A few weeks ago I talked about a new phase of my life - I'm now working with the music team of Seacoast Church here in Greenville. You can read more about it at this blog.
At my first staff meeting, campus pastor Chris Surratt announced that the Seacoast campuses were going to make a big change - head pastor Greg Surratt wanted to implement prayer, Communion and offering stations into the worship.
I was so excited I nearly jumped out of my chair. After reading Dan Kimball's "The Emerging Church" a few years ago I became interested in this new wave of worship and thought it would meet a need in the Greenville area. A big rule in marketing is to find a need and meet it - and since no church that I know of in Greenville is doing the stations thing, why shouldn't we be the first?
Greg takes a few weeks off each summer, and last year he visited many of the leading postmodern ministries in the country. He felt that God was nudging him to help the people of Seacoast experience a richer, more involved time of worship.
It's rare that a pastor of a megachurch would be willing to rock the boat and try something so radically new, but I suspect that's why Seacoast is as successful as it is - they're not afraid of new things.
The first Sunday, Greg reported that the new format was a hit - he witnessed a shift from a few people participating to hundreds. Since the main campus is a week ahead of the rest of us, we saw the results the following Sunday. The beauty of the stations concept is that people can choose to actively participate (or not) by moving forward to take Communion, give their offering or have prayer, all options during the praise set. I'll describe these stations in more detail in the future.
Now that we're having Communion every week we're keeping an ear out for more Communion-ish worship songs. Chris Sligh, one of the talented worship leaders here in Greenville has written a fantastic Communion song. I don't know why this guy doesn't have a record deal yet - he wrote the music and lyrics, sings on the demo like a Nashville session singer and played the guitars on my track. It's my first collaboration with a Seacoast artist, and you can download a free mp3 and lead sheet here:
http://www.worshipideas.com/CommunionSong.html
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8 comments:
Interesting concept. These are basically [no offence intended] self-service stations for prayer, offering and communion during the praise set?
We offer Communion every week, so that would not be "the new thing." Prayer is an integral part of the service so we would not see any change there, except there might be a few less written prayer requests on the communication cards... we have discussed a less focused time of collecting the offering.
So what's specifically Greg's win-win on the stations? "experience a richer, more involved time of worship." Ok, this I understand as that is the desire of all lead worshippers but Don, "since no church that I know of in Greenville is doing the stations thing, why shouldn't we be the first? "
HMMMM...Does it mean that you've expanded your service to allow more time in the service for Praise & Worship or the sermon message? I would definately like to hear more about specifics of the intent and the logistics of it.
Blog on Don!
OOps, just realized I used the wrong church website ... I need an EDIT POST key ... OK fixed now
Again, interesting concept...tell us more ASAP.
Too early to be posting, more apple juice please...
Sorry ...I REALLY need an EDIT POST key ... OK, our web addy really fixed NOW...
As a liturgy oriented person, I am intrigued with this postmodern approach to the inclusion of weekly communion. The "stational" approach reminds me to some extent of the St. Thomas Mass (Lutheran) that has been going on for years in Helsinki Finland. Google "St. Thomas Mass Finland".
That community also works with stations and combines both a linear approach with non-linear options.
I'd like to throw an idea into the discussion. One of the names for Holy Communion that comes to us from the New Testament's Greek is "Eucharist" from eucharisteo--to give thanks. Historically this comes from the very ancient practice of the assembly giving engaging in the prayerful and jubilant recitation/rehearsal of God's mighty acts in creation, covenant and deliverance of Israel, recalling the incarnation, life and ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the birth of the Church by the outpouring of the Spirit, and an offering of ourselves in "praise and thanksgiving in union with Christ's offering for us and asking for the Holy Spirit to come upon us and on the sharing of bread and cup.
I have been suggesting to groups I meet with that the Lord's Supper can be more rich and full when there is both "Eucharist" (this extended thanksgiving to God, the Father, recalling the work of the Son, and invoking the Holy Spirit) and "Communion" (the sharing of bread and cup). Is there a way within the approach you are working with to add the element of Eucharist so that communion is enriched by immersion is the Biblical fullness of God's creating and saving work?
Having been raised Catholic but now attending a protestant congregation I find it interesting that you chose to use the term "stations" to define these various locations of prayer and praise. As a child growing up in the Catholic faith and still finding much of what they believe and practice very viable, to me this is nothing more than looking back in time and trying to put a new spin on something old. To my knowledge the Catholic church still has these "stations" you speak of. There's the stations of the cross, there's a "station" to light a candle and offer a prayer to God for a need in your life or the life of a friend or loved one, a "station" to confess sins. There's nothing new under the sun here. I myself am the worship leader at the church I attend so I sympathize with what you're trying to do, engage the congregation in something "fresh" and "exciting" and to experience the presence of God in a new way and for many of them this may do just that. I would examine the Catholic faith and see how they do things because what you're doing sounds an awful lot like they're traditions and practices.
First - that song was great - really wonderful. I can't wait to learn it.
Second - the idea that communion is a weekly thing (and self serve (as opposed to sitting in the pew and taking each element and passing it on)) is new to me. But, I find it an exciting idea. Getting people up and into other spiritual activities during worship is also something a bit outside my experience.
I'm generally open to new ideas and new ways to improve worship. I can't wait to hear more about this.
You're a blessing.
Andy
to Amergin: shhhhh! Don't let everyone in on the secret! LOL - this stuff is pretty Catholic, isn't it! Funny, isn't it, how evangelical postmoderns sometimes think they're so cutting edge, when, in fact, this stuff has been around for hundreds of years and is just making a comeback.
And to AndyM: wow - an open mind! May God bless your ministry as you're willing to keep it fresh and creative.
Finding the right place to pray or practice your faith is a great idea, I think in the world today maqny are lost and need somewhere they can go without resorting to a traditional church, I went to a place a few months back and it was warm and inviting it had modern decor and even persian rugs spread around, it made me feel that it was all kind of relaxed and homely rather than a little daunting like churches can be to a stranger or someone that is looking for faith for the fiest time.
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