Now that we are in the actual business sessions of the
assembly, it is time to start blogging again.
So far we have heard from the Theological Issues and
Institutions committee. Two items of
interest came out of their report in addition to several tributes to
individuals who have served the church.
First, we have a new Directory for Worship on the way to
presbyteries for approval. Given how
little most Presbyterians know about the theology of our worship, a simpler
more user-friendly directory is a good step in the right direction. But there is something more important about
this change.
As a church, we embrace our call to be guided by the Holy
Spirit and reformed in our living based on the Spirit’s work in our midst. Over the last three decades we have seen the
church move forward on numerous theological and social issues. Could anyone imagine in 1989 (the year the
current directory was adopted) that in less than three decades love between two
people would be recognized as just that- love.
We have two women as our co-Moderators just 60 years after the first
women pioneer Teaching Elders started to
chip away at the stained glass ceiling (which still needs some work).
We are a changed church.
Yet our theology and liturgical guidance in our constitution are from a
vastly different era in the life of the church.
The new Directory for Worship is a chance for the church to reform the
way we proclaim our faith when we are together even as we reform the
theological witness beyond the walls. As
we grow the church of Jesus Christ and work to broaden the reach of the church
as we share God’s love, our worship lives must reflect the same liveliness as
our social witness hopes to do.
That the new directory was adopted by a strong majority
speaks to the desire of the church to continually reform who we are in the
light of Christ and work of the Spirit.
However, just as our new Governance is only as effective as
our willingness to put it to work in the creative ministry of the church, the
new Directory of Worship will be a dead letter if our churches are not willing
to put these words to work in the life of the church.
As the directory says, “We are gathered in worship to
glorify the God who is PRESENT AND ACTIVE among us…”
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