Report of the Meeting of the CLPD Group ‘Helping Preachers’
24th April 2009
Seven members of the Group met.
The meeting concentrated on the issue of 'Worship beyond Words' and began by emphasising 'beyond' in the title on the basis that worship without any words at all would be difficult. Six different ways of worshipping in this way were identified – physical (meaning bodily movement), touch, smell, hearing, sight and taste. We looked at each of these individually, though quickly realised that they were all inter-connected. Some members gave examples of worship beyond words which they had encountered or led, and these helped to focus the discussion.
Physical: We accepted that even within a 'normal' service there is a degree of bodily movement – standing up to sing, the 'Peace', moving out to take Holy Communion, standing up to receive the collection (Why ?). Other, more specific examples included, flag-waving, dancing, Stations of the Cross, 'hand signals' during hymns or prayers. In all cases it was felt that choice should be offered to accommodate those unable to move freely, or those who were uncomfortable with the idea of movement. We emphasised that worship is not meant to be a form of entertainment and that there could be a danger of having 'too much activity – not enough worship'.
Touch: Some had passed objects (eg stones, beads, sculptures, wooden objects) around the congregation to help contemplation, or to illustrate points being made. Useful materials are available in some shops (eg cathedral shops). We also looked at more formal occasions involving touch such as anointing, or the 'ashing' ceremony on Ash Wednesday.
Smell: We considered the use of candles, bread and (in other denominations) incense, as means of introducing smells into worship. These have their uses, but can also cause problems for people with suffering from hay fever or breathing problems.
Hearing: We looked at the use of music, non-musical recordings (eg birdsong) and ambient sounds as means of worshipping or of helping worship. Useful examples of each were given.
Sight: We looked at the role of banners, church decoration, church architecture, flowers as means of enhancing worship in specific places. Some had experienced the use of coloured photographs or powerpoint slides in worship, but not all had found these helpful. Worship 'in the round' may also enhance the experience, and the dress of the preacher can sometimes assist or, in worst cases, detract, from the worship experience. In general we favoured clothing which was comfortable for both preacher and congregation and which normally would not play a significant part in worship.
Taste: Apart from the use of bread and wine in Holy Communion, we did not discuss this beyond what had already been said in previous sections.
The challenge we all now face is whether to use some, all or none of the above in worship. We all need to be true to ourselves in what we choose to do, and we also need to be aware of the importance of the use of words in worship, so that non-verbal worship complements what we already do, rather than replacing it entirely.
Conclusion
We all believe that the series of meetings has been extremely useful in developing our ideas for worship and of helping us to be more fully aware of what we are about as preachers. We thanked all who have led or taken part for the valuable contributions they have made to the discussions, and to Jane for providing a venue for all the meetings.