Looking Back... Looking Forward - The Synergy of Worship
At the Leadership Summit (Willow Creek) that I attended in the fall of 2015, one of the speakers encouraged us to find a way to become “new” to our work again: to remember again the energy and learning that is done when you begin a new job. Well, this is precisely what is happening as I began this new job as Worship Director at Mountainview in January, 2021: despite all of my experience, I felt like a rookie again! This is a new context, there’s new repertoire, new structures, new programs, new people (and a pandemic!). I am having to re-think how and why I do things the way I do, to figure out (seemingly for the first time) what I’m good at, and what is more difficult. It’s been a good challenge. And all of you have helped to make my transition run more smoothly than not.
By the Numbers, here’s what I’ve done so far:
· Almost 23 weeks
· 5 months
· Approximately 460 hours
· 20 staff meetings (18 by Zoom; 2 in-person)
· 7 mid-week worship times on FaceBook Live
· One evaluation meeting with supervisor
· 23 services planned and executed
· 16 weeknight rehearsals with worship team
· 7 early morning Sunday rehearsals
· 7 worship blogs
· Several one-on-one rehearsals with vocalists/soloists
· Dozens of emails with Christine, collecting family/kid data
· Tons of photos, art-work, and “heart-song” emails from the congregation
· 1000’s of questions, emails, texts, and calls to the ever-patient, all-knowing ministry director, Alice J
(And, of course, COVID-19 restrictions mean that I haven’t had more practices with the full worship team, or group-planning sessions, or been able to start any new groups. Hopefully that will happen in the fall)
Do all of these numbers matter? Yes and No.
“Yes” because you will want to know that I’m putting in my time, doing my work, “earning my keep” so to speak.
And “no” because worship cannot be the job of one person. Worship is the complex synergy of many things. I believe rich, transformative worship requires three parties doing their parts, being a part of the worship conversation: God, the congregation, and those of us who lead and plan.
Firstly, God of course is always faithful, He is always there, He is waiting, He is listening, we can count on Him being present. God will do His part, always!
Secondly, worship leaders, planners, preachers, musicians need to do their part by doing the work of preparation, planning, practicing, praying and listening for God’s direction for a particular service. As a planner and leader my job is to point the congregation towards God. So the question is never “How did Ruth Ann do?” or “How did the team do” but “Is what was planned and led been helpful for most to engage in deep meaningful worship?”
**And let me just say here that the worship leaders and musicians I have had the joy to work with here at Mountainview do their part in preparation and take seriously their roles as leaders of worship. I have been so impressed with the musical gifts in this community, and I have been so graciously welcomed by the team. Thank you so much!**
My role as a worship planner and leader is to plan worship that hopefully will grow your faith, connect you to God, point you towards God in a new and fresh way. Every song, every prayer, every scripture, every idea that I plan and lead is chosen so that all of you can meet God in the context of the scripture theme of the day and of the season, and can engage with God online and in-person: pray, praise, confess listen, ponder, kneel, sing.
Worship is not what I do for you then, it’s what you do for God.
This is the heart of the matter: the third “party” in the worship dynamic is you, the congregation. Worship cannot be joyful if the people aren’t joyful. Worship cannot be real and authentic if the congregation is not.
Worship is what you bring of your hearts, souls, and minds to the corporate gathering because you have loved God all week, you have seen and experienced him and you want to gather to give God thanks for that, to celebrate His faithfulness, and to be challenged to continue your faithful walk as a Christ-follower and what that means for us today in our missional context.
My hope and prayer is that what I do and how I work among you, will help to shape transformative worship here: worship that makes a difference in your lives.
And, even though it’s not about me, I do want to thank you so much for the many encouraging words for my work at Mountainview, and for your eager participation, and for your welcoming (albeit virtual) embrace. I’m grateful for these 5 months of “transition” and I hope and pray that we continue to learn and grow together as we worship.
RAS