A couple of weeks ago we had our ecumenical service for thanksgiving. This year we hosted the service at MUMC. It was a great time in part because I had to do little when the serivce came about. I had to make a number of the arrangements before the service, but when the time came to worship it was great to see the community come together. Each of the congregations that were represented came to worship with a little bit different posture. As the cathloic church and the Lutherans came with more of a high church metality, my congregation and the ucc church had came to worship as if we were meeting with a friend. I don’t know that either is better than the other but there is some great bennifit in changeing our approach to worship and our understanding of who God is.
During this advent season time some time to go to a worship service or two that are not like your weekly experiences. Bring some of your students with you and talk about what was the same and how things were done differently. Avoid using language of right and wrong or better and worse. Remember that we all encounter God in a different way and to belittle one experience over another could makebour students feel like they are doing something wrong in worship if they don’t connect like us and adds to the growing feelings tthat Christians aare just a bunch of bickering hypocrites.
Enjoy the diversity this season. You may find renewal in the most unlikely places.
