Well, how chagrined do you think I am, that I cannot figure out how to add to our own blog. O well. I just had a lesson, so I'll add to the Blog what I could only add as "Comments" until I had this lesson.
People often ask us what we're about, thinking that we're particularly about children. That's not strictly true. We're about the building of community that INCLUDES children, in ways that work.
So, some thoughts.
Those of us at www.childrenatworship.org love love love being a part of this timely conversation around liturgical renewal. Our particular focus is the cross-generational opportunities, but we are committed to the conversation which crosses all the lines that divide us, not just the generational ones.
We say to people, "whether or not you are aware that you are in the middle of a time of liturgical renewal and transition, you are. You may not like it, you may not agree to it, you may not know it, but it doesn't change the reality. You are. We are.
Think about this. Every sunday that you don't change a thing, you are making decisions. It may be the default position, but none the less, you are making a decision.
Second thing is, we do claim some experience in the area of multi-generational worship. We don't claim to know what you should be doing in your congregations, but we have some experience.
I often hear, from clergy, "our job is to uphold the tradition". I am not sure I agree with that. I think we are called to stand in the gap between what once was, and what is to come. I think we are to hold our tradition even as we point to our future. I think I would like to hold all of us responsible and accountable to move in the direction that crosses the lines of all the barriers we can inculturated.
I have more to write, but I sense your eyes beginning to cross, so I will end with a question to curious vic, what are you doing up at 1:13 in the morning???
On a different topic, from within my own Episcopal tradition.
I was given a great gift the other day, at a weekend workshop in Concord New Hampshire. One of the people attending put into words what I have struggled for a long time to articulate.
His comments add to the theology of the conversation, and now I am paraphrasing, but soon I will quote him.
He recognized and honored the theology of worship and at the same time suggested that the anthropology of worship has lagged far behind.
I am grateful for this language of anthropology. I have been looking for it for a long time. Because intuition tells me it's exactly right, it's the anthropology that lags.
So, here's what I promise. More on the anthropology question. More on all kinds of things, now that I know how to do it.
For those who don't know, we moved to New Hampshire in November, and are buried in the snow. We are doing quite a bit of work in the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, and happy to be doing it.
Our March Newsletter contains more of our NH news.
Well, how chagrined do you think I am, that I cannot figure out how to add to our own blog. O well. I just had a lesson, so I'll add to the Blog what I could only add as "Comments" until I had this lesson.
People often ask us what we're about, thinking that we're particularly about children. That's not strictly true. We're about the building of community that INCLUDES children, in ways that work.
So, some thoughts.
Those of us at www.childrenatworship.org love love love being a part of this timely conversation around liturgical renewal. Our particular focus is the cross-generational opportunities, but we are committed to the conversation which crosses all the lines that divide us, not just the generational ones.
We say to people, "whether or not you are aware that you are in the middle of a time of liturgical renewal and transition, you are. You may not like it, you may not agree to it, you may not know it, but it doesn't change the reality. You are. We are.
Think about this. Every sunday that you don't change a thing, you are making decisions. It may be the default position, but none the less, you are making a decision.
Second thing is, we do claim some experience in the area of multi-generational worship. We don't claim to know what you should be doing in your congregations, but we have some experience.
I often hear, from clergy, "our job is to uphold the tradition". I am not sure I agree with that. I think we are called to stand in the gap between what once was, and what is to come. I think we are to hold our tradition even as we point to our future. I think I would like to hold all of us responsible and accountable to move in the direction that crosses the lines of all the barriers we can inculturated.
I have more to write, but I sense your eyes beginning to cross, so I will end with a question to curious vic, what are you doing up at 1:13 in the morning???
On a different topic, from within my own Episcopal tradition.
I was given a great gift the other day, at a weekend workshop in Concord New Hampshire. One of the people attending put into words what I have struggled for a long time to articulate.
His comments add to the theology of the conversation, and now I am paraphrasing, but soon I will quote him.
He recognized and honored the theology of worship and at the same time suggested that the anthropology of worship has lagged far behind.
I am grateful for this language of anthropology. I have been looking for it for a long time. Because intuition tells me it's exactly right, it's the anthropology that lags.
So, here's what I promise. More on the anthropology question. More on all kinds of things, now that I know how to do it.
For those who don't know, we moved to New Hampshire in November, and are buried in the snow. We are doing quite a bit of work in the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, and happy to be doing it.
Our March Newsletter contains more of our NH news.