Month: February 2017
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Worship Old and New
Don: The road from Egypt to Canaan—the road from bondage to the Promised Land—is a metaphor for the road back to God. In the Garden of Eden, humankind fell into slavery to evil. The reconciliation with God began in the Garden of Gethsemane. The story of the exodus from Egypt is rich in worship symbols…
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Worship Alone or In Company?
Don: In the Garden of Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives, we saw the humanity of Jesus as he faced the most difficult, immediate, intimate, and personal crisis of his entire life. He wanted his closest disciples to watch for him as he prayed there, but they failed him. Who had anything to gain by…
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Corporate vs. Personal Prayer
Don: Ritual worship is more about belonging than believing. It defines us, constrains us, informs and educates us, and above all it binds us to our faith community. Prayer is part of worship, and comes in many forms. The disciples asked Jesus how to pray: It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain…
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Ritual Prayer
Don: Prayer is one of the most obvious forms of ritual in any faith community. We are flush with ritual prayer: Individual and group prayer, intercessory prayer, fasting in prayer, opening and closing prayer, and children’s prayer; prayer for the offering, for a baptism, for a baby dedication, for an ordination service, and so on….