Sunday

On Sunday we had  a good group again...all regulars.  Always good to see them all out.  This week our DVD was called "Sunday."  Rob Bell said about church, "Is this really what God had in mind?"

When you think about church on Sunday, first of all, do you think about how the service is organized?  Why do we do the things we do?  Why do we do it the same every week?  Mostly we keep it the same because change makes people uncomfortable.  And we ALL like to be comfortable.  But we are all unique, and different things are meaningful to us.  In the book Sacred Pathways, Gary Thomas identifies nine ways people draw near to God.  Naturalists are most inspired to love God out-of-doors, in natural settings.  Sensates love God with their senses and appreciate beautiful worship services that involve their sight, taste, smell, and touch, not just their ears.  Traditionalists draw closer to God through rituals, liturgies, symbols, and unchanging structures.  Ascetics prefer to love God in solitude and simplicity.  Activists love God through confronting evil, battling injustice, and working to make the world a better place.  Caregivers love God by loving others and meeting their needs.  Enthusiasts love God through celebration.  Contemplatives love God through adoration.  Intellectuals love God by studying with their minds. (Taken from Purpose Driven Life)

I see myself strongly in some of these descriptions and much less in others.  I'm sure that's true for everyone.  But I think we really need to make a greater effort to incorporate each of these into our services from time to time.  I know it will make the worship more meaningful and give us a variety that will speak to us in different ways.  And we need to get more comfortable with changes so that we can give others what they need.