Where Two or Three are Gathered Together

Recently, the Pew Research Center published data on worshippers in the United States.  Here are the basic findings along with selected comments by respondents on participation by Americans in Worship:

Why some Americans prefer in-person religious services.

Some 17% of U.S. adults regularly attend religious services in person and watch them online or on TV, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Roughly three-quarters of this group – making up 13% of all U.S. adults – say they prefer attending in person, while 2% prefer viewing services virtually and 2% have no preference.

Among those who prefer in-person religious services, the most common reason respondents give is a stronger sense of connection and community with fellow participants. About half (52%) say this – more than three times the share who name any other reason.

Another 8% of these respondents cite the quality of the worship practices at in-person services, saying that things like communion and singing can’t be replicated online:

“As a Catholic, you cannot receive communion at home.”

“For over 60 years I have been a church musician (organist/pianist) so congregational singing is very meaningful to me. Also, I think it is important to see, talk to and encourage my fellow believers.”

“I enjoy taking part in the service; i.e., singing hymns, taking communion and seeing other church members in person.”

I found some of this information surprizing.  For instance, the number of respondents who attend worship services regularly is only 17%.  This seems surprizingly low to me as I was under the impression that the United States was an exception to the rule for countries in the Western World that attendance in worship was in sharp decline.  If these results are to be believed – and I don’t have any reason not to believe them - this is also the case in the United States.   

Checking these results on the internet (which of course could be wrong) another source stated that 27% attend worship more than once a month.  This is the generally accepted criteria for regular church attendance.  So perhaps the decline is not as great as the Pew Research would indicate. However, the same source noted that pre-pandemic in 2018, the number of people who attended regularly was 42%.  We might conclude from this that the reason for this decline is the pandemic in which attendance in worship was restricted and discouraged. 

In comparison, data from StatsCanada reports that in the last available data 2018, 23% of Canadians attend church services at least once a month.  So, Americans still are outperforming Canadians on that front.  I couldn’t find any post-pandemic stats for Canada.  But if the Canadian trend follows the American it will probably show a significant drop as well.  This raises significant questions for the future of church – or at least church attendance in both countries.

Much of worship was done through social media during the pandemic.  There has been lots of speculation about this being the future of worship.  However, speaking from experience, it has severe limitations as a worship experience.  I found some of the results of the Pew Research data to be revealing on this front.  The connection to the community expressed in the Pew results (52%) are not surprizing.  Community has been a strong pull to worship throughout the history of people worshiping. 

The importance of music is also not surprizing to me as a lifelong member of church choirs and one of the factors that I have found important to my experience of worshipping God. One thing that I find interesting is that the quality of preaching did not appear on the Pew results.  It might fall under the general response of the quality of the worship (8%).  This is hardly encouraging to those of us who believe that the proclamation of the word is central to worship. 

There is much to consider in this information for people contemplating the future of worship.  Will the on-going decline in how we worship continue unabated?  Will on-line worship be an attractive alternative in the future?  If so, what does the church writ- large need to do to make it successful.  The present attempt by many congregations to put the present form of worship on-line has been rather unsuccessful in my humble view.  IF we are going to do this there needs to be a major rethinking of how platforms such as Zoom and YouTube can be used successfully for worship.  What production facilities and skills are required and what form should the worship take.  For Anglicans and Catholics and other Eucharistically based denominations, how do we do this on social media i.e., what are the implications  theologically possible or appropriate for worshippers attending through social media e.g. is an exclusively on-line congregation truly a worshipping community? 

Perhaps there needs to be a complete rethinking of what it means to worship and how we worship.  One of the important factors in worship for me is the experience of the divine.  I believe that this is central to many people and is reflected in the sense of community and in such things as music and the Eucharist and yes and even the preaching.  Unfortunately, it seems to me that many people, especially in mainline Protestant churches, don’t have an experience of God that they can identify as such. 

Those are my thoughts and musings on this for today.  May you be blessed to have the experience of the divine, however it manifests itself, on your journey.  

 

High Tech and High Touch

Last Friday, Lorna and I “attended” the graduation ceremony for our oldest grandchild, Thomas.  Of course, in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic we did not attend the ceremony in person.  It was held by the all-pervasive ZOOM on the internet.  It was wonderful to be able to be part of this event as we were about 2000 km away at the time at the cottage in PEI and would not have been able to attend otherwise.

This experience brought to mind a phrase that was popular back in the long-ago time when the internet was just beginning to come into common use.  This was probably in the early 80’s – that’s the 80’s of the last century and not the 1800’s although it might as well have been it seems so long ago.  That phrase was “high-tech and high touch.”  As I recall the idea behind the concept of high-tech/high-touch was that technology would bring new opportunities for all the world to be in touch in new and wonderful ways.  It would bring a world of possibilities for people to connect with others regardless of where they were.

I haven’t heard the phrase in many years but there have been many developments in social media such as blogs - I have one for some time now http://anotherfoolforchrist.blogspot.com/ but blogs are old news and have almost gone the way of rotary dial telephone.  There is also Facebook which is not as old but is now the realm of old fogies.  There are things such as ticktock or is that Tiktok which I know nothing about and the all-pervasive twitter which Donald Trump made famous for misusing until he was banned from it.  I am able to say I have never tweeted and in my darker moments have thought that those who tweet are twits.  But some might say in response don’t knock it until you try it.

The high-tech part of the prognostication seems to have been fulfilled with a vengeance.  However, I am not so sure about the high-touch part.  Having worshipped at the temple of the great god Zoom, I am aware of the limitations of the touch when we meet in this or similar media.  It does allow us to touch others regardless of where they are in this wide world.  However, the touch is not what I would call high.  There are limitations to meeting this way and on social media in general – at least in my somewhat limited experience.  However, I have attended conferences, workshops, worship services and meetings.  I have even co-led a few workshops via Zoom.  I have even entertained a group of people on Zoom.  I can conclude that the touch is not that high – certainly not as high as in person.  At the moment we are in quarantine at the cottage and there is very little touch allowed outside my bubble so I am grateful for all the touch available via the internet.  I will continue my exploration of the touch of high-tech next week.

May you be blessed and keep in touch on your journey. 

A Psalm for Holy Week

I recently attended a workshop – on Zoom of course – with the well-known composer of hymns and worship leader, John Bell.  The workshop was through the auspices of the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine in Toronto.   This workshop was not about hymns, not directly in any case―it was on the psalms.  Even though I would have enjoyed an exploration of some of John Bell’s many hymns, it was in no way a disappointment.  The journey of exploration of the psalm on which John took us was wonderful and gave me an appreciation of the psalm I hadn’t known previously.

As an aside, John started the workshop by apologizing for his somewhat shaggy appearance and noted that he was overdue for a haircut due to COVID restrictions in his home in Scotland.  This rather small point seemed to truly bring home to me how daily life has been disrupted by the pandemic in many countries in small ways as well as the very large ways which we know first hand.

One of the explorations of the psalms which particularly engaged me was on what is probably the best-known psalm – the 23^rd – you know, the one that begins, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”  John noted that this psalm is a favourite for weddings and funerals.  I can attest that it is certainly a go-to psalm for funerals from my experience presiding at many funerals.  However, what I didn’t know was that this psalm was often used during Holy Week which Christians are marking this week.  Holy Week is the time between Palm Sunday when Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the waving of palm branches and shouts of ‘hosannah’, and the events that are celebrated on Easter with the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday and the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

John noted that Holy Week is the fulfillment of the 23^rd psalm.  Here it is in full from the King James Version:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

We have Jesus who proclaimed himself as the Good Shepherd in one of the ‘I am’ statements in the Gospel of John.  The passage gives a pastoral image of green pastures and still water that care of the sheep by the Good Shepherd who searches for the lost sheep in the parable of Jesus.  Jesus walked through the valley of death in the Garden of Gethsemane and did not fear the evil of the cross. 

The preparation of the table reminds us of the Last Supper which he shared with his disciples in the presence of Judas who betrayed him.  The anointing of his head with oil was fulfilled by the unnamed woman who anointed his head with costly nard to the objection of Judas who believed that this was an extravagant waste and the ointment should have been sold and the money spent of the poor. 

Goodness and mercy did follow him throughout his life through his care and healing of others.  On the cross Jesus assures the robber crucified with him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”   

For those of you who are on the journey with Jesus this Holy Week may you have the blessing of the 23^rd psalm as your companion. 

Shriven by COVID

Today is Shrove Tuesday or, less traditionally, Pancake Tuesday when Christians and non-Christians alike feast (pig out) on pancakes.  Christians traditionally observe it as a feast before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent and prepare for this solemn season by not only feasting but also going to church to be shriven.  This is somewhat contradictory.  Christians were to be shriven – to confess their sins and be forgiven as a prelude to Lent.  Shrove Tuesday is therefore a day to not only indulge yourself in a feast before the Lenten fast in preparation for Easter.  But there you go, who says that religious observances need to be completely logical – let the mystery be.

So, let’s celebrate and get fat (it was also known as Fat Tuesday) and turn our minds to what we do or don’t do as part of our Lenten observance.

It seems to be that we have now had a year of being shriven – we are down to the basics in our lives.  We haven’t been partying with others – or have not supposed to have been doing that.  We have been eating at home instead of eating in restaurants albeit perhaps having take out meals.  One of the things I look forward to when we are back to some semblance of normal is going out to our local restaurant on a Saturday morning for the breakfast special and reading the Saturday Globe and Mail.  Or there is the other old favourite of a movie and dinner which sometimes means the guilty pleasure of a double feature with popcorn and pop for “dinner”. 

That is not much of a sacrifice when you think of all that many people have had not give up in the last year – not to mention those that have been infected with COVID and the serious medical consequences and even death that can result.  Personally, I have little to complain about and much to give thanks for.

Will this year-long shriving – being shriven of those things which are so important in life – have a lasting effect on people and how we approach life once COVID has been defeated or at least controlled?  Will it make us appreciate more fully the joys of family gatherings, or gathering with others for many different occasions?  Will practicing Christians or those of other Religions return to worship together in person or will we be satisfied to worship by gather remotely via social media?  Christians have the assurance from Jesus Christ that where two or three are gathered together in his name he will be there.  Does gathering together via the internet qualify?  Perhaps, but I am not sure that Jesus would concur if he returned tomorrow.  To go down that theological rabbit hole further, can a concertation of the Eucharistic elements – the bread and wine in the communion - be valid if conducted electronically.  I leave that for our Bishops to ponder. 

Another thing I have truly missed is gathering with others to sing – whether it is in church or in secular gatherings.  There can be some singing on-line but, truly, it is not the same muting your self and singing along with a leader or singing your part alone on Zoom and having it put together remotely and listening/viewing the modern miracle of all the singers coming together in song in the same tempo and hopefully in tune. 

Returning to normal will, I am sure, not be the same.  However, we can reflect on this past year of being shriven by COVID and appreciate what is important and meaningful in our lives and what of that experience we want to incorporate to enable us to live more fully as God intends us to live.  The end seems to be in sight but do not let your guard down – keep social distancing, wear your mask, and don’t forget to wash your hand for the full recommended period – what is it, singing Happy birthday twice? 

Blessings on your Lenten journey shriven or not.

It's so simple that only a child can do it!

Last week, I had confirmation that the world is getting way to complicated for me.  I had an encounter with a computer program which I thought was required for a course I signed up for.  The course is offered by the Sisterhood of St. John he Divine on Benedictine Spirituality.  I thought I needed to activate Drop Box program to access the material for the course – it turned out I didn’t.  However, as a result, many of my active files were reorganized on my hard drive and I am still having ‘fun’ trying to locate them.  It was rather shocking to sit for about an hour as get continual messages about files being moved to Drop Box and not being able to do anything about it - talk about helplessness.  

The second incident also involved my computer.  I ordered an external microphone for my laptop as I am using it for Zooming with others and the built-in mic is not as sensitive as I would like.  I plugged in the ‘easy to use’ mic but no joy, it would not work.  So, I spent about an hour checking the settings and running a troubleshooting program.  I was just about to give up and I noticed a small control on the side of the mic and in a flash of inspiration – or something less complementary – realized that it was a volume control built in to the mic.  Well all’s well that ends well – at least for now.

It was humbling to say the least and what came to mind was the song from the 1960’s by Tom Lehrer, “New Math”.  The chorus has a message that is more relevant that ever today:

Hooray for New Math
New-hoo-hoo Math
It won't do you a bit of good to review Math
It's so simple
So very simple
That only a child can do it!

It is getting to the point that I am less and less able to deal with the ever increasing complexities of life.  It seems that with computer technology a child to be able the figure out how things operate much more easily than us old fogies.  

There are a number of bible passages that seem to be appropriate in this, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.”  (Isaiah 11:6).  Another is, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 19:14) I particularly like that one because it talks of suffering which I find that technology can have that effect on me.

Finally, there is Matthew 18:3, “‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  I understand this passage, in particular, is the key to seeing things - whether technology or the world in general like children is that they bring fresh eyes to looking at whatever is presented to them.  Now, we can’t look at this through rose coloured glasses because experience and education is important and brings a valuable perspective to understanding and evaluating the world.  However, we adults can be blinkered and blinded to what is in front of us because we don’t see things with fresh eyes.

On Sunday, Rev. Sherry DeJonge was talking about an aspect of this and the need to appreciate things that are counter intuitive.  She upheld the Sermon on the Mount called for a counter intuitive approach to people and the world.  

As we get older and more set in our ways, we are less able to see the world as it truly is and as how God intends it to be.  I hope and pray that God will enable me to remove a few of the blinkers that are preventing me to see the truth of God’s creation.  I’m not all that sure how that applies to computers - but I live in hope.  

May you have the eyes of a little child on your journey.

ZOOMing With God

Last week, I was attending the Summer Dream and Spirituality Conference presented by the Haden Institute.  I am not sure if ‘attending’ is the correct word – perhaps ‘participating in’ is better because I was participating via ZOOM.  I have attended the Conference many times since my first time in 2005, but those have always been attendance that was on site at the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville N.C. 

This was my first experience of any such endeavor by electronic means and I was very aware of both he positive and negative aspects of using a such a means of coming together.  Many of us are now getting very familiar with ZOOM (is Zooming or ZOOMing the verb) and similar ways of being in community in the time of COVID 19 with many worship services being so offered and meetings utilizing the internet for meetings.  It is something which will become to a lesser or greater extent the “new normal” in the post COVID 19 shut down.  As the Rev. Sherry DeJonge noted yesterday when four of us gathered at St. James Anglican Church, Parkhill in the traditional way yesterday to worship (keeping social distancing) while Donna Lamb-Gunness recorded the service for Facebook, we will need to continue providing worship services electronically after the shut down is eased as many people will be reluctant to attend church physically  - at least initially.

In addition, it was announced at the end of the Conference that next year, the Conference could be attended either in person or electronically for the first time.  This option, which has been used in a limited way in many instances I past years will, I believe, become the new normal way meeting in the years to come.

That being said and turning to the Conference itself, it is a wonderful exploration of ways that we can enhance our connection with God or the Divine - however you personally define it.  One of the primary ways which is offered at the Conference, is through dreams which we consider to be God’s forgotten language.  In addition, there are many ways included such as prayer, meditation, art and poetry to name a few.   

On reflection, it struck me that ZOOMing (or Zooming) is a great metaphor for how God communicated with us.  I believe that God is continually trying to connect with us – to ZOOM - in many different ways.  Unfortunately, we are not willing or able to be open to many of those ways.  Sometimes we will be open to a few familiar ways in which God speaks to us such as in scripture or music or prayer.  However, we can both deepen those ways though those ways through practice, participation and reflection, as well as exploring other ways in which we are naturally not as attuned to.  I believe we can do both, that is, deepen the ways which we have been accustomed to in our lives as well as explore new ways which we haven’t considered as possibilities for God speaking to us.  I have found the Conference to be a wonderful way of exploring both possibilities. 

I will close with a short poem which was offered to me - possibly from a divine source in one the workshops during the Conference which explored this avenue for communication with the Divine.  It explores the idea of our names being formative to who we are and the reality of my life that I almost was named after my father rather than someone else.

In the Name of the Father

What if my father,

Who was the one who baptized me,

Had honoured his agreement

With my mother

And had named me Milton

After my father,

Instead of Gregory after

His philosophy prof.

Would I be the same person

I am now,

Or would I be someone else?

Blessings on you journey.