPPC welcomes people while they take time for their personal transformation or metanoia? (pp. 221-222)
Have you heard people discuss conversion at WPPC? If not, what term do people use, if any?
Are there mass market religious books, movies that you would recommend for WPPC?
How does a tourist become a pilgrim? (pages 215-17)
Do you find fellow travelers to help teach you your spiritual insights? at WPPC or elsewhere? (page 235)
Have you heard of spiritual opportunities in changing from wanderer to pilgrim (page 224); gathering meaning from work (page 226); detaching from consuming society (page 230); focussing on community spirituality, rather than individual piety (page 233); and discerning lost spiritual disciplines from discardable habits (page 235).
During our liturgy we are open to individual responses, whether raising hands, or lighting candles. We not used to hearing “born again, or altar calls.” However, WPPC folks are comfortable talking about small happenings along their spiritual path. Cynthia Bourgeault talks about the economy of the Spirit. The Spirit will provide you just what you need. Those who need a spectacular “road to Damascus” will get that. Others who can be transformed with something less will probably not see the fireworks.
4/6 Class
Chapter II
What images do you have of the US religious past?
28 – Conservative rewrite of history.
Have you heard of historical amnesia?
Genocide, racism, sexism.
Do you see WPPC in chapter 2?
35 – Christian exclusivism vs secular inclusivism
38 – pilgrims, exiles, and immigrants in a new world of post-everything
This chapter reminded us of the Angela Davis debate in the PC(USA). We saw that different people in WPPC have a sense of being a pilgrim, exile, or immigrant. Others said they felt they had two or all three components in their prior WPPC life.
Chapter III
Do you see yourself as spiritual, not religious; religious, not spiritual; or religious & spiritual?
What do you think upon hearing “tradition?”
45 –Borg's taking the Bible seriously, but not literally
--decline occurs with neglect of scripture, prayer, discernment, hospitality, contemplation, & justice
How would a congregation emphasizing “purity” differ from that preferring “practice?”
Is faith about asking questions or finding answers?
51-- If you think you know, you've lost perspective on wisdom—keep a “beginner's mind”
--wisdom, as knowing God, thinking like Christians, comfort with ambiguity & asking questions, rather than definite answers; prioritizing community over holding to dogma
2 Cor 3: 6 letter kills, spirit gives life
Some grew up in congregations where the 2 Cor 3: 6 was used to say their church gave life, but not others. Now we hear that verse in the context that rules stifle a congregation, while allowing “the Spirit to go where it wills” fits our laid back inclinations.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
3/30 & 5/11 classes
In the Star Wars film non-linear precedent, after starting this blog with later classes, I'll go back to the beginning of how this class started. WPPC's book club first read this and suggested to Pastor Wes that it would be a good adult class. After he agreed, we decided to take two chapters per week in discussion, as we saw the value in the session and Deacons learning of some the Bass ideas. Some of the book club members have looked at two other Bass books with similar hints for congregations, Strength for the Journey and The Practicing Congregation and also found them helpful.
I started with Bass' suggested discussion questions, modified them for WPPC, added a few chapter observations that seemed to fit WPPC to develop the outline for this class. The outline questions are included, below, in a different typeface, than these blog comments. Page references are for the Bass book, which is in the WPPC library.
I'll continue adding notes from the previous classes, but will probably comment on the most recent first. Fortunately, this book can be read in any chapter order.
March 30 Class
Chapter I
What changes in church (or religion) have you noticed since childhood?
Where did you grow up?
What was the world like then?
These beginning questions started us reminiscing about rural and suburban; fundamentalist and mainstream Protestant childhood experiences. We also remembered attending Protestant churches that had hundreds of members.
What interest do you have in exploring new aspects of faith?
What types of areas?
Do you think your childhood may have shaped those interests?
page 23 - Definition of Phinney Lutheran “WAY”
page 24 - What are your thoughts on how WPPC views change?
Nomadic spirituality
When established patterns are broken – pilgrim/nomadic search begins.
How do you relate to this nomadic idea?
This last set of questions lead us to remember that some choose WPPC because they disliked judgment, fundamentalist, or cold unfriendly congregations.
5/11 Class
Chapter XII
What do you like best about WPPC worship?
What parts of worship are most likely to give you a sense of awe?
Are there new aspects of worship you'd like to see at WPPC?
The discussion favored having children in the service. The children's sermon option allowed parents the opportunity to focus on Wes' sermon, which wouldn't happen if the child were present. We also recognized that some parents may not want their children to leave, have more strict behavior rules, etc., even when we communicate that WPPC is more laid back.
We also mentioned that the Seattle University liturgical week-long workshop would be an excellent way to get more ideas, as the theme is “congregational singing.” Details are on the Worship bulletin board or at the Seattle University website.
What is your view of silence in worship?
Approval was expressed for the “unspoken prayers” that are sometimes mentioned in the intercessory prayer period. Our liturgical silence was also seen as a refreshing change from the secular world. This type of change reminded some of a walk in nature.
Chapter XIII
How do you understand the Christian life of the mind? Have you ever thought of intellectual curiosity as a spiritual practice? How does WPPC view theological reflection as part of the faith journey? Can you see this as a 'way of life?'
Can you see the difference between liberality and liberalism? [pp. 190-193]
Do you feel more comfortable with people with faith answers or questions? What does WPPC foster?
page 189 – what are your experiences with clerics pitting mind against the heart?
The discussion cited coffee hour and men's breakfast as the current opportunities for theological reflection. Another possibility that was proposed was a sermon discussion, before or after Sunday. Some preferred after, especially if the pastor were there.
I started with Bass' suggested discussion questions, modified them for WPPC, added a few chapter observations that seemed to fit WPPC to develop the outline for this class. The outline questions are included, below, in a different typeface, than these blog comments. Page references are for the Bass book, which is in the WPPC library.
I'll continue adding notes from the previous classes, but will probably comment on the most recent first. Fortunately, this book can be read in any chapter order.
March 30 Class
Chapter I
What changes in church (or religion) have you noticed since childhood?
Where did you grow up?
What was the world like then?
These beginning questions started us reminiscing about rural and suburban; fundamentalist and mainstream Protestant childhood experiences. We also remembered attending Protestant churches that had hundreds of members.
What interest do you have in exploring new aspects of faith?
What types of areas?
Do you think your childhood may have shaped those interests?
page 23 - Definition of Phinney Lutheran “WAY”
page 24 - What are your thoughts on how WPPC views change?
Nomadic spirituality
When established patterns are broken – pilgrim/nomadic search begins.
How do you relate to this nomadic idea?
This last set of questions lead us to remember that some choose WPPC because they disliked judgment, fundamentalist, or cold unfriendly congregations.
5/11 Class
Chapter XII
What do you like best about WPPC worship?
What parts of worship are most likely to give you a sense of awe?
Are there new aspects of worship you'd like to see at WPPC?
The discussion favored having children in the service. The children's sermon option allowed parents the opportunity to focus on Wes' sermon, which wouldn't happen if the child were present. We also recognized that some parents may not want their children to leave, have more strict behavior rules, etc., even when we communicate that WPPC is more laid back.
We also mentioned that the Seattle University liturgical week-long workshop would be an excellent way to get more ideas, as the theme is “congregational singing.” Details are on the Worship bulletin board or at the Seattle University website.
What is your view of silence in worship?
Approval was expressed for the “unspoken prayers” that are sometimes mentioned in the intercessory prayer period. Our liturgical silence was also seen as a refreshing change from the secular world. This type of change reminded some of a walk in nature.
Chapter XIII
How do you understand the Christian life of the mind? Have you ever thought of intellectual curiosity as a spiritual practice? How does WPPC view theological reflection as part of the faith journey? Can you see this as a 'way of life?'
Can you see the difference between liberality and liberalism? [pp. 190-193]
Do you feel more comfortable with people with faith answers or questions? What does WPPC foster?
page 189 – what are your experiences with clerics pitting mind against the heart?
The discussion cited coffee hour and men's breakfast as the current opportunities for theological reflection. Another possibility that was proposed was a sermon discussion, before or after Sunday. Some preferred after, especially if the pastor were there.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Visitor from Phinney Ridge Lutheran
Donna from PR Lutheran graciously added to our discussions on the last two Sundays. She favorably commented on our "Grace" banner. She said it is a better message than a "dead guy on a cross" to invite newcomers. While she spent some time describing the PRL 9 month catacumen program they call "The WAY," she helped us get some perspective on other aspects of WPPC's ideas.
She also mentioned they're about at the same stage of their capital campaign. They have the same consultant that we have. PRL has also revived testimony (see chapter 9), like we did at WPPC, as a part of their campaign.
She thought it was important to have different types of prayer available to the members of the congregation. While they have some experience with Taize in liturgy, they don't seem to have as much experience with other forms of silence, as with lectio divina.
In a separate posting I'll summarize the classes before Donna arrived.
She also mentioned they're about at the same stage of their capital campaign. They have the same consultant that we have. PRL has also revived testimony (see chapter 9), like we did at WPPC, as a part of their campaign.
She thought it was important to have different types of prayer available to the members of the congregation. While they have some experience with Taize in liturgy, they don't seem to have as much experience with other forms of silence, as with lectio divina.
In a separate posting I'll summarize the classes before Donna arrived.
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