COVID-19 has forever changed the church. While exactly what the "next normal" of worship will look like will vary regionally and, within regions, between congregations, it will not return to how it was before the pandemic. With this in mind, I included worship changes as one of five changes I expect in the life of the church in the months and years ahead (for more on that check out Giving Up the Church I Always Knew). Returning to Indoor Worship After more than a year of worshipping Read More …
Communion
Church Changes in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic (#1863)
Nearly every American church has implemented significant changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The surveys mentioned below offer data about changes that have occurred and changes people would welcome in the future. Each statistic comes from a different survey. 3% of Americans planned to attend an Easter worship service in person (PRRI survey conducted April 6-11, 2020)29% of churches have stopped offering communion for the time being (Barna survey conducted March 20 - April 6, Read More …
World Communion Sunday 2018 (#1758)
Last Sunday I was not able to attend a worship service as I spent the day in meetings for my primary employer. This Sunday, I was determined to attend worship and to be a part of World Communion Sunday. First Presbyterian I participated in the 11:00 a.m. service at First Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in downtown Fort Worth. While this congregation normally celebrates Communion on the first Sunday of every month, this service had a clear emphasis on World Communion from the Read More …
World Communion Sunday (#1705)
Today is World Communion Sunday. Over the years, taking Communion / Lord's Supper / Eucharist on this day has been especially meaningful to me. Rather than seek to say something novel or new, I have collected some wisdom from posts I have written over the years. 2010: I wrote a series of blog posts sharing one big lesson I learned from each of the many denominations that have played a major role in my faith journey. In my post on the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I Read More …
Sermon: A Monthly Meal (#1574)
Sermon Texts: Ephesians 4:1-6 (NRSV) and John 6:24-35 (The Message) Sermon Excerpt Some people like to watch birds. Other people like to watch the water. Still others like to watch television or computer screens. I like to watch people. It is a habit I carry with me wherever I go, including here in our sacred space. I should, perhaps, begin with a word of thanks to the person or people who chose to place the pastor’s chair in two different but equally Read More …
Worship: Mainline Church Planting Trends (#1490)
The Ecumenical Partners in Outreach collaborated with the Center for Progressive Renewal to conduct the largest study (so far this century) of church planting activities in the major mainline churches of the US and Canada. A 12 page summary of findings, available online free of charge, highlights eight key insights. Insight #7 Worship Matters (p.11) Time spent on worship relates strongly to growth, at least among traditional and new immigrant churches. Among alternative churches trying Read More …
Sermon: An Open Invitation (#1434)
Sermon Text: I Corinthians 11:17-34a (The Message) Sermon Excerpt What is it about kitchens that turn them into places for memorable conversations? Before I share what is perhaps my most memorable kitchen encounter, let me give you a little context. I had traveled with a rather large church group to another state to do mission work. We were quite a diverse bunch. The teenagers and college students represented many different Christian traditions, and also included a good Read More …
Drive-In Church (#1351)
After encountering several stories last week of walk up and drive through ashes for Ash Wednesday, it seems appropriate to start this week with the story of a new kind of church: the drive-in church. Over the past few days several people sent me a link to Amy Kiley's piece on Daytona Beach Drive In Christian Church (Daytona Beach, FL), which holds worship services in an old drive-in theater. From the comfort of their vehicles parishioners listen to worship on their radios. Read More …
Online Communion? (#1234)
As online worship grows in popularity, churches are increasingly tasked with struggling with significant theological issues relating to this new way of being present (virtual presence) in worship. One obvious area in need of consideration is communion. More specifically, can Holy Communion / Eucharist / Lord's Supper be a part of an online worship experience? While independent congregations are free to decide the matter for themselves, most congregations who are affiliated with a Read More …
Baptists & Communion Confusion (#0915)
According to a new survey conducted by LifewayResearch, 96% of Southern Baptist (SB) churches have more inclusive communion practices than are allowed by their denomination's faith statement. The latest edition (200o) of the Baptist Faith and Message Statement lists baptism and church membership as prerequisites for Communion / Lord's Supper / Eucharist. According to the survey, 96% of SB allow non-members to participate and 65% allow those who have not been baptized to Read More …