Minister’s Musings

Minister’s Musings by Rev. Julie Lombard

I’ve been looking to history lately to find pride in our shared American values. It’s taken me on a tour of speeches by David McCullough found in the book The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For and beyond. It turns out that our American history is full of tales of goodwill and people of courage. It is reassuring in the darkest days of year to know that our unity is ever steadfast. Couldn’t we all use an extra dose of feeling of approval and support to get us through the ups and down that the holidays gift us?

In December, our worship theme is peace. Calvin Coolidge said, “Christmas is not a time nor season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.”

This community has just celebrated many achievements in the last year: installing a new Minister and a new Deacon, welcoming many new members and friends, and hired a familiar face as our new Music Director. We have come so far with our restoration projects around the church, too. We have a new ceiling and floor in Howe’s Hall, insulations throughout the church, and a new coat of paint on the outside. These kinds of celebrations remind us that that we live in an ongoing paradox, as things seem to stay the same, they also change over time.

The Church changed the way they did business in 1517 in Europe and here in 2022 in Northfield. The reformation made possible the fertile ground in which our faith, full of freedom, grew and continues to grow.

Each year, as the air turns crisp, snow flies, and the days grow shorter, we pause for a short while and take stock of all that is our lives. We depart the season of forgiveness that November offered and enter into a season of peace where we strive to cherish whatever peace we can sustain in the midst of a frantic world. Our future cannot bend towards justice if we cannot find ways to unite in peaceful spirit. The holidays give us a good reason to spread peace. Our world needs more stillness and tranquility. The lost souls need us to spread peace far and wide until all have tasted what it has to share. 

Digital Worship is not Going Away by Rob O’Lynn

Prior to 2020, I had not considered digital worship as a viable alternative to gathering in person. This is somewhat surprising, given that I consider myself an early adopter. It may seem strange, that prior to the pandemic I didn’t consider digital worship as a legitimate option. I had no problem recording the sermon and posting it to the congregation’s website. When I came to my current congregation in 2014, one homebound widow called me in tears of joy that she could now see the sermon and feel somewhat connected to her congregation, again. However, the thought of someone sitting at home and watching the service digitally—in real time—was just not a possibility that I was willing to consider.

Then March 2020 happened. I set up a tripod in front of our Communion table with a music stand serving as a makeshift pulpit between them and pushed the launch button on my Facebook Live app. I led the entire service—providing the welcome, preaching the sermon and sharing a Communion meditation. To be honest, as I looked at myself on the screen that first Sunday, I was just glad that my shirt was buttoned. We have continued to stream our morning worship services.

However, some are calling congregations to drop the digital service because it “diminishes worship and us as people.”1 The argument is that worship cannot be experienced fully in a bodily manner from the living room couch. I deeply miss seeing on Sunday those who have yet to return to in-person worship. Their space in the pew remains empty, vacant.

And, yet, some of these beautiful souls still attend every worship service and every Bible study (perhaps even attending more regularly than those who are attending in-person). They regularly thank me for providing this option for them. They regularly ask for prayer and occasionally leave comments about something they found interesting. Some are watching digitally because they are legitimately homebound, some are watching online because they have chosen not to return. In either case, my congregation has a core of faithful attendees who connect digitally—and my congregation is committed to not abandon them.

The question being asked by our sociological situation should not be “Is it time to drop digital worship services?” but “How are we going to use the tool of technology as we move forward with God’s mission for our congregation?” Perhaps Paul the Apostle asks the question better: “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news’” (Romans 10:14-15).

Technology, specifically what is being used for producing and broadcasting digital worship, is simply a tool that can be used to proclaim the gospel, much like the Roman roadways facilitated early mission work and the printing press put scripture into the hands of those in the pew.

So, what are some tangible ways to better integrate the in-person gathering with those who join digitally? Possible areas of collaboration include making it possible for digital participants to: lead a prayer, read scripture, offer the Communion meditation, provide announcements, and participate in the musical liturgy. These are a few of the ways that we can allow the word as many opportunities to work as possible.2

Carey Nieuwhof challenges us to consider that “if the size of your vision shrinks to the size of a room you can fill, you’ve missed the church’s mission.”3 Digital worship provides so much opportunity to expand our ability to invites others into worship.

Notes

1.      Tish Harrison Warren, “Why Churches Should Drop Their Online Services,” New York Times, 30 January 2022; https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/30/opinion/church-online-services-covid.html.

2.      Ryan Panzer’s Grace and Gigabytes: Being Church in a Tech-Shaped Culture (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2020) is an excellent resource to begin this conversation.

3.      Carey Nieuwhof, “The False Debate Between Online and In-Person Church (How to Plan for an Uncertain Future), 7 March 2021; https://careynieuwhof.com/the-false-debate-between-online-and-in-person-church-how-to-plan-for-an-uncertain-future/.

4.      https://www.workingpreacher.org/authors/rob-olynn

Biography

Rob O’Lynn is Associate Professor of Preaching and Ministry, Director of Graduate Bible Programs and Dean of the School of Distance and General Education at Kentucky Christian University. He has served congregations in Arkansas, Texas and West Virginia, and is currently the Senior Minister for the Beech Street Christian Church in Ashland, Kentucky. His publications have appeared in Christianity Today, Homiletic, International Journal of Homiletics, Lexham Bible Dictionary, Preaching, Restoration Quarterly, Standard Lesson Commentary, Stone-Campbell Journal and the Wabash Center Journal on Teaching.