Diff for "WorshipBeyondIsolation"

Link to PostShutDownDiscussion

Worship - Beyond Isolation – Reference Material

(Compiled by DavidFraser 01/06/2020)

Question

How can we be assured that our communal worship of God and our spiritual life will continue under the new normal?

Reflections of Wilderness (akin to Isolation)

• The wilderness is a locale for intense experiences- of stark need for food and water (manna and quails), of isolation (Elijah and the still small voice), of danger and divine deliverance (Hagar and Ishmael), on renewal, of encounters with God (Moses, the burning bush, the revelation of the divine name, Mount Sinai).

• God speaks to us in the wilderness. God also humbles and proves us in the wilderness (Deut. 8:2)
• Wilderness experiences can be a time of transformation resulting from the quiet and solitude of the wilderness, where there is room for God to speak.

• God's offer of Juilee in Leviticua 25 sets out a program of pause and reset, every 50th year. God calls his people to justice, liberty and security for all. The land is to be left fallow, to rest. "You shal return, every one of you, to your property and every oneof you to your family." (Leviticus 25:10) It is a time to more actively care for kin and neighbour.

Values and principles

(courtesy of John Squires, Canberra Region Presbytery)

• Gathering for worship is important, but safety of people is more important.
• Safety of people is more important than income.
• Weakest or most vulnerable are the test for any decision we make
• Relationships with others are our first priority.
• Loving our neighbour takes priority over programs and activities
• We have a commitment to the common good—the good of all people in society
• We need to ensure the safety of vulnerable people in leadership (ministry leaders, both ordained and lay)
  • (Port Phillip East Presbytery: ‘Preparing for the transition period’ Zoom Meeting 15 May).

Some changes our church may experience:

1. No hymn/song books in the pews
2. No bibles in the pews
3. Greater reliance of screen images
4. No passing the peace through contact
5. Separation of individuals
6. Change to distribution of communion elements
7. Change to baptism ritual
8. No laying on of hands
9. No physical welcoming
10. Removal of open plate stewardship
11. Change to the nature of pastoral care visits
12. Restrictions on welfare interviews / distribution / food bank
13. Rules associated with meeting in homes
14. Restrictions on church community retreats
15. Controls on casual church visitors and non-members
16. Changes to catering centred fellowship
17. Changes to wedding ceremonies
18. Changes to funeral ceremonies
19. People presenting while clearly unwell
20. Restrictions to involvement of vulnerable people
21. Children and families rethink

What the bible says about worship – selected passages

Psalm 100:1-5 A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

John 4:23-24 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middle of them.

Psalm 100:2 “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs”

John 4:23-24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth”

Colossians 3:14-17 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

Habakkuk 3:17-18 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Psalm 107:32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Definitions:

• Belief: an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof.

• Church: a building used for public Christian worship.

• Church goers: a person who goes to church regularly.

• Congregation: a group of people assembled for religious worship.

• Conviction: a firmly held belief or opinion.

• Faith: strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

• Faithful: those who are faithful to a particular religion

• Fellowship: friendly association, especially with people who share one's interests.

• Gathering: an assembly or meeting, especially one held for a specific purpose.

• Life: a particular type or aspect of human existence.

• Meaning: important or worthwhile quality; purpose.

• Purpose: the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

• Spirit: the non-physical part of a person regarded as their true self and as capable of surviving physical death or separation.

• Significance: the quality of being worthy of attention; importance.

• Soul: the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.

• Worship: religious rites or ceremonies, constituting a formal expression of reverence for a deity.

Musings:

1. Silent, contemplative prayer
2. Video input from church members
3. Worship that will refill and revitalize
4. Doing better what we already do well
5. Greater lay involvement

Points to Ponder:

1. Being aware of how the Spirit is trying to change us
2. Worship is a personal matter
3. Our most fulfilling worship occurs in our families or in communities of faith
4. We must make sure we are worshipping with both our hearts and our minds and not just going through the motions
5. We must resolve to make the words we speak, the actions we perform, the places and times we honor, the texts we study, and the songs we sing have meaning
6. Worshipping God is loving service of others
7. Empower us to do something here and now
8. Worship, celebration and fellowship

FROM THE LITERATURE

7 Lessons from Singapore’s Churches for When the Coronavirus Reaches Yours

Congregations are creatures of habit. Churches are built on traditions, liturgies, and order in worship. Over time, every church’s line between what is fundamental to the faith and what is merely institutionalized response gets blurred.

Does Communion have to be actual wine and unleavened bread to still count as holy? If you don’t actually lay hands on someone, are prayers of healing still effective? Does a church have to gather in the flesh to count as a congregation?

Every church, and every member of your church, will have different views on such often-undiscussed questions. The COVID-19 outbreak presents a needed moment of doctrinal stocktaking. What is non-negotiable in God’s eyes.

Casting a vision for how to be the people of God in this time.

We need to process our fears before God and let our actions be inspired by faith and guided by sound theology. Let not disease, or earthly decree, but doctrine guide our decisions.”

“It is a wonderful time for the ecclesia to exercise practical wisdom and explore creative methods of ministry,”

“The church today must be a people of purpose that are willing to go beyond the constraints of ‘place’ or ‘program.’”

“It’s crucial that in times of crisis, the church rises up to be a standard,”

“As salt and light, the church needs to stand strong in the Lord so that others can see the hope we profess.”

“If we respond to this crisis correctly, it can turn out to be a defining moment of discipleship for our nation,” said Ho. “In the face of imminent dangers, our priorities are rearranged. This is a great opportunity to have deep conversations about what we are living for. Are we merely existing, or are we truly living? Are we living for the right stuff? Are we marching to the right drumbeat? Are we governed by biblical or worldly values? Are we living for what really matters?”

Viruses spread quickly, acknowledged Lim. “But kindness is infectious too.”

This starts with a public, visible expression of the victory and hope that we have in Jesus. There is an unprecedented opportunity to share the reason for our posture of faith amid fearful times.

Essay: COVID-19 Could End Church As We Know It, And I Feel Fine

What is the church? A building? A particular gathering? A community?

What is worship? What really matters in a worship service?

The nature of Christianity will shape those decisions. Following its Jewish roots, Christianity is primarily a social faith, embodied in communities that express this faith in their everyday lives. Christianity is also incarnational, highly valuing bodily presence - both the presence of God-with-us and our presence with one another. We have no greater gift to give one another than our full, undivided presence and attention.

The Apostle Paul imagines churches as the body of Christ, a powerful metaphor of interactive community in which there are no extraneous members and in which everyone has a role to play. We are called to be active participants in our faith, not just passive consumers of religion.

Churches Create New Ways to Worship Amid COVID-19 Pandemic "I think that maybe it's more important now than ever, I think a lot of people are feeling the ground shift underneath them and so a lot of people are turning to God and need the reassurance of their faith, a chance to worship even though we call it “gathering while scattered," said Pastor Coffey. "What we want to do is always look for the opportunities that arise because of something like this and not just look at the difficulties that have come,”

19 positive suggestions for Christians during the COVID-19 Pandemic We recognise as Christians that there is a faith, hope and love that is beyond this present life. The quiet joy and confidence we exhibit through this time will be a sign of hope and witness to our belief that this current crisis is not the end of the story. Indeed, we are invited into God’s story of love for each of us.

Other Bible Passages Reating to Worship:

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.

Acts 2:46-47 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

1 Chronicles 16:29. “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness”

Psalm 95:6. “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker”

Hebrews 12:28. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire”

Luke 4:8. “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

Hebrews 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Psalm 29:2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.

Ephesians 5:19 Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,

1 Peter 2:5 You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 56:7 These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

Isaiah 29:13-16 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” Ah, you who hide deep from the LORD your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?” You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

Genesis 22:5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”

1 Timothy 2:8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;

Psalm 149:1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!

Psalm 5:7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.

Acts 16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

Psalm 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

2 Chronicles 7:3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

John 4:21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

Psalm 103:1 Of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Psalm 35:18 I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.

Deuteronomy 11:16 Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them;

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Psalm 84:4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah

Psalm 24:3-6 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah