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Sunday, July 10, 2005

Old School/New School Community

Today I attended two very different worship services and it spurned me to ask a few questions about the way one is welcomed into an existing community. This morning Abby and I worshiped at Wieuca Road Baptist Church. Wieuca is a moderate Baptist church aligned with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The sanctuary was enormous and brought back memories of the Rococo-style rooms we saw at the Prince-Bishop's palace in Wurzburg last summer. (Any comments Millinerd?) When we entered this colossal 1000+ member sanctuary, I was skeptical about any prospects of fostering authentic community. We ended up being pleasantly surprised. I was blown away by the number of different people who went out of their way to introduce themselves to Abby and me. Many, having heard a bit of our own story, took it upon themselves to find someone else in the church with whom they thought we would connect. After the service, we were bombarded with folks eagerly waiting in line to escort us to a Southern Potluck (Ahhh...the South). Amidst the partaking of the traditional southern Sunday sacraments of fried chicken, baked beans, potato salad and sweat tea, we were ensconced with a community teaming with love for one another and God. I felt more a part of their fellowship than many churches I have attended 1/50th of Wieuca's size. To say the least, I was dazzled with their display of community.

This evening Abby and I attended my new-found friend Troy's community in Capital View, which is one of the few areas of town resisting the turgid throes of gentrification. Troy's community is one of the few communities in Atlanta that I would identify as "Emergent." (BTW: Troy wrote this, which is worth reading if you have time). They live in community (literally, with three families living together in the house where we joined for worship) and are attempting to be an incarnational presence in an impoverished corner of Atlanta. When we entered Troy's house, we were immediately greeted by the small, intimate gathering. Here the sacraments were aged cheese, red current, and beer. The service was anything but "traditional," with an eclectic ensemble of guitars, a jimbe and two 1-year-olds beating a set of congos with wooden spoons. But surprisingly, the community we were able to experience rivaled our earlier experience at Wieuca.

So how does our worship style, size, composition, worship setting, atmosphere, music and church-philosophy impact our sense of connectedness or belonging? How can ministers foster an environment that is conducive to building significant relationships? I welcome ya'lls opinions. Peace.

posted by Jake at 7/10/2005 08:03:00 PM

4 Comments:

Blogger millinerd said...

The moral of your story Jake is nothing fosters community like Rococo, so the first three thoughts of any serious church planter should be fresco, fresco, and then more fresco.

...or that the gift of hospitality does not necessarily correspond to church decor.

9:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well noted, millinerd. Too often we focus on having welcoming spaces, or doing specific things, or singing particular songs in order to make our worship services inviting. And yet, if a congregation does not live as a community to begin with and has no true desire to draw others into that community, it is all wasted effort.

I think that ministers cannot foster an environment that is conducive to building significant relationships--it is the responsibility of the congregation.

In your case, Jake, it seems you might have it somewhat easy at first in this respect (community--not that your job will be easy). By nature, a church body in its beginning stages must be built on relationships. As people see these relationships, they are drawn to them as well. It is as churches grow that a more conscious effort must be made to maintain the community aspect. One church I know of that has done an amazing job is Park Street in Boston (http://www.parkstreet.org), a church of thousands of members, but one that maintains a true sense of community. It seems as though you have found two in Atlanta, already, that are doing it as well.

I had an interesting experience recently, also. I went with my mother-in-law to her church, one of 20,000 members in Oklahoma City (http://www.lifechurch.tv). Although everything about the church was designed to make people feel comfortable (colors, music in which one could participate or not, cushions, food, etc), the only person who spoke to us was the designated greeter at the door. A footnote was located in the bulletin, stating that kiosks were set up around the auditorium in which were located bread and juice, for individuals to take "communion" when they so desired.

After leaving this service, I talked her into going to the Episcopal Cathedral of Oklahoma City, St. Paul's (http://www.stpaulscathedralokc.org). My mother-in-law said to me, "The Holy Spirit would be too scared to come in here." And yet, we were drawn into conversation and warmly greeted by numerous people. I'm sure many knew we were not Episcopalian, even though we were at Holy Eucharist Rite I, but were completely welcoming even so.

My two experiences were completely different. While both were intriguing, the first service left some things to be desired that I truly think are necessary for building community, of which the lack of contact with others was a symptom.

1. No one was singing except for the band. Luther said that you could not stay mad at a person with whom you were singing the praises of God.
2. The lack of communal communion. The feeling of "me and Jesus" is counterproductive to building a community of God.
3. A lack of visible baptismal font or pool. Baptism is the method in which people are "initiated" into Christian communities, and a visible reminder of this new birth helps people to remember the community of which they are a part.

Especially the first two of these, I believe, are very helpful in building community, no matter what songs are being sung or what format a church celebrates the Lord's Supper (I have my own preferences, but we all know that people do these things well in many different ways).

Anyway, maybe I should get my own blog rather than clog up yours. Please keep us posted on church-planting activities!

10:52 PM  
Blogger Out Of Jersey said...

I agree with Millierd. It's all about the fresco. Whatever they are.

Actually, I feel we are desperately in need of open arms and less smugness. To quote Yaconelli, "Why are we so smug? We weren't supposed to be here. If anything we should appologize. 'I'm sorry, we are the church. I know you were expecting more, but we are it.'"

A genuine love of God and people.

And Lance, your idea of the visible baptistry is quite interesting. Not something I would have considered.

7:10 AM  
Blogger millinerd said...

Interesting thoughts...

I've been a-thinking about this post and the comments... and have a couple of Theofragens of my own:

Is it possible to make too much of community? In other words, if a church is ripped apart, scandalized, destroyed by gossip, etc. (I think that may have happened once or twice), what can we really say is left?

Can community become an idol?

Are there times we should sacrifice community for a higher good?

Maybe community is a gift that results from a Church seeking Christ together, that sometimes is realized and sometimes not... kind of like the gift of emotional fulfillment in prayertime (to be welcomed but not demanded).

And finally, regarding young communities of Christians - often we hear of how negative it is to look at a church on Sunday morning and see all silver hair. But is it as bad to look out and see none of it?

Now - gimme some Theoantwortens!

2:23 PM  

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