Engagement

Today, we celebrated worship by having lessons and carols (Advent, mostly, but with a few Christmas carols mixed in). Over the past three years, we've developed six different music ensembles (adult/youth choir; adult/youth handbells; children's chimes; children's choir; praise band; and our newest - brass quartet). It's a lot of ministry opportunities for a small church. Some don't participate; others participate in only one; some participate in many.

When worship was over, someone came up to me and told me how great worship was, and shared awe at how many people participated. That's not a surprise to me, but it certainly can be. Worship is a verb. It's something we do - with hearts and hands and voices. We cannot sit back and observe worship happening. We do not worship unless we are engaged. This morning, well over 2/3 of the congregation participating in LEADING worship by singing, playing, reading Scripture, lighting candles, greeting, or ushering. Worship means something to us when we participate; that's why we don't simply "attend" worship - we "participate" in worship. We get out of any worship experience what we bring to it.

During this season of Advent, as we continue to wait and watch, when we gather for worship, we gather to prepare our hearts; to open them. Maybe we need to have that Advent experience each Sunday - to open ourselves up to encounter God in worship, to engage with the Almighty, to offer our best to Jehovah. We must engage ourselves and be fully present to the Christ who was born, lived among us, died, and rose again.