Thanks to Liam Byrnes in Scotland for this solid quote on Lent from Maggi Dawn:
“It’s a common misconception that Lent is about self-improvement. Somehow a half-remembered custom of giving things up has been mixed in with our society’s obsession with self-help and self-improvement, so that we’ve blurred the true meaning of the fast into a rather individualistic concept, more like a New Year Resolution to detox or de-clutter.
Lent is not about giving up luxuries, not about losing weight or gaining other benefits, not about food per se, not about de-cluttering or Feng Shui or about ay other kind of feel-good, de-toxifying exercise. In the end, it’s about denying yourself some of the essentials of everday life in order to focus on the reality that we depend upon God for life itself; about re-aligning ourselves with God and his purposes in our world; about reminding ourselves that all we have is a gift from God in any case.
And neither is Lent about achievement. We cannot earn God’s love, nor save ourselves. If our Lenten Fast is understood well, it will relieve us of the need to try harder, achieve more, feel worthy. It will ground us in the firm and unshakeable knowledge that we are human - we are but dust, and to dust we shall return - but that to be human is enough, under the loving gaze of God.”
Great friend and worship leader Nathan Rousu and his community (Harvest Vineyard) in Alberta are very intentionally walking through the Lent season together.
With his permission, I’m posting their approach as a tool for your use. They are a contemporary Church, seeking to recover more timeless yearly patterns in engaging their community in the fullness of the Human Story.
February 6 – Ash Wednesday
Send out communication reminding everyone of the start of Lent.
February 10
The Temptation of Jesus
Texts: Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Hebrews 4:14ff
February 17
Jesus declaration in the Temple and the subsequent rejection
Text: Luke 4:16-30
February 24
By whose power? - The Beelzebub accusation
Text: Matt 12:22-32
March 2
The feeding of the 5000, the bread of life, and subsequent rejection
Text: John 6
March 9
Gethsemane – Stay awake!
Text: Matthew 26:36ff
March 16
Palm Sunday – Be prepared (with oil), for you don’t know when the Son will appear
Text: Matthew 25:1-13
First Sunday in Lent–> This Or this Or this
Psalm lesson: Psalm 130 Psalm 6 Psalm 91
OT lesson: Genesis 2:7-9, 15-17, 3:1-7 Genesis 22:1-18 Deut 26:5-10
Epistle lesson: Romans 5:12, (13-16) 17-19 Romans 8:31-39 Romans 10:8b-13
Gospel lesson: Matthew 4:1-11 Mark 1:12-15 Luke 4:1-13
Second Sunday in Lent
Psalm lesson: Psalm 105:4-11 Psalm 115:1, 9-18 Psalm 42:1-7, 11-15
OT lesson: Genesis 12:1-8 Gen 28:10-17 (18-22) Jeremiah 26:8-15
Epistle lesson: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 Romans 5:1-11 Philippians 3:17-4:1
Gospel lesson: John 4:5-26 (27-30, 39-42) Mark 8:31-38 Luke 13:31-35
Third Sunday in Lent
Psalm lesson: Psalm 142 Psalm 19:7-14 Psalm 126
OT lesson: Isaiah 42:14-21 Exodus 20:1-17 Exodus 3:1-8b, 10-15
Epistle lesson: Ephesians 5:8-14 I Corinthians 1:22-25 I Corinthians 10:1-13
Gospel lesson: John 9:1-41 John 2:13-22 Luke 13:1-9
OR John 9:13-17, 34-39
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Psalm lesson: Psalm 43 Psalm 27:1-9 (10-18) Psalm 32
OT lesson: Hosea 5:15-6:2 Numbers 21:4-9 Isaiah 12:1-6
Epistle lesson: Romans 8:1-10 Ephesians 2:4-10 1 Cor 1:18-31 OR 1:18, 22-25
Gospel lesson: Matthew 20:17-28 John 3:14-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Psalm lesson: Psalm 116:1-8 Psalm 51:11-16 Psalm 28:1-3, 7-11
OT lesson: Ezekiel 37:1-3 (4-10) 11-14 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Isaiah 43:16-21
Epistle lesson: Romans 8:11-19 Hebrews 5:7-9 Philippians 3:8-14
Gospel lesson: John 11:1-53 John 12:20-33 Luke 20:9-19
OR John 11:47-53
Palm Sunday
Psalm lesson: Psalm 31:1-5, 9-16 Psalm 31:1-5, 9-16 Psalm 31:1-5, 9-16
OT lesson: Isaiah 50:4-9a Zechariah 9:9-10 Deut 32:36-39
Epistle lesson: Philippians 2:5-11 Philippians 2:5-11 Philippians 2:5-11
Gospel lesson: Matthew 26:1-27:66 Mark 14:1-15:47 Luke 22:1-23:56
OR Matthew 27:11-54 OR Mark 15:1-39 OR Luke 23:1-49
The following prayer from the Orthodox tradition is one I’ve used for a number of years. It breathes life into me, and into many contemporary worship settings. I’m looking at putting it to music soon, but many friends are asking for it after a recent gathering in Denver. Here it is, with the book reference.
The prayer can be read by a celebrant, all together, in “repeat after me” form, or responsively (one line read by the leader/celebrant, the next by the community, etc.)
INVOCATION PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT
From the book by Bishop Kallistos Ware, The Orthodox Way (New York: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1979).
Excerpts from An Invocation To The Holy Spirit by St. Symeon.
Come, true light.
Come, life eternal.
Come, hidden mystery.
Come, treasure without name.
Come, reality beyond all words.
Come, person beyond all understanding.
Come, rejoicing without end.
Come, light that knows no evening.
Come, unfailing expectation of the saved.
Come, raising of the fallen.
Come, resurrection of the dead.
Come, all-powerful, for unceasingly you create, refashion and change all things by your will alone.
Come, for your name fills our hearts with longing, and is ever on our lips.
Come, for you are yourself the desire that is within me.
Come, my breath and my life.
Come, the consolation of my humble soul.
Celebrant: The fire of heaven has taken on flesh. Community:Living God, You are the Wonderful Counselor.
Celebrant: The voice of stars and suns is now audible to our ears. Community:Living God, You are the Mighty God.
Celebrant: The love that binds all the cosmos has revealed Himself. Community:Living God, You are the Everlasting Father.
Celebrant: The Son of God has walked the sojourn of earth. Community: Living God, You are the Prince of Peace.
Celebrant: Now we live, to share Your flame of hope. Community:Living God, let the flame of transforming hope light our days.
Celebrant:Now we live to hear Your voice. Community:Living God, let the voice of enduring truth guide our lives.
Celebrant: Now we live, to give Your love. Community:Living God, let the love that heals the world move our hands.
Celebrant: Now we worship You, Jesus, Son of God. Community:Living God, let our worship rise from lives surrendered to Your will.
ALL:Emmanuel, God with us, today you reign supreme over all things. All things began in You, and all things find their completion in You. The dawn of Your new creation has come, the days of Your redemption are upon us, and the hope of life forever calls us forward. With you, by Your Spirit, we will live the life of love.
We celebrate that for all time to come, for all generations and in all places in this universe, You are the resurrection. You are the life. All who believe in You, will never die. Amen.
(Scriptures referenced: Isaiah 9:6, Colossians 1:15-20, John 11:25)
It’s a new year, according to the Church calendar. For those who are interested, the Lectionary (in this case, the Revised Common Lectionary) takes us through the whole of the scriptures over a 3 year period with the rest of the Church.
Advent is the beginning of the Church calendar year, and now would be a good time to connect with the readings if you or your community would like to engage with the wider streams connected with the historic Christian year.
The 3 years are noted as:
Year A (beginning 2007)
Year B (beginning 2008)
Year C (beginning 2009)
and you would traverse the whole of the scriptures if you read these daily.
SimpleCarols is a set of simple chord charts to 10 beloved Christmas carols, to add depth to the celebration of Advent and Christmas.
Here are some YouTube clips for some of the songs. The volume is a bit low, and I did the same progressions in lower keys, but the chords are the same:
All the words/verses to each carol are included, and the chord charts are in accessible keys that actually work – for small groups and band settings.
Most guitar players and bands bumble through Christmas hymns because they try to play them too fast – and they sound frantic in their chord changes and melodies. Take your time with the carols, and make the pacing work sweetly with the chords.
Hope these charts prove helpful to you. They’re a gift to you from the Institute.
Now here is my “resourcer’s dream” site for creating ongoing, accessible and usable versions of hymns for contemporary usage. We’re building a catalogue ourselves as well; I’m pleased that these guys have done such a good job.
Hope this serves the ancient-reclaiming vision of worship the Church in your community.
Here’s a little piece from Paul McCartney that illustrates the breakdown of band arranging. He puts a track together in front of an audience; a helpful arranging illustration.
Sent in by good friend from Scotland and guitarist Graeme Campbell.
Monday September 10th 2007, 3:50 pm
Filed under: WorshipHelp
For my guitar playing friends…
I usually don’t care about these tools, but on occasion I need to know a chord shape quickly, and this little free, online tool can help you grab a chord - or mess with new voicings.
which has the notes and the Q & A at the end. I think this is a book I’m working on, and will have the article version out in a day or two. It feels important, on many levels.
For anyone who listens to the teleseminar and goes to our new site at www.theworshipartisan.combefore next Wednesday, filling in your email in the Institute Monthly Resource letter box, we’ll email you:
1. a full-color PDF of The Elemental Leader article,
2. and a whack of other media resources to help your worship community in their spiritual formation.
This Thursday, August 23, I’m going to be doing a one-hour teaching over the phone with www.WorshipTeleSeminar.com.
GreatHeart Kenneth Voritskul created this free, via phone or web worship seminar, to serve churches by making “inaccessible” wisdom accessible to any worship leader, musician or interested party who would like to engage. All phones are muted, and questions can be sent in via chat on the site.
Over 3000 folks are now on every call from all over the globe, either via phone or web, and I’ll be talking on the subject of The Elemental Leader: Spiritual Formation For Creative Leaders.
Based around a passage in Corinthians, and ordered by the creational themes of earth (being grounded), wind (being inspired), fire (being empowered) and water (being communal), I’ll be drawing some on Ignatian ideas, as well as drawing in Bernard of Clairvaux, G.K. Chesterton, Annie Dillard, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and others - all toward helping worship leaders/creative leaders keep their hearts joyful over the long haul.
There will be a downloadable PDF on the site on which to take notes, and we’ll also let folks know about the Institute and its mission to engage contemporary worship artisans with the riches of the ancient past, toward our emerging future.
Great friend, designer, photographer and partnering musician Matt Frise wrote this article, and guest blog. It’s an excellent philosophical resource for creative worship environments. Pass this around to your worship leaders, pastors and space “creators” in your community.
How To: Humanize A Worship Space By Matt Frise Multi-Instrumentalist And Temporary Worship Space Architect St. Stephen’s University, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
Have you ever intentionally transformed a physical space for worship? Evidenced in the building of Europe’s great cathedrals, each taking a community several generations to build, the Church has historically placed a high value on creating sacred spaces for worship. This desire for sacred space in which to meet with God transcends every historic period and culture, and many beautiful examples of architecture exist worldwide as a result of this deep, human drive. In the modern Western context, many of us have turned away from building the community cathedrals of old, and have turned inward toward ourselves and our own families, sacrificing costly amounts of time, resources, and care to create places of sanctuary within our own homes and offices.
Whether by choice or by necessity, for reasons practical (maximizing the use of a costly space) or ideological (choosing to invest in people over a building), many church communities now meet in spaces that are transitional, temporary, and multi-purpose. The challenge is to create worship spaces that humanize; that reinforce the worship team’s declarations of God’s faithfulness, His permanence, and His steadfast love in the face of worship environments that are often industrial, alienating, impersonal, and impermanent. Some of the following ideas and suggestions may help your worship community in addressing environmental obstacles to worship, making it easier for many to encounter God in your community’s worship space.
1. Reminders Of Earth.
Interestingly, it seems that many experience a profound awareness of heaven in a place or a moment where they connect with the wonder and beauty of earth. Often our places of worship are a far cry from any sort of natural environment, and some can be very industrial and alienating. Having tangible, even living, authentic reminders of God’s creation incorporated into a worship environment can ground individuals in the awareness that creation and everything in it is made and owned by God. The tendency is to put such things “up at the front” wherever your “front” happens to be. If our desire is to draw a community into a worship space, rather than to draw more attention to the front, perhaps we should consider extending these elements out into their midst as well.
2. Drawn To Light.
I read in a national newspaper recently that humans are physically drawn to light as an ingrained biological response. People are sensitive to light, as I imagine that anyone who has participated in a time of worship under the flickering, sodium glare of gymnasium lights can identify. Sunlight is always welcome (at least to those of us who spend almost half the year immersed in the darkness of winter), but not always predictable or convenient. Candles are also friendly on the human eye, are easily incorporated into an environment, and seem to encourage hope as their physical presence is steadily converted into light. Personally, barring fire codes, I have never heard anyone criticize a space for having too many candles. Try experimenting with different types of eye-friendly light as a tool to focus worshipers’ attention on key elements in your worship space.
3. Tactile Textiles.
I work in a building where the main room and central staircase are coated, floor to ceiling, in plush, red, velvety, fuzzy wallpaper. No one can tell me that the thick band of missing fuzz where years of hands have run while passing up the staircase is just a coincidence. Environments with surfaces that are hard, cold or that have many sharp edges trigger physically defensive responses from tactile people – and impact their worship experience. Textiles on walls, floors and seating that seem inviting to touch encourage a sense of comfort and vulnerability among the same lot.
4. Power In A Face.
Few images have the power to capture our attention and humanize a space as images of the human face. Portraits of the beautiful and the broken, in all shapes and sizes and colors, engage us and remind us of a humanity in God’s Kingdom that is so much more broad and diverse than ourselves – we are all His image bearers. Consider incorporating the faces of image bearers in places where less personal landscapes and images are usually applied, such as overhead projection, handouts, and wall art.
5. Power In A Space.
According to Oberlin College’s Environmental Studies Chair William Orr (Summer 2006 edition of Geez magazine), William Churchill observed in 1943 that “we shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us.” This does not only apply to exteriors, but also to interiors and concepts as simple as arrangements of seating and human traffic. In the same magazine article, Frank Lloyd Wright also speaks to this, claiming “…that he could design a house that would cause a newly married couple, madly in love, to divorce in a matter of months.” All of this is to say that how people enter into a worship space (how the seats are arranged, whether in rows, in a circle, or otherwise; whether close together, far apart, or in clusters) and how people are directed to move through the space by the placement of objects, can have significant impact on the experience.
6. Embrace Intelligent Asymmetry.
Ever visited a relative whose home was immaculate, every item perfectly positioned, straightened and symmetrical? Did you feel comfortable, relaxed and put your feet up, or did you sit up straight and try not to break anything? Careful symmetry is an ingrained tendency for those of us with Western heritage, and creates a space where the more formal versions of ourselves are encouraged to shine. If, however, the goal is to create a more relaxed space where people are inclined to be vulnerable, the formality of, say, the Parthenon, may be contradictory.
Conversely, have you ever been in a space where there was so much clutter and visual chaos that you found it hard to think? (If not, I could show you pictures of my apartment). Spaces that are visually chaotic reflect our own inner turmoil back on us, and discourage a sense of peace. I will even confess to once spending an entire sermon trying not to notice a very crooked object hung on the wall behind the speaker. Consider arranging chairs, objects, and people in ways that are neither rigidly symmetrical nor chaotic, but that, like nature, flow as asymmetrical patterns. Consult with someone who you believe may have an “eye” for this concept if you find it difficult to implement.
7. Laterally Rethink The Worship Experience.
“If my worship set was a tree….” Similar to the musicians on your worship team, all environmental elements are not there to distract worshipers, but to serve by drawing worshipers in further, each element in its own way affirming the message being communicated about who God is. This humble resonance of agreements can be very powerful, especially for those who have difficulty encountering God through shared musical experiences alone.
Perhaps you can start by asking yourself some wacky “lateral thought” questions like, “What would the essence of this worship set communicate if it were a smell? As a physical arrangement of people? Is there an object or image that is closely connected with this idea for me or for my community?” And so on.
Another way of asking these questions is this: “What part of God’s Story is it that we are telling here, and what is the ideal setting or backdrop for telling that part of the story – and for helping it to come alive here in our community?” If you can’t answer any of these questions, ask a “lateral thinker’” you trust.
8. Delegate The Space Crafting.
The worship leaders that I am familiar with are generally under a fairly hefty load of responsibilities and demands. Seek out the “artsy-touchy-feely” people in your community who are gifted in these areas of sensitivity, who are good at organizing and creating human-friendly spaces, and who have the humility and character to serve. Tell them what you are trying to communicate through the worship set, share any vision you have for the space with them, and then wind them up and watch them go!
Bio:Matt Frise is a freelance photographer, graphic designer (www.mattfrise.com) and musician based out of St. Stephen’s University in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. He is a violinist and whistle player with the St. Croix Vineyard worship community, as well as a collector of percussion instruments from around the world. With an eye to create spaces for true worship to flourish within, he seeks to live and create in a way that brings attention to the beauty of God in the world.
