This Mysterious, Worshiping Community

Sometimes the practical and the theological find coexistence difficult. Like what to do with the 3, 4, and 5 year olds who make noise and prevent an atmosphere of quiet contemplation and reverence during worship. Practically, the session of the Elliottsville church understands the dilemma. The elders discussed at length during our retreat in January the practical implications of removing the 3, 4, and 5 year old children from the worship service during the preaching of the sermon if their parents so choose. The sanctuary would be quieter. The parents would be able to concentrate more judiciously. The children don't receive anything from the sermon anyway. And, maybe most practically, having a place where children can be taken is perhaps the prevalent action in today's church. This would be a move that would make us more like other churches ? maybe even make us more attractive to potential members as we attempt to make the church more appealing to the world we serve.

I've spent quite a bit of time reading and thinking about worship and our children's place in it since the retreat. One of the thoughts I have had is that worship is a hard word to define. Worship is one of those words we know, but one over which we stammer when we try to describe. See if this makes any sense to you: Worship is an awareness of God that meets two fundamental needs of humanity: mystery and community ( taken from Beyond the Worship Wars, Thomas G. Long ). While the acts of worship and the liturgical movements of our praise are known to us there is at work in them a mysterious power of God that makes us aware of God's presence. We aren't able to completely explain it or completely comprehend it, but we are conscious of God creating in us a desire to become and empowering us to be a changed people. Our children are incapable of understanding what that means. So are we as adults. Save for the revelation of God none of us would know God's mystery of community. Maybe, then, since we are alike in this respect it would be good for us all to be together ? children and adults ? when God chooses to reveal those mysteries to us in our worshiping community.

Katie B. is three years old. Last week she went with her mother, Denise, during worship because Denise stayed to help with the babies and the toddlers. Katie realized at some point that last Sunday was a communion Sunday. She said, " Mommy, I missed the bread today. " I am amazed at the mystery of God to reveal to a three year old the grace in the communion of the community and that she misses that grace when she isn't present. I'm glad that Presbyterian tradition sees mystery and community as gifts of God's grace. I hope we at Elliottsville continue to realize that if we start making assumptions about when and how God reveals the grace of mystery and community we will probably make someone else miss the bread. Theology trumps practicality.

St Francis Xavier said, " Give me the children until they are seven and anyone may have them afterwards. " He knew that what children are taught while they are children is what those children carry with them forever. I agree with him. Still, I politely decline St Francis Xavier's offer. We'll keep our children. And teach them. And grow them. And nurture them. And worship with them. And preach to them. That's what we promised to do when they were baptized. Do we remember that? Do we remember that?

Grace and peace

Pastor Mark