October 14th, 2007 - Healing Service
Today worship was far more tactile and emotional than usual. We were asked to focus on the lighting of the altar candles. There was the oil for the Laying On of Hands piece of the service and, as we observed this piece, the emotional impact was profound.
Two of Kelly’s inspired pieces Quiet Our Souls and Heal Us, guided us to a devotional place in our hearts as the members of the congregation knelt at the altar or laid there hands on someone in support. As we watched the prayers, the anointing and the laying on of hands, the power of how the participants were affected was clear.
Communion was special today after attending the Living Faithfully workshop and in the knowledge this was a healing service. At one point in the workshop there was an emphasis on that, during communion we received not only the bread as Jesus’ body but the brokenness of that body as well. We become what we receive. That became an emotional truth during communion. Kneeling at the communion rails changed communion as well. When we look up instead of ahead as we usually do, it changes perspective in more ways than one.
We continued the video series How Lutherans Interpret the Bible during the Adult Education hour. The discussion was of the binding and loosing of scripture as is referenced in Matthew 16:19; 18:18:
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Two of Kelly’s inspired pieces Quiet Our Souls and Heal Us, guided us to a devotional place in our hearts as the members of the congregation knelt at the altar or laid there hands on someone in support. As we watched the prayers, the anointing and the laying on of hands, the power of how the participants were affected was clear.
Communion was special today after attending the Living Faithfully workshop and in the knowledge this was a healing service. At one point in the workshop there was an emphasis on that, during communion we received not only the bread as Jesus’ body but the brokenness of that body as well. We become what we receive. That became an emotional truth during communion. Kneeling at the communion rails changed communion as well. When we look up instead of ahead as we usually do, it changes perspective in more ways than one.
We continued the video series How Lutherans Interpret the Bible during the Adult Education hour. The discussion was of the binding and loosing of scripture as is referenced in Matthew 16:19; 18:18:
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Powell demonstrates that applying scripture is tricky and that we all do it in some fashion.
Take for instance the Bible’s teaching, "Thou shalt not kill." It’s obvious this applies to outright premeditated murder, but does it also apply to war? Does it apply to killing in self defense? How about abortion? How about capital punishment? Who determines when what the Bible says on these things is to be followed or not?
I didn’t remember this third part of the lecture from the time we first experienced it but this has been much more in my thoughts recently and the idea of binding and loosing of scripture now seems to me where law and compassion must be balanced as we think of the verses from Matthew above.
posted by Gary at
5:10 AM
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