Gathering for Worship

A worship series about worship: that feels kind of meta, I know. Over the years, though, I’ve found that people really do need regular reminders about what it means for us to gather for worship week in and week out. Some have never really been taught about the flow and purpose of worship, while others knew at one time but have become distracted by the routine of it all. And don’t get me wrong—there’s something beautiful about routine, about knowing the liturgy and the hymns and the rhythms so well that they feel as close to you as your own heartbeat. But routine is a double-edged sword, because how often do we notice our own heartbeat with wonder, gratitude, and a desire to go deeper?

Thankfully, we have some good and quite fascinating companions who will accompany us throughout this series. King David and King Solomon loom large in the Old Testament. Their influence, fame, and infamy are felt throughout the biblical text and beyond. And yet, worship has a way of bringing them back down to size with the rest of us mortals. But more about that later.

This week, we begin with gathering. This is an excellent Sunday to pay extra attention to hospitality, to give thanks for ushers and greeters, and to consider how the entrances into worship—physical, attitudinal, and liturgical—draw people into the space together. Can everyone use the entry doors? Are there signs and volunteers that can help newcomers? Do long-time members receive just as much welcome as brand-new visitors? Does the worship space encourage people to interact with one another as they settle in their seats? Does the gathering music and/or the art in the room inspire people to take a moment to breathe, to center, and to be fully present in the space? These are not just questions for you, worship planners! Consider whether you might lift some of these questions up for the congregation to consider and pray about. Everyone is involved in the act of gathering because we can’t gather without one another’s presence in the space.

Since this is a seven-week series, take time here at the beginning to consider how you might want to address the art on the altar and/or chancel. How might you use visual images and color to tie the Sundays of this series together? You might want to gather symbols for each part of worship addressed in the series and add them to the altar one by one over the next seven weeks. Or you might want to print out large, beautiful letters to set up on the altar each week. Imagine having “GATHERING” spelled out on the altar or chancel with beautiful green and blue fabrics and candles surrounding it. Or you might want to plan a progressive altarscape that grows and changes throughout the series without using symbols or letters. There are so many options! The key is making the plan now that you can execute throughout the series with intention and purpose.