Cas Wepener: Diversity in worship and liturgy in small congregations
Sometimes you as minister feel as if you have been left alone.
Thomas Long se boek: Beyond the Worship Wars.
Two diverse experiances:
Big church worship
Small church worship
Worship in small conrgegations is already diverse.
Question: Thinking about the already existing diversity from perspective of liturgist.
4 Aspects of diversity:
Preaching
All people are in certain respects like…
All other people
There are shared basic human needs
Shared human needs is a comfort for any preacher because there are shared existential needs.
No other people
Intimate relationships between preachers and pastoral care.
Also socio-specific cultural aspects
Work on your emphatic imagination (Cradock) in die ander se skoene.
Some other people
Cultural realities in congregations
Be like an ethnographer and explore
7 symbols to look for;
Historical material
Demography
Stories/interviews
Rituals and liturgical patterns
Architecture and art
Insiders and outsiders
Congregational activities.
For preaching;
Who are the heroes in the congregations
What are the silences, stories never told
How do people view God
View of the congregation and her mission
Many subcultures…
Worship
Why do people go to church?
Mystery
What is amazing is the fact that they do come at all
Is it not a dangerous question
Vital and faithfull congregations make room, somewhere in worship, for the experience of mystery.
Bible is a codeword for God.
People come to church for mystery.
Community
A sense of belonging
Community and God rivals
What to do?
A theological sounding
From intimacy to hospitality
Vital and faithful congregations make planned and concerted efforts to show hospitality to the stranger.
It is not good for people to be alone.
People long for warm and intimate.
We must move from a language of intimacy to hospitality.
Music
Congregational
The congregation themselves are used in worship
The congregations is not an audience, worship is there for active participation.
Excellent
Good music is that which empowers en gives way to express.
If a song is beyond a congregations reach it is not good.
Passion and changed through music.
Eclectic
Leadership
Coming from the congregation going to the congregation.
Strong, loving and wise leaders.