February 13th, 2008 – Called to Living Water

What calls us to Wednesday worship? To the soup and bread before worship? To the choir practice afterward?

Paster Dayle, in her reflection tonight, said we remember God, listen to the scripture, we pray, draw from the wells of salvation (as the reading from Isaiah reminds us) and become part of God’s healing river. We both desire and fear new birth. The verses in Isaiah 12 are words of a worshipper who is secure in his knowledge of what happens when you trust God.

We were invited to pray around the cross and we were invited to the prayer corner during worship. For me, prayer did not come easy tonight. I had many internal distractions I did not rise above. Through the liturgy the words “washing away the selfish self-serving signs of my sinfulness” were on my lips, written in a litany, it was easier said than done.

Tonight sharing the peace was an important part of our worship. It may have been for others as well. It was longer than usual. More of us stayed in the sanctuary for conversation and simply acknowledging one another rather than moving into the narthex. The trays of water where we floated the lit candles around the cross took longer to clean up so choir had a late start.

We practiced two songs in choir, Shall We Gather at the River and Jesus Met the Woman at Well.

Dynamics are important to both pieces. The changed church configuration and where the cross is placed is making us change where we will sing Shall We Gather on an upcoming Wednesday service. It was surprising how much difference it made to be across the room from the piano.

Choir will be singing Wednesday services rather than Sundays for upcoming performances. I am looking forward to those evenings.