Today's gathering was a first for us. A member of the CGGC clergy attended our gathering.
He contacted me some time ago to ask me if I felt comfortable with the idea that he might come, essentially, to see what we do. I believe he is thinking he might adapt some of what we have attempted in his own ministry.
I was somewhat uncertain about how it would go at first and discussed his request with Evelyn and some of the others in one of our gatherings before I myself felt comfortable. In the end, others were more at ease with the request than even I was and, ultimately, the day turned out to be a good day, at least in the estimation of our people who were present. I hope to receive feedback from my brother in CGGC ministry later on.
As far as the gathering itself is concerned, we did about an average amount of singing. Quite a few people came with something they hoped the gathering would sing. We had a balanced mix of gospel songs and more contemporary music. Once or twice we had a problem finding the best key to sing a cappella. This sort of singing almost always sets a good tone for what follows. There are no worship wars because any and everyone can get his/her own way as much as s/he needs to.
Also, again this time, we spent a lot of time working through the words of the lyrics we sang. The words "ransom" and "redeem" were words we sang and I asked if we knew what we were singing and, really, most people were just singing them mindlessly. We talked about places in the Word where those words appear. In the end, I think there was some understanding of the terms and, hopefully, more importantly, of the gospel that saves those who believe in it.
We had a robust time of giving thanks which lasted a long time.
We also discussed the young family that our Thursday group contributed to. We, of course, take no offering but have some money remaining from the days we did. We agreed to contribute more money to cover rent and to buy gift cards to meet needs for necessities. The people of the Thursday gathering are tasked to deliver these gifts to the family, which lives nearly an hour's drive away.
We also had a robust prayer time, which lasted about a half hour. (I'll be interested in knowing what our visitor thought about it. It's so normal to me but I also know that it is not usual beyond our group.)
Time in the Word centered on John 6:25-59, which was a good lead in to the taking of the bread and cup.
The meal was nice. The visitor, who had been very quiet to that time really relaxed around the table and everyone got to know him and to enjoy his contribution to the gathering.
From beginning to end, the meeting--especially until the last stragglers left--ran about four hours. What a blessing!
A profound, theologically rooted, difference between our gatherings and Today's traditional, Christendom Sunday morning show "worship services" is that we are concerned some, but very little, with praising and glorifying God in word and song, as most Christians are, and more directly obsessed with preparing ourselves and each other to, as Paul says, "offer our bodies as living sacrifices" during the time that we are a part during the week.
ReplyDeleteWe all know the biblical phrase "spur one another on to love and good works" and we take it seriously.
A big part of our time together yesterday had, to me, the feel of what others might think of as a congregational meeting, not a worship service. We discussed the practicalities of how we would contribute to the financial needs of the young, cancer stricken, family I mentioned.
It strikes me as this is essential to the difference between worship and gathering. We are, more than anything, deeply concerned with producing fruit of righteousness and repentance than, well, we were when we were more run of the mill in our evangelicalism--and, I believe--more true to the model and teaching of Jesus.
And, I am comfortable with that focus.