Advent 3

 


For Advent 3 I attended a Presbyterian church downtown - the usual bus adventures and arrival a few minutes late, but I was not the last one arriving. The environment was welcoming, with beautiful music emerging from the balcony. While the church building is quite formal, and the order of service very full, the feeling of worship was quite gentle and inclusive.

This congregation is drawing from "sanctified art" for liturgy and Advent preparation. Sanctified Art is a learning and worship resource used by a variety of denominations.  I had already noticed the ministers' use of inclusive language (or perhaps had not reacted to any exclusive language...) so when the minister mentioned Sanctified Art in the sermon, it made sense to me. There was a lively puppet-enriched time for children, a good Advent sermon about consciously choosing the good in a time of fear and instability, lots of lay involvement, and outreach work ongoing.  All signs of a healthy congregation that I would return to again.

Both the Presbyterian and United Churches arose out of the "reformed" tradition. One of the characteristics we share is worship focussed on "The Word." Perhaps that is why inclusive and affirming language is so important to me. I am not content week after week to repeat ancient creeds that contradict the progress that has been made within the Christian tradition. I will not sit in a pew week after week to hear people called Men and God called He.  I listen carefully to how a preacher speaks about people, creation, and the holy. Sometimes a word I am not expecting will send me off with either good or bad reactions. I have also noticed it is also hard for "reformed" congregations to worship bilingually - because they want to understand everything that is being said, and if they don't understand the other language it is dismaying. 

Throughout these explorations, I have realized how important hearing the ancient words of scripture is to me, even though they come from thousands of years before my so-called progressive theology. I often quote Marcus Borg to people, saying that I don't take the Bible literally, but I do take it seriously. For me, connecting with God's work throughout the ages brings meaning and depth to my own spirituality. 

And connecting to other communities of faith has also deepened my spiritual quest.  

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