The New Year is almost here and that means it is time once again to make those annual New Year’s Resolutions. We promise to diet or exercise or do all of those good things that we know we should be doing. We want so very much to try harder and to be better, but so often by February or March the resolutions have been forgotten, and we are back where we started.
This year I’d like to suggest a different kind of resolution. Worship God. That’s it. It seems pretty simple, and in many ways it is. Worship is a part of the Christian way of living. It is how we give thanks for all the ways we see God working. Worship should flow out of us naturally each and every day.
And yet, we often find worship difficult, because we get so busy that we forget about God. Not only that, but many of us aren’t really sure what worship is. Is it just about singing? Is it only saying thank-you? What is worship really? And, how can we worship more fully?
This January and February, I encourage you to join us as we answer these questions together. Each week we will explore how to truly find the “Heart of Worship.” I believe that as we seek to worship God more fully, we will find many gifts waiting for us. Christmas Day may have come and gone, but God’s gifts for us are still coming. As we worship, we discover that a deeper relationship with God is worth more than anything we could ever buy.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been worshiping God from the cradle, or if you are brand new to church, God longs for us to worship. So, come and explore with us what it means to worship.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Light of Christ
We had a very interesting experience here at MUMC on Christmas Eve. It started out like any other Christmas Eve Service, but ended with a strange twist.
I planned to end our service with the traditional Candelight Service. We were going to sing, "Silent Night" and I was going to take the light from the Christ candle and share it with the congregation to remind us of how the light of Christ moves out into the world.
Just as I was explaining the meaning of this part of the worship service, the lights went out. It was only seconds before we planned to turn them out anyway. At first I thought someone had just "jumped the gun" and turned them out early. Then I realized that my microphone wasn't working either. The lights flashed on and off several times, before going out completely. It turned out that the ice on the powerlines caused us to lose our electricity.
Not wanting to be controlled by faulty powerlines, we continued the candlelighting service. Someone ran up to help our guitarist see his music so that we could sing Silent Night. The lights from the candles lit up the sanctuary and made a beautiful sight. Slowly and worshipfully everyone left the sanctuary while still singing.
And then, right where we would normally extinguish the candle and put it back in the box for next year, we realized that we still needed the candles!
People went out of their way to help others. Two people stationed themselves on the steps to help others see the way. Others stationed themselves at the coat rack to help people put on their coats. Someone else ran and got a flashlight from their car to help others see outside. Everyone pitched in to help others find their way.
Reflecting on this experience later, I realized that we really were "the light of Christ." We were doing exactly what we should be doing ... helping others to find their way.
May we all be candles for the world that on the darkest night, our light from Christ can shine brightly to help others find their way.
I planned to end our service with the traditional Candelight Service. We were going to sing, "Silent Night" and I was going to take the light from the Christ candle and share it with the congregation to remind us of how the light of Christ moves out into the world.
Just as I was explaining the meaning of this part of the worship service, the lights went out. It was only seconds before we planned to turn them out anyway. At first I thought someone had just "jumped the gun" and turned them out early. Then I realized that my microphone wasn't working either. The lights flashed on and off several times, before going out completely. It turned out that the ice on the powerlines caused us to lose our electricity.
Not wanting to be controlled by faulty powerlines, we continued the candlelighting service. Someone ran up to help our guitarist see his music so that we could sing Silent Night. The lights from the candles lit up the sanctuary and made a beautiful sight. Slowly and worshipfully everyone left the sanctuary while still singing.
And then, right where we would normally extinguish the candle and put it back in the box for next year, we realized that we still needed the candles!
People went out of their way to help others. Two people stationed themselves on the steps to help others see the way. Others stationed themselves at the coat rack to help people put on their coats. Someone else ran and got a flashlight from their car to help others see outside. Everyone pitched in to help others find their way.
Reflecting on this experience later, I realized that we really were "the light of Christ." We were doing exactly what we should be doing ... helping others to find their way.
May we all be candles for the world that on the darkest night, our light from Christ can shine brightly to help others find their way.
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