Part two of today’s post is my usual reflection on Sunday morning’s worship service. I started the day in one of the church gardens (so go back and enjoy these photographs if you missed them Monday morning). Such reflection and meditation always prepares my heart for worship.
Rebekah offered the fourth message in her series focusing on the systemic culture of inequality and exclusion that we are trying to face up to as a nation.
Interestingly, even as we are equipping ourselves with better technology, hiring expert staff to work with AV, and developing creative ideas for better communication, we have continued to run into glitches that sabotage the online experience for the hundreds of people who really, really want to worship with their WFPC family.
This week the last few minutes of Rebekah’s sermon – just as she honed in on the important “take-away” element of the message – were essentially unintelligible. Likewise the closing hymn, “We are one in the Spirit we are one in the Lord…”, (Even though pastor John had made an epic “save” by sprinting to his office for his guitar and leading “on the fly” when the pre-recorded feed from the choir failed.)
But, and this is a huge point, every week we offer worship, gathering together as a faith community, and no matter how challenging the scenarios and how frustrating the failures of technology, this church continues – and will continue – to stand as a beacon of light and promise in a world that knows too much of disappointment and defeat.
My word to everyone who is tempted to set it all aside until “this thing is over” is this: “Don’t do it!” We need the sustaining power of the Spirit of praise and we need to be connected in any way possible with one another.
In love, and because of love – DEREK
Derek Maul: Words and Photographs for the Journey 