Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Elements of Worship at Mossy Creek Church


WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

As we gather for worship, the acolytes, usually young people, will often process and light the candles on the Communion Table.  This reminds us that the light of Christ is with us, celebrating the light in our lives and standing against any darkness we might be experiencing. The service then begins with the THE RINGING OF THE HOUR. The pastor welcomes the congregation with THE GREETING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, followed by THE PRELUDE, which gives the opportunity to focus our hearts and minds on God and God's kingdom, by praying silently or engaging in quiet meditation. During the choral season,  THE CHORAL INTROIT follows the Prelude.

Our liturgy, the spoken word of worship, is drawn from the Bible and from Christian tradition.  Worship is not intended to be like a play where all the action is done by a few performers up front - all of us are participating in worship, in our singing, in our praying, and in our meditating on God's presence in our lives.  Beginning with THE CALL TO WORSHIP, the congregation joins in the creative act of worship, and continues as together we stand and sing THE HYMN OF PRAISE. The Pastor then focuses our attention with  THE CALL TO CONFESSION.  While an individual is free to share their personal stories and shortcomings in confidence with the pastor at any time, there is no need to do so; we do not have a "confessional” per se.  In the Reformed Tradition, this collective PRAYER OF CONFESSION reminds us from week to week that we all have "sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”, but that we are always forgiven by the amazing grace of our Lord in Jesus Christ.  We confess together, on behalf of the world, even if we ourselves did not commit the sins named, in order to be healed and forgiven as individuals and as a community. After our confession, the pastor reminds us of the incredibly good news of our forgiveness and healing, and we sing THE GLORIA PATRI (Glory be to the Father…), which is number 546 in the Hymnbook.

WE LISTEN TO GOD'S WORD

In the Reformed Tradition, of which Presbyterians are a part, the reading and interpretation of Holy Scripture are the heart of worship. This part of worship begins with THE CHILDREN’S SERMON, which is a time for the young people (up to fifth grade) to interact with the pastor on the lessons of the day. Selections from the OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS are often chosen using the Revised Common Lectionary, a calendar of selections from which, from week to week, work through nearly the whole of the Bible and are used by denominations around the world. During the choral season, THE ANTHEM separates the Scripture readings, providing another approach to God’s Word.  THE SERMON  is then preached by the pastor; a sermon is designed to interpret the Bible, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for use in our lives.  Pastors explore the context of the text when it was originally written and seek to connect us with its wisdom and insight, and with the living Word in Christ. 

WE RESPOND TO GOD'S WORD

Responding to “God’s Word Read and Proclaimed” takes many forms:
We join in THE AFFIRMATION OF FAITH; usually The Apostle’s Creed, found on page 12 of the Hymnbook. We sing THE HYMN OF ASSURANCE.
As a congregation, we share THE JOYS AND CONCERNS, followed by the THE PASTORAL PRAYER and THE LORD’S PRAYER, prayed in unison;                                   it too, is found in the Hymnbook, page 12. We then consider how God is calling us to serve and to be His disciples in this world. In THE PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS, we return to God a portion of his blessings to us (our “Tithes”) and gifts of thanks for what He has done for us (our Offerings”) as the offering plate is passed from person to person. But we also give of our time and our talents, a concept made manifest in THE OFFERTORY. THE DOXOLOGY, or “Words of Glory,” reminds us that it is from God that all our blessings flow; we sing this portion of the Old Hundredth Psalm as number 544 in the Hymnbook. The pastor then offers THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING before inviting the congregation to join in THE CLOSING HYMN. The service concludes with THE CHARGE, our “marching orders” for the week, followed by THE BENEDICTION, a prayer for God’s blessing as we depart. Usually, the Benediction is followed by THE CHORAL RESPONSE, which serves as the “Amen” for worship; THE POSTLUDE prompts us to reflect as we depart.

We celebrate two Sacraments in the Presbyterian Church, the two that were instituted by Jesus as witnessed in the Bible: the Lord's Supper and Baptism.
The Lord's Supper
Six times a year, we celebrate the Lord's Supper together, also known as the Eucharist or Holy Communion.  The Communion Table is ever present at the forefront of our worship. As Presbyterians, we believe that the “real presence” of the Holy Spirit is among us during the Lord's Supper.  We trust that, as these elements remind us of Christ's sacrifice for us, we are also being fed in the Spirit for whatever calling God has for us. Communion reminds us of our unity in Christ, and helps to heal the church, the Body of Christ.  And communion is like the joyful feast that we await when Christ comes… again.  At Mossy Creek, the Lord’s Supper is usually celebrated in the pews, when plates of bread and cups of wine or juice are passed from person to person.  When you pass the bread, you might say either "the bread of heaven,” "the bread of life,” or "the body of Christ.”  Likewise, when you share the cup, you might say "the cup of salvation,” or "the cup of life,” or “the blood of Christ.”  Some people respond, after they've received the bread or the cup, by saying, "Thanks be to God.”  All who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and been baptized into any Christian church are welcome to join in this Sacrament.
Baptism
As Presbyterians understand scripture, baptism is a recognition that, before we can respond, God is calling us to be set apart. Therefore, it is appropriate for people of any age, from the littlest baby to the oldest among us to be baptized. Baptism is a sign of God’s love, a seal of the Holy Spirit, and the claiming of the promises of God which have been given to God's people.  . In baptism we join a community of fellow Christians, the "Body of Christ;” because of this, baptisms take place in the context of  a worship service, in which the congregation promises to support the one being baptized throughout their life of faith. If you desire to be baptized or have your child baptized, please contact the pastor, who can then meet with you and talk about what you can expect during the baptism and what it means to have your child baptized. 



Monday, May 9, 2011

From the Log Colleges of the Western frontier, to the nineteenth century academies of our own Shenandoah Valley, Presbyterian ministers have a long and storied history of providing not just spiritual guidance but practical knowledge as well.


Most of you probably have heard bits and pieces of the story of my Call to ministry, but one thing you may not know is that when I first considered what God might be calling me to do, I thought it would be teaching. I had graduated from college with an English Literature degree and only the vaguest notion of what I might do. After some fits and starts, I decided that my future lay in academia – this despite the fact that I had, heretofore showed little interest in academic excellence. of any kind! I actually went to seminary to discern what discipline in which to pursue a doctorate; I figured becoming a professor of New Testament, or church history, of Theology would be more important, more significant than teaching Moby Dick to college freshmen - not that there's anything wrong with teaching literature, or with college freshmen, for that matter. Of course, God had other plans, and I wouldn’t have changed them for the world; as one of my seminary professors once told me, writing a dissertation is like making a brick – no matter how creative and imaginative you are, they have to be just so high, and wide and long, and weigh just so much… right or wrong, that logic resonated with me, and I resolved to seek ordination, putting me on the path that would eventually lead me to Mossy Creek almost ten years ago. Even so, the opportunity to teach has become of the most rewarding aspects of ministry for me. Whether it be a confirmation class, officer training, book study or an in-depth exploration of a subject, teaching is one of my favorite pastoral activities. It’s certainly one of the things that has made this past year so interesting.


One morning after worship almost a year ago, I was pulled aside by someone whose opinion I value highly. I was worried - often, when someone pulls me aside, it is to share a difficult concern; but that morning, it was not a concern, but a suggestion. Have you ever thought about teaching? Local colleges often need instructors for classes on religion, and you do a good job, and enjoy it…


The suggestion came to me as a surprise, notwithstanding my original notions about God’s Call. After all, it had been more than twenty years, and I long since been confirmed in my Call to be a pastor. I took it as a compliment, and filed it away. But then, another precinct was heard from. Not more than a week later, an acquaintance of Ann’s (a fellow Presbyterian) who worked in the administration of National College sent her an e-mail. They were looking an instructor for a class on World Religion, and did she know someone who might be interested? It was one of those times when you look around and think, Wow! Is think there might be a message here for me… So Ann and I talked about it, I prayed about it, and I replied. The next thing I knew, I was chatting with the campus director, getting ready to teach an elective course on World Religions.


Now, I understand there has been some concern about the time and attention involved in such an outside endeavor: Mossy Creek is not a part time Call, and I am not a tent-maker pastor. I see what I’m doing at the college as something akin to a hobby – an interest outside my work that refreshes me, while stretching me intellectually. Each class meets for one four hour session each week, and each term is eleven weeks long. Since most instructors are working professionals in their field, the college is very understanding about the limits of my time commitment. This past year, I have taught as many as two sections of the same course, one afternoon and one evening; this term, I had one class, on Thursday evening, and will not be teaching during the summer session; I will never teach more than two sections in any term. In order to compensate, I adjust my schedule as needed, and the campus director is always willing to cover a class for me if there is ever a pastoral need. They do pay me a small amount for class time, which is helpful as we pay for college and Governor’s School, but what I really appreciate is the opportunity to both learn and share, for when you teach, you learn – every time.


My perspective on the religions of the world is now very different than it was at this time last year; I am able to articulate in a much deeper way the similarities between the world’s faiths, but more importantly, the crucial places where Christianity is truly unique. It has been exciting to honor God’s Call in a deeper way, and to represent Mossy Creek in the larger community.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

It may be just me,

but it seems that time is moving faster and faster; looking back can be like scenery, flashing by a train - glimpses, fragments of the strange and familiar rushing past, as we watch out the window, mesmerized by the rhythm of the road. But it’s only an illusion. What moves is us: learning, growing, aging – changing, moment by moment, day by day. As disciples of Christ, we are not simply observers of life – we are active participants, making the most of each day, taking stock of both challenges and blessings as we look forward to whatever is to come.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this past year. Recently, we passed the anniversary of a very difficult time for our family, and I am profoundly grateful that our son is doing well and is back at school. Connall’s illness changed my perspective; I’m convinced God’s gift of love is so powerful, so intense – both in its joy and its pain - that we require the Holy Spirit to survive what it does to our lives. I am trying to appreciate more fully each moment with Ann and the children, no matter how mundane or routine those moments might be.

In our congregational life, we can rightly celebrate the financial ministry of the church. The giving of the congregation increased in 2010, despite the current economic uncertainty; Mossy Creek ended the year under budget and in the black! After several years of hard work, we now have an excellent system for budgeting, tracking expenses and evaluating spending. As we make the transition to new treasurers, we can rejoice and give thanks to God for the for all the hard work by Paula Zirk and the Finance committee members, past and present. It is important that we maintain the financial discipline which has been developed, and so we pray for Mack Wilson and the current Finance committee.

Now it is time for us to turn our attention to another vital ministry of the church. While some grass roots efforts have continued and even expanded - the ongoing care for the Huffer family and the participation in the work of the Stokesville Food Pantry come to mind - much of the momentum for outreach generated in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita has dissipated. The Witness Committee, in response to your concerns and suggestions, is exploring opportunities for mission outreach in our local area, which would make it easier for each of to share in the ministry to which each of us is called. It is vital that we support these efforts, not only with our money, but also with our time and talent, for it is working together that we have the opportunity to give and receive what God so freely offers in Christ. The words of Anna Coghill’s hymn serve as our call:

Work , for the night is coming; work through the morning hours;
Work while the dew is sparkling, work ‘mid the springing flowers;
Work when the day grows brighter, work in the glowing sun;
Work, for the night us coming, when man’s work is done.