Right now, our church is doing a sermon series about creation and is also experimenting with allowing congregation members the opportunity to create during the sermon. Children are painting murals. Adults are playing with pipecleaners and making pizzas. We’re even encouraged to blog during worship (which is what I’m doing right now on my Eee PC).
Bruce started off his sermon talking about how he finally realized he needed a day of rest, and he went to a cafe and read a book. That was his way to relax and reconnect with God. Now, he’s soliciting responses from the congregation about how they feel renewed (some people go out into nature, some throw barbecues).
What I like about this line of inquiry and this whole experiment is a recognition that people have different ways to create, to connect with God, to be fed, to feel renewed. A lot of times, you go to church or to a church retreat, and you’re asked to perform a particular ritual that is intended to be the most appropriate thing for you to do in your spiritual life at the moment, but everybody is required to do it. How could we possibly all be at the same spiritual place and have the exact same activity to be appropriate for our spiritual needs?
For example, I’ve had services where someone will ask you to write down three ways you want to improve your relationship with Christ and commit to doing those three things this week. That may work for a lot of people, but that sort of thing doesn’t work for me. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to connect with God or be a good Christian. I just do things my own way, and I think it’s important for people to recognize that the old saying of “To each her own” (or, as some of you may have heard it, “To each his own”) has merit, particularly on spiritual journeys. Blogging during the sermon… interesting. Still not sure if it’s for me, but it was certainly worth exploring!
Renewal….I like to spend a hour a day at http://www.shirleycason.com.
After 26 years as a computer programmer I became a nurse, working hospice. The most enlightening thing I could have done.
I think renewal depends upon your age, and how you see your own mortality.