2410 Spencerville Road Spencerville, MD

Transcription

1 May 13-27, 2018

2 2410 Spencerville Road Spencerville, MD

3 Contents Introduction 1 Week 1: Learning From The Early Church 4 Week 2: Why We Worship 7 Week 3: Becoming A Worshipping Community 9 Annex: Additional Resources 11

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5 Introduction Summary Pliny the Younger, a Roman governor in AD , referred to the gatherings of the early followers of Jesus in this way: They were in the habit of meeting before dawn on a stated day and singing alternately a hymn to Christ as to a god. Some of these first hymns or fragments of them appear to have survived as quotations in the Bible. Such passages are carefully structured, exhibiting rhythmical patterns, and using vocabulary different from the surrounding verses. But these hymns are much more than historical artifacts: they are windows into the worship of some of the very first followers of Jesus. Sometimes, when contemplating the mercy of God, the humility of Christ, or the power of love to defeat evil, words are not enough: Our hearts break forth into song. During this three-week series, we will use these ancient songs to offer our worship to God. Through meditation and song, we will celebrate and experience our oneness with God and with one another; surrender our whole selves to our loving creator; and recommit ourselves to living as agents of God s love, peace and hope in our beautiful but marred world. In this packet you will find discussion questions for each of the three weeks in this series. The questions assume you have heard the message for that week, so if you were unable to be at Cedar Ridge that Sunday, please listen or watch the message online ( or via the Cedar Ridge app. As always, if you have questions or comments on the material in this series, please send them to us at questions@crcc.org. The Importance of Worship What Is Worship? Worship is recognition and celebration of our oneness with the God who is love. Through worship, we surrender our whole selves to God embracing God s love for us, and freely and consciously loving God in return. Worship is holistic: as we live in the reality of the God of love, we seek to make everything we do an act of worship. Worship can be intentionally expressed through service, obedience, resting, giving, and many other ways. As we surrender to our oneness with God, we become increasingly aware of our oneness with others. Worship is therefore not just an individual act, but also a corporate celebration of our community in God, as well as a means to strengthen the bonds of community. This embrace of 1

6 loving relationship with God and with one another leads to transformation: to repentance from all that is not loving, to forgiveness of those who have been unloving towards us, and to a desire for justice and mercy for all people. Through worship we draw closer to a loving, accepting and healing God. In diverse ways we declare to ourselves and to one another God s transcendence as the author and creator of all things, and rejoice in the goodness of God and the beauty of creation. At the same time, we worship with confidence, knowing that the Almighty God is also our good parent, loving savior, and intimate friend. Through worship we recalibrate our perspective: we recognize our smallness before an infinite God, as well as our significance to be known and loved by such a God. We become aware of our brokenness as individuals and as a community, as well as God s power to bring healing and reconciliation in and through us. We rest in God s unconditional love, as our desire deepens to live as agents of God s love, peace and hope in our beautiful but marred world. Ways We Worship At Cedar Ridge, we view worship as an integral part of discipleship that is nurtured by being mindful of how we think, speak and act in the various contexts of our daily lives. We seek to practice the presence of God intentionally inviting God into every aspect of our lives; and we serve others, treasure the earth, and pursue social justice from an attitude of worship. This daily, integrated approach to worship is complemented by specific times devoted to individual and corporate worship. As individuals, we build into our lives spiritual disciplines, prayer practices, creative activities, engagement with nature, and other spaces in which we can worship God. As a community, we gather together to worship through music and song, other art forms and media, financial giving, and rituals such as celebrating communion and lighting candles. We worship together in recognition of our oneness through Christ, and our collective surrender to the loving sovereignty of God. Music and Song Music is an ancient and powerful medium that creates a worshipful space. We are exhorted in Scripture to make music and to sing to God, and music and song have been essential elements of Christian worship down through the ages. Singing together is an expression of unity as we declare together our collective love and dependence on God. Art Forms Through worship we participate in the creativity of God. We offer up to God the artistic expressions of our community in various media, including poetry, journaling, painting, songwriting, and more. The monthly Co-creators group meets in the Barn after the service on 2

7 the first Sunday of the month. Some Sunday morning services include opportunities to express artistic creativity in ways that are simple and integrated with the flow of worship. Giving Financial giving is an important act of worship. Through giving we share in God s loving generosity, express gratitude for the many blessings we have received, and acknowledge our dependence on God for all our needs. By giving as a community, we take seriously our responsibility to care for one another and our neighbors in need. Rituals The celebration of communion, lighting of candles, and other sacred rituals are highly valued expressions of worship for our community. Rituals connect us to followers of Jesus around the world and down through the ages. They create a structure that can help us to worship, even when we do not feel emotionally or intellectually moved. Worship Opportunities During This Series During this series, we will use a different service format that begins with an intentional quieting of our minds in recognition of God s presence with us. Please make every effort to arrive in time for the start of the service at 10AM. On Friday May 18, the Cedar Ridge worship team will host a second Wine and Worship session in the Barn from 7-9PM. Kick off the weekend with a joyful evening of music and song. Bring a snack or drink to share, as well as your instrument and/or voice. All skill levels are welcome. On Sunday May 27, all ages will worship together in the auditorium (wiggle rooms will be available for those who would like to use them). Let s embrace this opportunity to celebrate the diverse experience of God in each member of our community young and old. Throughout this series, we will focus on our financial giving as a generous, grateful act of worship. Automated and online giving is convenient, it allows Cedar Ridge to budget more confidently, and encourages a disciplined practice of giving. (For more information on how to give online and/or set up recurrent gifts, see For this series, we will also make available When Words Are Not Enough giving envelopes for pledges or cash/checks as a way of collectively and physically expressing our worshipful response to God s generosity in our lives. (One of these envelopes in enclosed in the back of this workbook.) These envelopes can be placed in the blue metal container on the candle table, or in the offering towers at the back of the auditorium. 3

8 When Words Are Not Enough Week 1: Learning From The Early Church Worship can and should be expressed in every aspect of our lives. While songs are certainly not the most important expression of worship, they have been a feature of individual and collective worship for thousands of years. Humans seem to be hardwired to sing allowing our hearts to express so much more than our heads alone are able to do; drawing us closer to God and to one another. This week we will look at songs of worship recorded in the Christian scriptures, and explore what they can teach us about how to worship through song in our own cultural context. The writer of the gospel of Luke includes three songs by people directly associated with the birth of Jesus: Mary, Zechariah and Simeon. Their songs celebrate God s faithfulness in fulfilling the promises made to their ancestors, and express hope for justice for the oppressed and blessing to all nations through the arrival of the Messiah. Letters written to early church communities contain passages that appear to be quotations from hymns or poems, particularly focused on the beauty and mystery of Christ. Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:18) express our gratitude to God, and are also used to teach and encourage followers of Jesus to live as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Finally, we will consider the declarations of God s holiness, power, and justice found in the book of Revelation, and consider how the imagery used in apocalyptic literature can expand our imaginations, but may also be at times unhelpful. This week s discussion questions 1. What insights did you gain from the message this past Sunday? What was most helpful for you? What was difficult for you? 2. How do you feel about singing songs as a way of worshiping God on your own, and at Cedar Ridge on a Sunday morning? How do songs compare to other expressions of worship (e.g., service, rituals, being out in nature, etc.)? What are the positive aspects of sung worship? Are there ways you prepare yourself for worship on a Sunday morning? 3. Read Colossians 3: In this passage, how are peace, gratitude and the word or message of Christ related to singing? 4. Read Luke 1: What are the various reasons for Zechariah breaking into a song of praise? 4

9 What does he see as being the consequences of the arrival of God s long-promised Messiah? In what ways is this song personal, and in what ways is Zechariah singing on behalf of Israel? 5. Read Revelation 15:3-4. This short song contains many words we often find in contemporary Christian music (almighty, king, glory, holy, etc.). Are there words and phrases here that help you to feel closer to God? Which ones and why? Are there words and phrases here that make it difficult for you to feel close to God? Which ones and why? 6. Take some time to meditate on Philippians 2:6-11. The leader can guide the group through this exercise using the instructions below. Read the scripture twice through, slowly and gently. Let the words flow over you. Savor each phrase, believing that God is present and has something for you. No need to search, simply listen for a word or phrase that somehow speaks to you or touches you. It might attract or even disturb you. Spend some time in silence with the word or phrase, just resting in it and allowing it to sink into your heart. Then read the passage slowly again. Reflect or meditate on the word or phrase that stood out. How might it be speaking to you or challenging you? Allow memories, thoughts or situations evoked by the word to rise up gently. Allow God to reveal to you how the word or phrase applies to your life. Ask, What meaning does this have for me here and now? What does God want me to know or to see? Spend time in silence, reflecting on the phrase and allowing it to interact with your life. Now read the passage again. Respond to God. Open your heart to God and openly and honestly share how you feel about your experience with the passage. These may be questions or doubts, or prayers of thanksgiving, petition, confession, lament, or praise. Rest in God s presence. Allow your prayers to gently fade away and move into a time of simply resting in God s arms. Allow yourself freedom from thoughts, both mundane and holy. Open your mind, heart and soul to the fullness of God s love and peace. Rest. 7. Did you have any thoughts on this passage to share with the group? In what ways was this a worshipful experience for you? 5

10 Exercise during the week Write your own song (or poem or prose) of praise to God, based on your own experience. Drawing on the examples we find in the Christian scriptures, consider the following components: Celebrate an aspect of God s character that is meaningful to you. Express gratitude for something God has done for you. Ask God to bring about justice in an area of society that is oppressive. Acknowledge the inclusivity and limitlessness of God s love. Commit to following in the way of Jesus in a difficult situation in your life. Embrace the mystery of God, who is so much more than we can describe. 6

11 When Words Are Not Enough Week 2: Why We Worship For most of us who go to church, worship is a given: it is what we do at church on a Sunday. We may have all experienced different norms of worship in various traditions but, whatever form it takes, worship is a familiar and established part of our spiritual experience. But we also feel some discomfort with worship. Why does God need so much adulation and affirmation? Does God demand it, and if so why? What are the consequences of not worshipping? Unconditional exaltation, glorification and homage are what humans have paid to monarchs, suzerains, overlords and idols of all kinds for millennia in order to stay in their good books. It has a smack of tyranny and superstition about it. Is that what God is like? Is this why we worship? The Magnificat (Mary s song of worship in Luke 1:46-55) gives a very different way of seeing worship. God is worshipped not as One who needs appeasement but as Love itself, who comes alongside the lowly and down-trodden rather than needing to be elevated to a place of power. Worship is a return to the reality that Love is the greatest; not fear, insecurity or competition for attention. Worship is a human recalibration to the reality of our oneness with God and with one another. As Paul tells us in Romans 12, we worship with our whole lives in every aspect of life. Worship is a renewal of our minds; a new way of seeing in which we discover that God is Love. God is here for us, here for everyone here for the weak, the poor, the lost and confused. So we embrace as our own those who are least like us, we humbly defer to others, we forgive unceasingly with broken hearts, and find that this is worship. This week s discussion questions 1. What struck you most about the message this past Sunday and why? 2. The speaker on Sunday shared some potential discomfort we feel about worship. For example, it might seem to portray God as an insecure tyrant who needs appeasement. Or worship might involve singing words that we have to agree with in order to belong. Or worship might pressure us to segregate into preferred styles, liturgies or doctrines. Share with the group any discomfort you have experienced with worship (along these lines or others). 3. Read Luke 1: How does this worship song portray God and worship of God in a different way? The context of this song is the Christmas story and the birth of Jesus. How does this imbue the song with meaning, especially as it relates to issues of power and might? 7

12 4. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is (Matthew 22: 34-40) he said Love God and others rather than Worship God. What is the significance of this? What does it mean to experience worship in the framework of love, rather than love in the framework of worship? 5. Read Romans 12:1-21. What are some actions described here that constitute worship? Which ones do you relate to the most? Which do you find most challenging? 6. Romans 12:2 talks about transformation through the renewal of our minds. In what ways do you need to have renewed thinking and transformed action in regards to your own private life, your relationships with others, and your struggle for social justice in our world? How does this relate to worship? Spend some time praying for one another to experience this transformation and renewal. Exercise during the week Choose an action of service in Romans 12 that especially challenges or inspires you. This may be something you already do quite naturally, but make that a worshipful focus for your week. Each morning spend a moment to remind yourself of this focus and ask God to help you be especially aware of it throughout the day. As you engage with that activity, consciously enjoy it and appreciate it. Be aware of your connection to God through it, and let God s love flow through you. Let God s love fill you with wonder and gratefulness. At the end of each day, recall those instances and give thanks. 8

13 When Words Are Not Enough Week 3: Becoming A Worshipping Community This week is the Memorial Weekend Holiday. It has traditionally marked the beginning of summer, and many of us will be in a celebratory mood. Part of the service this week will include a panel discussion with members from various parts of our church community sharing about what worship means to them personally, and how their ministry areas both contribute to worship in our community and are seeking to engage more with it. We will hear from younger people, worship leaders, and leaders from various other areas. Overall, we will seek to gain a deeper understanding that sparks our imagination as to how Cedar Ridge can be a vibrant worshipping community. What does this mean for each of us personally, and what does it look like for us corporately? This week s discussion questions This week is a holiday weekend. Try to do something different as a group. Perhaps have a meal together (if you don t normally do that), visit a museum, go on a hike, or have a picnic. You could even do a service project together. Spend some time at the end of your activity discussing the following questions: 1. In what way was the activity you just did worshipful? Were you conscious of that at the time, or only on reflection? 2. What struck you most about the panel discussion on Sunday? 3. Look at the list of Ways We Worship below. Which of these seem most natural worship practices to you? What are some others not listed here that you find meaningful ways to worship? Ways We Worship (a starter list): Serving Friendships Hospitality Unity and Resting community Giving Nature Prayer Music Action for social Poetry justice Drama Literature Visual art Forgiving Leading Encouraging Contemplation Science 9

14 4. If becoming a worshipping community means each of us growing in the practice of worship personally, what can you do to foster this in your own life? What are some takeaways for you from this brief series? 5. If becoming a worshipping community means growing in the way we all worship together as one, what would help you to worship more meaningfully in our worship services? What positive contribution can you make to community worship when we come together (even if no one else necessarily notices)? 10

15 Annex: Additional Resources The 6 Marks of Progressive Christian Worship Music by Bryan J. Sirchio For a summary of the book, check out this video: The Crowd, The Critic And The Muse: A Book For Creators by Michael Gungor For an interview with the author, check out this podcast: is the website of the Convergence Music Project feature songs and other resources by a number of progressive Christian musicians. is the site of the Progressive Christian Artist Network, with resources and links to other relevant sites. 11