Creation Based Worship
How to create intentionally creative worship gatherings? I like the term"Creation based worship", (no not pantheism) but rather a colaborative gathering which actualizes what we've already realized in the spirit.
Peter Senge in his book "The Fifth Discipline" writes: "The best ideas fail to actualize because of deeply held internal images of how the world works"
Henri Nouwen in "reaching out" (I think) writes "Ritual is the minister's way of broadcasting his vision, it is his instructive offering. If his work is successful the community's sense of reality will become expansive" and he goes on to say "Search for ways and channels, forms and rituals, songs, dances and gestures that enable man to come into vibrant contact with the Holy without fear"
As you see something evolve, if it begins to look familiar, try not to turn it into what you already know. No need to force our way of seeing and knowing. Just let it be. I'm into free exchange of ideas.
The prevalent modern paradigm for "worship" is to sing songs together, or listen to a rock band or whatever and go either individually or corporately into an altered state commonly referred to as "entering the presence of God" blah blah blah. voices are raised, hands are lifted, people bow or dance or whatever and generally get off on god. That's all fine but what is left from the experience? A buzz? A nice feeling about your fellow man? A new zeal for the "things of God"?
what I'm proposing in creation based worship is that something actual, touchable, watchable, listenable etc.able is deposited in our midst. The impetus for these creations are too numerous to count: sounds, internal images, revelations, realizations, love peace, anger, longing, yearning, truth, lonliness, words, pictures, etc
Materials: musical instruments, voices, body, paint and canvas, computer and software, clay, paper, furniture, walls, food, wine....
creations include, songs, beats, paintings, poems, stories, scultptures, murals, blogs, web page, animation, film...
It's all "worship" all of life is sacred if we are willing to see it so. It's not about one or two making a palatable song list, it's about making the space and material available for full participation. We could call them "living workshops". It's about experimenting, coming togther with the bits and pieces of maps we've gathered and jouneying together, not coming wiht a predetermined photo of what worship is supposed to be and posing for a picture. (god damn the commercialization of culturally christianized homogenous worship music with it's absolute lack of dominant 7th chords).. did i say that?
I'd love to multitrack a worship gathering. Have the recording software running on about a 15 minute loop. Record the musical and other events of the 1st 15 minutes and then play it back while another layer is added. say 4 times. It might begin with a simple drum beat, like the heart beat/pulse of the gathering. This may be followed by some chanting or guitar work, then some synth stuff or other loops. the next pass could include guitar, more percussion, whatever, all done while sharing communion together. Perhaps some ancient text or scripture has really come alive and can be read over the now ambient and rich texture of spontaneous music. We've spent an hour and a half or so growing a beautiful audio tapestry. say 10 minutes are really good. mix it down, upload it and do some "podcasting". Of course the whole evening could be webcast and the content be interacting with other communities around the globe.
Just a few quick thoughts, I look forward to yours
good night
Peter Senge in his book "The Fifth Discipline" writes: "The best ideas fail to actualize because of deeply held internal images of how the world works"
Henri Nouwen in "reaching out" (I think) writes "Ritual is the minister's way of broadcasting his vision, it is his instructive offering. If his work is successful the community's sense of reality will become expansive" and he goes on to say "Search for ways and channels, forms and rituals, songs, dances and gestures that enable man to come into vibrant contact with the Holy without fear"
As you see something evolve, if it begins to look familiar, try not to turn it into what you already know. No need to force our way of seeing and knowing. Just let it be. I'm into free exchange of ideas.
The prevalent modern paradigm for "worship" is to sing songs together, or listen to a rock band or whatever and go either individually or corporately into an altered state commonly referred to as "entering the presence of God" blah blah blah. voices are raised, hands are lifted, people bow or dance or whatever and generally get off on god. That's all fine but what is left from the experience? A buzz? A nice feeling about your fellow man? A new zeal for the "things of God"?
what I'm proposing in creation based worship is that something actual, touchable, watchable, listenable etc.able is deposited in our midst. The impetus for these creations are too numerous to count: sounds, internal images, revelations, realizations, love peace, anger, longing, yearning, truth, lonliness, words, pictures, etc
Materials: musical instruments, voices, body, paint and canvas, computer and software, clay, paper, furniture, walls, food, wine....
creations include, songs, beats, paintings, poems, stories, scultptures, murals, blogs, web page, animation, film...
It's all "worship" all of life is sacred if we are willing to see it so. It's not about one or two making a palatable song list, it's about making the space and material available for full participation. We could call them "living workshops". It's about experimenting, coming togther with the bits and pieces of maps we've gathered and jouneying together, not coming wiht a predetermined photo of what worship is supposed to be and posing for a picture. (god damn the commercialization of culturally christianized homogenous worship music with it's absolute lack of dominant 7th chords).. did i say that?
I'd love to multitrack a worship gathering. Have the recording software running on about a 15 minute loop. Record the musical and other events of the 1st 15 minutes and then play it back while another layer is added. say 4 times. It might begin with a simple drum beat, like the heart beat/pulse of the gathering. This may be followed by some chanting or guitar work, then some synth stuff or other loops. the next pass could include guitar, more percussion, whatever, all done while sharing communion together. Perhaps some ancient text or scripture has really come alive and can be read over the now ambient and rich texture of spontaneous music. We've spent an hour and a half or so growing a beautiful audio tapestry. say 10 minutes are really good. mix it down, upload it and do some "podcasting". Of course the whole evening could be webcast and the content be interacting with other communities around the globe.
Just a few quick thoughts, I look forward to yours
good night
posted by Paul Seburn at Friday, May 27, 2005
5 Comments:
Wow, Paul - that's an amazing vision. I like it - it's a big idea with so much potential. We need to be using creativity in worship - in music, but also in so much more.
Paul, don't ever let anyone tell you that you're not a beautiful person.
Are you sure you don't want to join The House full-time as our worship guru?...please...no, seriously...really really.
Your vision of worship is spot on with what I see for The House. Keep on bloggin' in the free world!
Some neat concepts there Paul - and while I don't necessarily grasp it all, or indeed know which parts to grasp, I have often thought about incorporating other creative forms in worship. It's hard for me to believe, but some people don't really care for music, or worse yet delegate it to background noise in their lives! Yikes! ;-)
There may be much creativity lurking in any given congregation, but until they are given an outlet it will never be known. There are certainly some of your suggestions that could be put in place fairly easily (paints, clay an extra microphone for those who wish to share scripture) and at least give worshippers the opportunity. Granted it would take some time until people feel at ease (at least in our church) but there is a lot of potential there of news ways for people to express their love and worship to the Lord.
I do pose a bit of a question though to your statement "That's all fine but what is left from the experience?" I would suggest that although God often speaks to his children through acts of worship, those acts are for Him. He is deserving of our praise whether we get something out of it or not. Whether we are totally in to it, or don't really feel like it today, we are called to honor him. I believe connecting with God in a special way does open up new channels of communication and certainly being able to worship Him in a creative way that is meaningful is wonderful.
I am going to chat with our worship team and leadership about some of these ideas - some really cool stuff could happen. If it doesn't work out I will just tell everyone it was your idea!
Take care!
"The best ideas fail to actualize because of deeply held internal images of how the world works"
Experimenting with a group who hasn't undergone shifts in these "internal images of how things work" will probably not go so well. in fact I can speak from experience that attempting multi textured worship gatherings can just seem like a distraction and even a threat to the norm.
I tried using audio from an on-line labyrinth (to which there is a link on this blog) at a Baptist church retreat. While there were some who really dug it and sensed the presence of god in a significant way, there were others who labeled it "new age" and really took offence.
A major hurdle to cross in people's thinking is the whole "leader in front and everyone eles in rows" sort of structure. Then there's learning that "it's ok to have more than one thing happening at once" kinda like normal life really.
Andrew Jones (tall skinny kiwi)has an interesting "podcast" link at his blog which offers a small snapshot of what's sort of forms the church is taking around the planet including some of the "worship".
I like the Henri Nouwen's quote..."that enable man to come into vibrant contact with the Holy without fear"
A big drawback of the typical "modern traditional" (if I may) worship service is that it presupposes that God is distant from man and we somehow have to "enter in" or got through some sort of routine to get his attention. My view sees God in every step and breath we take so our worship gathering is just one small expression of his on going mystereous work in us. We are there cause he is here if you know what I mean.
I was saving this for a blog entry but..
"there is nowhere we can go into or exit from the Presence of God as if he were seperate from us"
The truth of being in his presence is in knowing that just as there is nothing we can do to earn his favor, there is also nothing we can do to unearn his favor.
chuck, OK I'll do it! I suppose that's one of those full time volunteer positions eh?
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