Our discussion for both first classes (Tues. and Thurs.) took us to some extended conversation around the issues of Standish’s terms “embracing the sacred” and “becoming transformational.”
The first comment in this post will be a combined summary of those discussions. I invite you to leave your own reflections on the chapter and the conversations that ensued.
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Both classes brought us into some insightful conversation around two primary issues: (1) becoming a “transformational” church vs. a “functional” one; and (2) the power of rituals in the worship experience, and the possible need to take a new (or perhaps, renewed) look at how we approach and implement them.
Experiencing the “sacred,” as Graham puts it, is at the core purpose of the worship service in a blessed church. This being the case, acknowledging that not all attending (especially in mainline churches – and he outlines the reasons for that distinction) will connect with God through the same rituals, or the same expressions of them, is one of the greatest challenges facing congregations desiring to step into the “blessedness” he promotes.
An un-evolving church service will discourage the make-up of its congregation to evolve, change, grow — and this consequence flies in the face of many of our churches’ desire to reach out to and attract members of younger generations, different cultures and varying backgrounds. Social and cultural adaptations of our rituals and sacraments, for the sake of those coming from un-churched or different church histories is critical for aiding them in connecting with God in the same way holding to the more “traditional” ways help others.
The issue of a church becoming one that facilitates transformation for its members and attendees was also addressed. Church leadership – clergy and lay – were identified as central to this happening. The challenge to set aside that which is comfortable, or even that which provides comfort, for the sake of that which allows for personal and congregational transformation (i.e., inward growth resulting from encountering God in a real way), is related to the issue of the “sacred” but has broader implications beyond the worship service. Those would include the church’s vision for its future, its collective discipline of prayer, and its ability to discern what programs feed true growth vs. those practiced simply due to historical attachment.