something new

I have begun a personal (and professional) journey of sorts, toward something new in worship. This new "thing" is a worship experience that allows for an intimate dialogue between congregation and Christ. The purpose of this blogspot is to provide a safe place for dialogue about worship so that a team of folks can begin to emerge and dream about how we can reach out to folks that other churches in our metropolitan area are not reaching. This does not translate to "fad" church -- but a place of community and dialogue that provides for spiritual nurture and is conducive to building a more intimate relationship with Christ.

As a bit of a disclaimer, let me say this: it's not about me. Yes, this is a dream of mine, but it's a dream way too big for one tiny speck of creation to carry out alone. In order to reach a diverse community of people, the community doing the reaching must also be diverse. It's not about "traditional" worship or "contemporary" worship. Yes, there will be elements of the "contemporary" in what we offer, but there will also be elements of "traditional" and liturgical practices as well. This is not an attempt to "be all things to all people", but rather an attempt to have many different avenues by which all people may connect with Christ in worship. It's important for those of us charged with designing the elements of worship to be intentional about why we do the things we do in a worship setting. There is a goal - to allow folks to be impacted by the Holy Spirit; through the readings we use, the prayers we say, the creeds we recite, the sermon that is preached, and the invitation that is offered. The invitation is about more than being a "member" of a particular church, it's about being the church in the world in which we live.

Simply stated, our goal is for ordinary folks (like you and me) to respond to worship. It's a getting back to our roots of sorts. It's emerging, and morphing, and changing, and impacting lives. It isn't about disagreeing with the way others worship. It's about expanding the opportunities for worship, so that people feel called to "do something" and be the church in a society that is desperately needing "church". It's not about agreeing/disagreeing on worship styles, but rather about meeting folks where they are. We are called to "Go, make disciples", (Matthew 28: 19-20) using the model of Jesus' ministry -- building relationships, encouraging community, and loving people.

My hope is that we will create something that provides a tangible connection through relationships, encourages expectations of greatness, promotes spiritual growth, and is centered around reconciliation and the United Methodist Church's written response to Holy Communion -- which will be a part of every gathering. (If you're interested in reading the UMC's response to Holy Communion, it is entitled "This Holy Mystery --available online at UMC.org and at Cokesbury.com)

Since this is a personal blogspot, it is accessible only to those that have been invited into the community. That isn't to say that it's selective, but in order to maintain the integrity of the site, I've made a conscious decision against making it a public blog site. It is created with the sole intention of building a team of folks to dream big dreams, and then encourage one another in order to make those dreams a reality. You might notice the title of this blog is "the canvas". Since we're birthing something new it doesn't currently have a name. As suggestions are made, we'll be "trying" them on to see what fits. As a team emerges, the name may change a lot but for now here's what the word canvas implies: a blank page with which to create -- in it's definition is also a grouping of tents -- I take that to mean community. I pray that God will continue to use this team to reach out to the least, the lost, and the lonely. We've been given a great model to follow. Won't you join us on the journey?

grace and peace,
sheri b