One of our strongest assets as Episcopalians is our worship. Along with theology that encourages us to learn, think, and debate, our worship, with a spiritual pattern, meaningful sacraments, and the love of music, is most often named as the thing that turns visitors into newcomers and newcomers into members. We are not competing with other denominations, and as your bishop, I strongly support ecumenical cooperation and friendship. If we want to retain our Episcopal way, we need to focus on strengthening those elements of worship which are unique and excellent. I
am aware that the majority of our parishes are considered “low” or “broad” church, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am suggesting that some of the traditionally “high” church practices might be worth exploring. In a world of AI, the practices that appeal to all our senses are exactly
what a device-addicted world is yearning for.
“Change?” you ask, “but that is so hard!” I am not suggesting change for change’s sake; I am hoping each parish might embark on a discernment of how to make your worship as welcoming and excellent as you can. I hope that every parish has some form of a worship team, even if it is just three people: a priest, an altar guild member, and a musician. This is a good group to have conversations with parishioners to find out what they value most, or what they have experienced in other churches that they would like to try. Change does not need to be permanent! Try the new thing for a liturgical season, then take time to review how it went and then decide whether to use it again.
A good way to start this welcoming effort is to:
Imagine never having gone to a church service before…
Following the order of service in the Book of Common Prayer, juggling a hymnal or two, and a bulletin is not as easy as it seems when you’ve been doing it all your life. An all-inclusive bulletin, or at least one with all the words and suggestions for sitting, standing, or kneeling, is the most helpful for newcomers. Watch out for abbreviations and coded language; most people don’t know what a warden is unless they’ve been to prison! A subscription to Rite Planning gives you electronic access to all our worship books and hymnals.
Imagine walking into a room and discovering you are the only person who is_____…
If a newcomer doesn’t see someone who looks like them, the first message they may receive is “you don’t belong”. Now we can’t pretend to be people we are not, but we can send signals that all are welcome. Are people of various ages involved in worship and leadership? Are teens and children participating as ushers, communion ministers, readers, and acolytes? Look at the art and stained glass in your church; are there any persons of color depicted? Consider adding art, perhaps new Stations of the Cross, or art on the front of the bulletin. You can find free, reproducible art from many cultures which corresponds to our Sunday readings at this site from Vanderbilt Divinity Library. Our hymnals contain music from many cultures and composers, and many updated hymn texts are written with familiar tunes. Using expansive language — he and she pronouns for God, “siblings in Christ,” and the rich metaphors for God found in scripture help all of us to hear familiar texts in new ways and welcome those whose personal and religious history we don’t know. This website, from the Standing Commission on Worship, contains all the authorized texts for Morning and Evening prayer, healing and other pastoral services, and Eucharist.
Imagine being a child…
Episcopal worship is embodied, and we all learn and are moved in various ways. We hear the music and the Sanctus bells. We breathe together to sing and speak; we sit in silence (about the only place we can be silent in a group). We pray the Lord’s Prayer in the language of our heart, usually the language we learned it in. The architecture and art surround us with the beauty of God. We smell the healing oil and incense. We feel the sprinkle of water as we renew our Baptismal promises. Our prayer is shaped by standing, kneeling, sitting, walking, reaching out to shake hands, opening our palms for bread. We taste the bread and wine. The shape of our prayer shapes us. You shouldn’t have to be able to read or understand the sermon to soak in the prayers of the church.
Imagine the reasons why…
Enriching our worship practices is a great way to engage people in learning about our faith, scripture, and our history. Why is the gospel read from the center of the church? Why is blessed bread set aside in a special tabernacle? Why do we ring the bells in sets of three? Why do people make the sign of the cross? Why kneel? The architecture of our worship spaces is very set – how can we make our space more accessible and still retain spiritual meaning?
As we work together to invite new people into our communities, we need to consider our worship services with fresh eyes and make sure the messages we send are the ones we intend. We need to know why we do what we do and be ready to invite new people to shape our worship. Our worship should first and foremost proclaim the radical hospitality and love of God. If we can welcome people and invite them into a community of belonging, we can remind ourselves and the world what the Reign of God looks like.
+Kara
