Diversity in Worship

There was a time when I frowned on any prayers or readings that were not offered spontaneous, but that was before I came to terms with how monotonous and routine worship had become.  One thing any pew sitter notes in a hurry about their preacher is the way the Pastoral Prayer quickly becomes predictable.  Predictable means people quit listening.  Maybe even God does.  Over the years I have watched some churches using the very same order of worship for months and years.  Need the word predictable be mentioned again?

 

What I finally discovered mainly through a young associate and a neighboring Episcopal priest who became a good friend was that some diversity in the rituals of worship kept people's attention.  Keeping people's attention means they stay involved.  It means they are participants in worship and not spectators or even worse, one of those who has gone to sleep.  Eutychus has enough kin folk in church without us joining them. 

 

What I have come to understand through use of a wider range of liturgical materials is that the first person who gets more involved and excited in the worship experience is the preacher, or the worship leader.  And if that one person has such a spirit in worship, it is likely to be contagious.  Others might catch it as well.  One thing is certain.  If the preacher has no excitement about what is happening, no one else can be expected to raise an eyebrow or a hand.  Diversity in worship adds, it is never a take away.