From our three Christmas Eve services through our one service on the Sunday after Christmas, we at FCUMC experienced some powerful worship experiences in celebrating the birth of Christ. If I were “grading” the worship services, I would have to give us some pretty high marks in almost every category. I have heard so many folks talk about how much the Christmas Eve services meant to them and that they felt the presence of Christ. During our worship service this past Sunday morning, worshipers expressed their appreciation to Bill Pendergrass for his excellent sermon with their applause. The music was “over the top.” And after the benediction, people stayed around a long time to talk about the service as traditional and contemporary elements of worship combined for a very moving worship experience. The baptism of little Mason Richmond Lett brought joy to us all.
Our Christmas choral program and its ensuing television broadcasts, likewise, have elicited a tremendous response from the church and community. I can hardly go anywhere without having people tell me how much they appreciated and were blessed by the televised program. Evidently, the three “frozen clergy” at the end didn’t hurt the broadcast very much.
It’s a bit presumptuous, though, to think we can, in any way, objectively measure the power of the worship experience. We can talk about how we were blessed by various parts of the service. We can compliment those who lead in worship. However, to give a grade to any part of such an experience would be to try to objectify something which is very personal and subjective. That which “speaks” to me may leave someone else untouched.
I have to remind myself, though, that we are not the audience in worship. We are the “actors,” and God is the audience. Our primary purpose in worship is to worship and give praise to our God who has created us, who has redeemed through Jesus Christ (remember? the one born in the manger) and who sustains us each day through the Holy Spirit. So I wonder what God has thought about our recent worship services? Still, I have to ask: “Have we given God our best? Or do we offer only a token nod?”
In the book of Amos, we read that God hates our worship if we do not follow it up with lives that let righteousness roll down like an ever flowing stream. In other words, we can come and cry all the way through “O Holy Night” (one of your pastors did that on Christmas Eve); but if it does not cause me to live a holy life, well – the worship is to no avail. If I really love God, my worship will send me out to live more fully for God.
So thanks to all who helped us worship during Advent and Christmas. And thanks to all who are already working to help us experience Christ’s presence through Epiphany and Lent. God never tires of our worship, and I hope we never tire of worshiping God.
“Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King.” Seriously, let’s do that! God wants it.
- Jim
