Friday, July 5, 2013

Spirituality as journey

As Barry and I sat still soaking up the July 4 firework's finale - the person standing beside us said to his family in a disappointed tone: "is that all there is - 15 minutes of fireworks and it took us three hours to get here and will take three hours to get home." With the day’s readings from Church Re-Imagined still lingering in my head I thought - folk could often say that about the church worship service if they only see the 11:00 am service as the "primary" moment within their spiritual journey. Did the disappointed spectator see any of his trip to and from the fireworks as moments of joy, did he feel a connection with his family, or did he feel the rumblings of a big city as part of his continuing story of human development? Should the fireworks be more than about the "moment" when streamers of fire are falling from the sky? Church Re-Imagined is helping confirm an intuition that I have been living with for some time. While I was taught in seminary (in the 1980's) that worship was the "primary moment" in the church's weekly activities; the moment when the church had a chance to transform and impact those gathered, I have felt deep within my bones that every relational encounter throughout the week, and the quality of those relational moments are equally or more important that what we say with our lips in that hour of worship. While what we do in worship is a critically important part of articulating publically who we are as a faith community, if it stands along, then I think we could be falling into "a sort of 'patent leather' spiritual formation - a glossy, slick substitute for the real thing [which] involves little vulnerability or self-disclosure. It is easy …to listen to someone talk about spirituality and belief without opening up to its implications. There is a certain ironic comfort to a life that looks the part on the outside while wilting away on the inside. But when a friend tells you about a deep struggle, and the natural response is to enter in to the person's life, whatever the risk - then we find ourselves being transformed into the people of grace and mercy opened for us in the Kindom of God." page 149. Church Re-Imagined

5 comments:

Daniel R. said...

"...I have felt deep within my bones that every relational encounter throughout the week, and the quality of those relational moments are equally or more important that what we say with our lips in that hour of worship." AMEN.

Jan said...

John, I found your writing particularly relevant as I thought about today's service, the first Sunday without you at the helm. It was different, but it was still good. All the other elements were still there (except for the Power Point images -- I didn't realize how much I would miss the visuals that go along with the message). The music, the community, the Joys and Concerns, prayers, communion, fellowship, the sermon message ... the many parts that go into making the whole. And, getting back to your blog, there is so much more to the spiritual life of COTTC than Sunday morning. But our Sunday mornings together are very important to me; for me, it's the foundation, it's home. Peace and Love, Jan

Lydia said...

One of the theological principles that I personally resonate strongly with is the idea that ALL of life is worship, that every moment is sacred. I'm even thinking of an Abraham Kuyper quote right now, but I'll spare you. It also reminds me of Barbara Brown Taylor's "An Altar in the World" and I think she uses the word "geography" in the subtitle for that book, similar to your "journey" analogy. I am mulling over that tension today, how the everyday can be a journey.

Karen Schneider said...

Jan, I had the same experience Sunday. I absolutely believe we need to be in the world doing God's work, but without our Sunday morning times I'm pretty sure I would quickly run out of steam!!

Dana* said...

Jan & Karen - I agree, I need Sunday mornings to refuel myself for the work "between the Sundays". But I agree with John and Lydia too, in that I need that refueling and refocusing because the week is also where I need to be cognizant of the sacred and willing to be what we are called to be on Sunday morning. If I am truly answering the call, then I am embodying the Spirit all week long... Sometimes that can be weary, and Sunday does become a day of rest and refueling, but shouldn't it also be rewarding and renewing on it's own? My challenge is figuring out how I can honor the sacred, find it in the everyday, make doing laundry or dishes "worship" too, and find a way to have that refuel me just as much as Sunday worship might...