Timeless Worship?

I've sometimes wondered why there's never been a clock in the sanctuary--no clock on the back or side wall as I've seen in some churches, not even a clock on the pulpit (except for a very small timer that's never worked as long as I've been at the church).

Has it simply been an oversight all these years?  Is it because most people have their own way of keeping time with a wristwatch--or now by cell phone?  Or is it as I prefer to think of it, that not having a clock in the sanctuary says something about worship--unhurried, unregulated by the clock, timeless, totally immersed in and led by the Spirit.

Some might say we could have used a clock last Sunday since our worship went on longer than usual(!), but at the same time I'm glad that we took the time for all the sharing, prayer, and the Lord's Supper.  One email response received this week:  "I thought this past Sunday was one of the most meaningful to me since coming to Emmanuel definitely in the top 5 ! ....  I wish that prayer wall would stay a part of our service for a while. I think it has drawn me to focus more on the prayer concerns of my brothers and sisters at Emmanuel."

Jan 26, 2010 at 9:48 AM

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You gotta pray when the Spirit says pray

After last night's prayer meeting, Fran made two comments that made me wonder if she could read my mind!

#1 - "is the Prayer Wall something that we might want to continue?"--yes!  The idea for the prayer wall actually came from a resource that Marijke had passed on to me last year, and I had saved to use for our prayer meetings.  Some churches have a prayer wall year round; others also have a virtual wall on their church website where prayers can be posted.  Either way, both/and, I like the idea of having a prayer wall where anyone (from the church or community or visitors from far away) can post prayers, prayer requests, praise items, and that also functions as a visible call and reminder for us to pray.  In the last few weeks, I've sometimes just stood at the wall to pray; I see others taking note of requests to pray at home.  I think it would be wonderful for us to continue the prayer wall even after this month of prayer, and to develop a prayer ministry where people would specifically pray for requests on the wall. 

#2 - "have we ever had a group focused on prayer?"-- not a Bible study group, but a gathering focused on prayer, say 45 minutes, with a Scripture verse or maybe a candle or other visual focus.  In summers past we've sometimes tried this on Sunday morning at 9:30 in place of Sunday school, but that really wasn't the best time.  In the annual meeting report book this year, the deacons include considering a regular weekly meeting for prayer as part of their vision for 2010.  I could see this developing along with the prayer wall ministry, where we could have a regularly weekly meeting for prayer in the church sanctuary that would be open to anyone of any age, from any where.  Wouldn't that be a wonderful call to prayer and reminder for ourselves, and a ministry to offer to the community and have them join us? 

I have also been thinking and praying about prayer as a theme for us as a church for next year.  For 2009-2010, we're focusing on Jesus be the Centre which has been a good foundation for our discussion of core values as a church.  Then for 2010-2011, Prayer would be a very appropriate follow-up--as we pray for God's leading in living out our core values; as we look forward to celebrating Emmanuel's 30th anniversary in 2011; as prayer is one of the marks of the church that was singled out for special mention in our church constitution.  

So--is Fran reading my mind?  Not exactly--as I think about my own call to pray; as I see how youth, middle-aged, and older folks have responded to the prayer wall; as I reflect on the deacons' vision for a regular weekly time of prayer, I sense the Spirit moving in our midst.  Do you feel it too?  

Jan 21, 2010 at 11:20 AM

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Prayer Wall

As I was praying at the prayer wall this morning, I was especially struck by the prayer requests for friends:

a friend with a faith crisis, a friend who may be using drugs again, a friend whose marriage is in trouble.  O God, hear our prayers for our friends--surround them and bear them up in their trials; show your mercy and shower them with your love; help them to make good decisions in the challenges they face; and help us to be good friends to them.  Give us wisdom to know when to speak and what words to say.  Give us wisdom when to be silent.  Give us wisdom when to act and when to wait.  And most of all, make us persevere in prayer on behalf of our friends and on behalf of all those in need.  Amen. 

Jan 20, 2010 at 4:05 PM

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Teddy Bears' Prayer Meeting

For our second prayer evening this month, our Mennonite Church Canada materials suggested a display of teddy bears because Colossians 3:13 tells us to "bear with" one another.

Bearing with one another doesn't really have anything to do with teddy bears--but at least it would make for a memorable display, and it gave me a chance to bring a few of my bears to church:  Tennessee Sunshine Princess Buttercup (from Nashville); Cranberry Baby (from the Calgary Airport, named for her cranberry-coloured nose); Dr. Edward Leonard Lo (an English professor who sits on top of my writing files at home); Smokeless (who looks like Smokey the Bear, but since we have a non-smoking household, he was dubbed Smokeless); Consolation (bought a number of years ago when my mother was diagnosed with lymphoma).

The bears were glad to be part of the display for the evening, although they weren't so happy with being unceremoniously dumped into a plastic bag for the trip to the church--fortunately bears are very forgiving, which is another part of Col. 3:13:  "forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Jan 14, 2010 at 8:26 PM

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Worship Stats

Every week, our ushers note our Sunday morning worship attendance, and their record reveals some interesting stats for us as a congregation.  

In 2009, our average worship attendance was 230.  In 2008, the average worship attendance was 228.  In both years, the average was calculated over 54 services--52 Sunday mornings plus Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

In 2009, Easter Sunday was the most well attended at 320.  In 2008, Easter Sunday was also the most well attended at 273.  Christmas Day attendance for 2009 was 134 compared to the 60 brave souls who attended last Christmas Day 2008 when there was so much snow!  The Sunday with the lowest attendance in 2009 was July 26 at 149, and in 2008 it was July 6 at 180.  Good Friday attendance was 265 in 2009; 258 in 2008.

One conclusion from these stats:  although Good Friday is no longer planned jointly with other churches (since our partners are involved either in planning a German Good Friday worship, or focusing more on their own Thursday evening and Easter Sunday celebrations), the strong attendance indicates a continuing interest from our own congregation and beyond, so I look forward to planning Good Friday worship again in 2010.  I also look forward to sharing these stats in more detail with the  Worship Committee at our next meeting. . . .    

Jan 13, 2010 at 2:27 PM

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An Invitation to Prayer

As I prepared for last Wednesday's prayer meeting, I wondered how meeting in the sanctuary might affect our sharing and prayer together.

In previous years, we've met in the banquet room which is just the right size for 70-80 people, where we can easily move the chairs to share and pray in small groups, where we can hear one another even without a microphone if need be.  But since I wanted us to reserve the banquet room in case it was needed for Extreme Weather Shelter (which it wasn't in the end), I planned to use the sanctuary instead.  Would we lose a sense of intimacy in that much larger space?  Would people participate in sharing and prayer as easily?

I am thankful to God that it turned out to be a wonderful evening.  The theme "Wear Christ" based on Colossians 3:12-17 gave rise to many wonderful stories (just ask Janet about Walter's $7 suit, and talk to Hank and Bea about why the colour orange is significant to them!); our Prayer Wall (prepared by Vanj) allowed people to post prayers and prayer requests, with opportunity to say something about them; some of the sharing moved us to tears or laughter (yes, we can even laugh at a prayer meeting!). 

If you missed it, you missed a very special evening--everyone is welcome to gather again this Wednesday, January 13, 7pm in the sanctuary.  Hope to see you there!

Jan 9, 2010 at 8:00 PM

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Happy New Year!

It was wonderful to have Tim and Charlotte, Myra and Isaiah with us last Sunday--it's been our privilege as a congregation to assist them at seminary (Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana), and seeing them together here was a special blessing.

Tim's sermon on how all of the distinctions between "outsiders" and "insiders" disappear in Jesus Christ was very appropriate--addressing the diversity of our worshipping congregation, and as we prepare for Extreme Weather Shelter this month.  It was a delight to see Isaiah for the first time in person since he was born in October, to have Myra help me "clean up" my office after the worship service, and to visit with Charlotte and Tim over lunch at our place.

They head back to Elkhart on Thursday for Tim to finish up one more course and to continue to discern God's leading in their lives.  I pray God's blessing on your journey--back to Elkhart and into the future that God has in store for you!

Jan 5, 2010 at 4:57 PM

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Website and Blog Update

I love the new look to our website!--pretty much the same actually, but it displays better now and seems cleaner/clearer.

I also recently learned that you can't read the blog entries straight through because the teaser on the home page doesn't show, so you either have to go back and forth or miss the first part.  I've gone back through all of my 2009 posts to correct that though, will fix 2008 soon, and do it right the first time for 2010! 

Dec 30, 2009 at 10:22 AM

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Have Yourself a Messy, Magnificent Christmas!

One illustration that didn't make it into my sermon for last Sunday was "Messy Church."

Apparently some churches offer "Messy Church" as a regular part of their ministry--it's especially for children as you might guess from the title, and each child must bring an adult.  Most of the time is spent on a craft (which is where the messy part comes in), followed by a brief kid-friendly worship time, then a messy grace, followed by a simple supper.  I think it's a great way of sharing the good news with children, of inviting families that might not already belong to a church, of building community among old and young.  Messy Church, anyone?

Dec 23, 2009 at 5:43 PM

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Christmas Surprise

This morning I almost stopped mid-sermon since I saw Joon Park and his daughter Dona sitting up in the balcony!

Linda (as worship leader) had already welcomed everyone, including several students home for Christmas (Laura back from Kansas, Rachel and Anna-Marie back from Winnipeg), and she even asked if there was any returning student she had missed.  No one said anything, but then I saw Tom and Jordana (back from Kelowna) sitting behind me, and then later during my sermon Joon and Dona (from the seminary in Elkhart)!  Turns out that Joon had come back for some meetings related to his creative writing work, and Dona had come with him, leaving her sister Shina and mother, Shim, still in Elkhart.  I was glad to talk with them after the service, and sorry they're in Abbotsford only overnight, then off to Vancouver for a few days and back to Elkhart in time for Christmas.  We miss them!  

Dec 20, 2009 at 2:21 PM

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