Worship Style

One of my assignments for my wellstreams class is to go reflect on 3 experiences of praying with others in corporate worship. So far I have done two of these and they were worship experiences from the past week.

The first one was at our regional meeting of ministers. The afternoon was spent in learning about using technology in the church and then we had dinner together. We ended with worship.
In our worship time we sang - "Let it breathe on me" several times and then "Let it breathe on us." We formed groups of 3 or 4 and prayed over each other. And then we had communion. I loved it all. It was quiet, it was personal, it was very moving to me. I especially appreciated being with clergy who are understand the joys and the struggles of pastoring.

Last night about 10 of us went from Columbus to Circleville Oh (about 50 minute drive) to attend the worship service celebrating the installation of Charles Ferguson (who preaches at our church on Sunday nights) to become the pastor at Second Baptist Church in Circleville. It was a service that was led by African American Baptists. My assignment was to reflect on the prayer style and it was different from the way that we pray at our church. The congregation was standing, the pianist played underneath the praying, and people often responded outloud during the praying. I find myself doing that too - quietly - but I feel engaged in the praying. It really felt like WE were praying the prayers together to God.

There is no way that we will have this kind of praying in our church on Sunday morning - not that I want to. We sit quietly, listen to the person praying for all of us and experience it as we do.

What I keep learning is that it is all good. There are differences between what we do at our church on Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings. I know that there is always the temptation to call some style better than another. I feel very blessed that I get to experience different ways of praying to God with others.

I still have to do one more non Christian worship experience - now THAT will really be interesting.