What follows are my thoughts about worship and spiritual practice at Mosaic Life as we continue to explore what that looks like in a multi-racial, multi layered faith community.
[thumb:485:l:s=0:l=g]Mosaic Life is moving into ultra-emergent worship. I was listening to a feature on the ultra marathoner on NPR and he defined the meaning of ultra as "beyond" so I’m using that as my reference point. By that I mean that what we are doing in worship doesn’t easily fit into either the modern contemporary worship format or what has been come to be defined as emergent worship. It is amazing to me how disconnected the contemporary and modern church is from the roots of worship practices. In they view if it doesn’t have scripture being read from the platform and preached from the platform it isn’t worship. This problem is compounded by thinking that emerging worship is a generational thing. Case in point the prayer path labyrinth that we step up for holy week in our space is marketed under youth ministry by group publishing. The ancient rituals and practices of the early church and following have been discarded in favor of an exclusively upfront driven worship "service". Meaningful rituals that have served the church well in the past have been abandoned in favor of consumer driven corporate worship practices that have no connection to what has come before historically. Now I believe worship should be relevant and engaging so the task is not to leave all ancient practices behind but to reclaim, refresh and renew them in ways that are relevant and engaging to the context.
On the other hand much of emerging worship is anti modern eschewing the possibility that anything good can come from up front or on the platform and acting as if that never occurred in ancient worship forms. In reclaiming ancient worship practices emerging worship also tends to draw to draw more from the European pool than other diverse worship pools. This effectively leads to what I call retro worship which does hymns from the European past but not hymns or songs from the African American or other non Anglo cultures. Diverse here means adding a djembe playing (truth in advertising we have and use a djembe in our worship). Because many of those practicing emerging worship discount and discredit up front leadership almost completely in favor of communal dialog and interaction, they fail to recognize the varying ways that dialog and interaction are expressed in different cultures. When it is is done well the call and response of of Afro Christian worship is an interactive dialog that is culturally shaped, with the preacher (performing almost like the cantor in Jewish worship) leading the gathered body into dialog with the scripture text. It has always struck me as strange that we talk more about teaching in emerging worship that preaching. I may be wrong but preaching tends to feel less interactive ( more big jug pouring to little mugs) than preaching. I really value the alt worship stuff especially what is coming out of the UK. But I wonder if we would fit their definition.
Video- Palm Sunday to Easter (Work of the People)
Song - Here I am to worship
Scripture reading - Matt 26:17-18Matt 26:17-18
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Jesus Eats the Passover Meal with His Disciples
17 On the first day of the Festival of Thin Bread, Jesus' disciples came to him and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal?”
18 Jesus told them to go to a certain man in the city and tell him, “Our teacher says, ‘My time has come! I want to eat the Passover meal with my disciples in your home.’ ”
Video
Scripture reading - John 13:3-15John 13:3-15
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
3 Jesus knew that he had come from God and would go back to God. He also knew that the Father had given him complete power.
4 So during the meal Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 He put some water into a large bowl. Then he began washing his disciples' feet and drying them with the towel he was wearing.
6 But when he came to Simon Peter, that disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered, “You don't really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied.
“If I don't wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don't really belong to me.”
9 Peter said, “Lord, don't wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.”
10 Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.”
11 Jesus knew who would betray him. That is why he said, “except for one of you.”
12 . After Jesus had washed his disciples' feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again. o sat down again: On special occasions the Jewish people followed the Greek and Roman custom of lying down on their left side and leaning on their left elbow, while eating with their right hand. Then he said:
Do you understand what I have done?
13 You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am.
14 And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other.
15 I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you.
Video - Foot washing (Highway Video)
Song O the deep deep love of Jesus (arrangement by Reformed University Fellowship)
Scripture reading - Matt 20, 26-28Matt 20, 26-28
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
26 ; ; . But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others.
27 And if you want to be first, you must be the slave of the rest.
28 The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue x rescue: The Greek word often, though not always, means the payment of a price to free a slave or a prisoner. many people.
Communion - by intinction (rip & dip) in a circle
Scripture reading - Matt 26:36-46Matt 26:36-46
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Jesus Prays
36 Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. When they got there, he told them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37 Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, James and John. z the two brothers, James and John: The Greek text has “the two sons of Zebedee” . He was very sad and troubled,
38 and he said to them, “I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me.”
39 Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, don't make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. a having me drink from this cup: In the Scriptures “to drink from a cup” sometimes means to suffer . But do what you want, and not what I want.”
40 He came back and found his disciples sleeping. So he said to Peter, “Can't any of you stay awake with me for just one hour?
41 Stay awake and pray that you won't be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak.”
42 Again Jesus went to pray and said, “My Father, if there is no other way, and I must suffer, I will still do what you want.”
43 Jesus came back and found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open.
44 He left them and prayed the same prayer once more.
45 Finally, Jesus returned to his disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? b Are you still sleeping and resting?: Or “You may as well keep on sleeping and resting.” The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners.
46 Get up! Let's go. The one who will betray me is already here.”
Video clip - Gethsemane (Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ)
Scripture reading - Matt 26:57-68Matt 26:57-68
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Jesus Is Questioned by the Council
57 After Jesus had been arrested, he was led off to the house of Caiaphas the high priest. The nation's leaders and the teachers of the Law of Moses were meeting there.
58 But Peter followed along at a distance and came to the courtyard of the high priest's palace. He went in and sat down with the guards to see what was going to happen.
59 The chief priests and the whole council wanted to put Jesus to death. So they tried to find some people who would tell lies about him in court. e some people who would tell lies about him in court: The Law of Moses taught that two witnesses were necessary before a person could be put to death .
60 But they could not find any, even though many did come and tell lies. At last, two men came forward
61 . and said, “This man claimed that he would tear down God's temple and build it again in three days.”
62 The high priest stood up and asked Jesus, “Why don't you say something in your own defense? Don't you hear the charges they are making against you?”
63 But Jesus did not answer. So the high priest said, “With the living God looking on, you must tell the truth. Tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” f Son of God: One of the titles used for the kings of Israel.
64 . “That is what you say!” Jesus answered. “But I tell all of you,
‘Soon you will see
the Son of Man
sitting at the right side g right side: See the note at .
of God All-Powerful
and coming on the clouds
of heaven.’ ”
65 . The high priest then tore his robe and said, “This man claims to be God! We don't need any more witnesses! You have heard what he said.
66 What do you think?”
They answered, “He is guilty and deserves to die!”
67 . Then they spit in his face and hit him with their fists. Others slapped him
68 and said, “You think you are the Messiah! So tell us who hit you!”
O Sacred head Now wounded (arrangement by Reformed University Fellowship)
Scripture reading - Matt 26:69-75Matt 26:69-75
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Peter Says He Doesn't Know Jesus
69 While Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, a servant girl came up to him and said, “You were with Jesus from Galilee.”
70 But in front of everyone Peter said, “That isn't so! I don't know what you are talking about!”
71 When Peter had gone out to the gate, another servant girl saw him and said to some people there, “This man was with Jesus from Nazareth.”
72 Again Peter denied it, and this time he swore, “I don't even know that man!”
73 A little while later some people standing there walked over to Peter and said, “We know that you are one of them. We can tell it because you talk like someone from Galilee.”
74 Peter began to curse and swear, “I don't know that man!”
Right then a rooster crowed,
75 and Peter remembered that Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me.” Then Peter went out and cried hard.
Video clip - Peter’s denial (Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ)
Scripture reading - Matt 27:1-10Matt 27:1-10
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Jesus Is Taken to Pilate
27
1 Early the next morning all the chief priests and the nation's leaders met and decided that Jesus should be put to death.
2 They tied him up and led him away to Pilate the governor.
The Death of Judas
3 . Judas had betrayed Jesus, but when he learned that Jesus had been sentenced to death, he was sorry for what he had done. He returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and leaders
4 and said, “I have sinned by betraying a man who has never done anything wrong.”
“So what? That's your problem,” they replied.
5 Judas threw the money into the temple and then went out and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the money and said, “This money was paid to have a man killed. We can't put it in the temple treasury.”
7 Then they had a meeting and decided to buy a field that belonged to someone who made clay pots. They wanted to use it as a graveyard for foreigners.
8 That's why people still call that place “Field of Blood.”
9 . So the words of the prophet Jeremiah came true,
“They took
the thirty silver coins,
the price of a person
among the people of Israel.
10 They paid it
for a potter's field, h a potter's field: Perhaps a field owned by someone who made clay pots. But it may have been a field where potters came to get clay or to make pots or to throw away their broken pieces of pottery.
as the Lord
had commanded me.”
Video - Passion Flash - the passion story, arrest to Pilate told hip hop style(Highway video )
Scripture reading - Matt 27:11-14Matt 27:11-14
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Pilate Questions Jesus
11 Jesus was brought before Pilate the governor, who asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Those are your words!” Jesus answered.
12 And when the chief priests and leaders brought their charges against him, he did not say a thing.
13 Pilate asked him, “Don't you hear what crimes they say you have done?”
14 But Jesus did not say anything, and the governor was greatly amazed.
Video -
Scripture reading - Luke 23:1-12Luke 23:1-12
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Pilate Questions Jesus
23
1 Everyone in the council got up and led Jesus off to Pilate.
2 They started accusing him and said, “We caught this man trying to get our people to riot and to stop paying taxes to the Emperor. He also claims that he is the Messiah, our king.”
3 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Those are your words,” Jesus answered.
4 Pilate told the chief priests and the crowd, “I don't find him guilty of anything.”
5 But they all kept on saying, “He has been teaching and causing trouble all over Judea. He started in Galilee and has now come all the way here.”
Jesus Is Brought before Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked, “Is this man from Galilee?”
7 After Pilate learned that Jesus came from the region ruled by Herod, i Herod: Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great. he sent him to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time.
8 For a long time Herod had wanted to see Jesus and was very happy because he finally had this chance. He had heard many things about Jesus and hoped to see him work a miracle.
9 Herod asked him a lot of questions, but Jesus did not answer.
10 Then the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses stood up and accused him of all kinds of bad things.
11 Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus and insulted him. They put a fine robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.
12 That same day Herod and Pilate became friends, even though they had been enemies before this.
Scripture reading - Matt 27:15-26Matt 27:15-26
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
The Death Sentence
15 During Passover the governor always freed a prisoner chosen by the people.
16 At that time a well-known terrorist named Jesus Barabbas i Jesus Barabbas: Here and in verse 17 many manuscripts have “Barabbas.” was in jail.
17 So when the crowd came together, Pilate asked them, “Which prisoner do you want me to set free? Do you want Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
18 Pilate knew that the leaders had brought Jesus to him because they were jealous.
19 While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Don't have anything to do with that innocent man. I have had nightmares because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the leaders convinced the crowds to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed.
21 Pilate asked the crowd again, “Which of these two men do you want me to set free?”
“Barabbas!” they replied.
22 Pilate asked them, “What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?”
They all yelled, “Nail him to a cross!”
23 Pilate answered, “But what crime has he done?”
“Nail him to a cross!” they yelled even louder.
24 Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do and that the people were starting to riot. So he took some water and washed his hands j washed his hands: To show that he was innocent. in front of them and said, “I won't have anything to do with killing this man. You are the ones doing it!”
25 Everyone answered, “We and our own families will take the blame for his death!”
26 Pilate set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.
Song Were you there (Traditional gospel)
Scripture reading - Matt 27:27-32Matt 27:27-32
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus
27 The governor's soldiers led Jesus into the fortress k fortress: The place where the Roman governor stayed. It was probably at Herod's palace west of Jerusalem, though it may have been Fortress Antonia north of the temple, where the Roman troops were stationed. and brought together the rest of the troops.
28 They stripped off Jesus' clothes and put a scarlet robe l scarlet robe: This was probably a Roman soldier's robe. on him.
29 They made a crown out of thorn branches and placed it on his head, and they put a stick in his right hand. The soldiers knelt down and pretended to worship him. They made fun of him and shouted, “Hey, you king of the Jews!”
30 Then they spit on him. They took the stick from him and beat him on the head with it.
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross
31 When the soldiers had finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the robe. They put his own clothes back on him and led him off to be nailed to a cross.
32 On the way they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross.
Video -
Scripture reading - Matt 27:33-49Matt 27:33-49
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
33 They came to a place named Golgotha, which means “Place of a Skull.” m Place of a Skull: The place was probably given this name because it was near a large rock in the shape of a human skull.
34 . There they gave Jesus some wine mixed with a drug to ease the pain. But when Jesus tasted what it was, he refused to drink it.
35 . The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes.
36 Then they sat down to guard him.
37 Above his head they put a sign that told why he was nailed there. It read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
38 The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left.
39 ; People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and
40 ; . shouted, “So you're the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days! If you are God's Son, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
41 The chief priests, the leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses also made fun of Jesus. They said,
42 “He saved others, but he can't save himself. If he is the king of Israel, he should come down from the cross! Then we will believe him.
43 ; Ws He trusted God, so let God save him, if he wants to. He even said he was God's Son.”
44 The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus.
The Death of Jesus
45 At noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o'clock.
46 . Then about that time Jesus shouted, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” n Eli ... sabachthani: These words are in Hebrew. which means, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?”
47 Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, “He's calling for Elijah.” o Elijah: In Aramaic the name “Elijah” sounds like “Eli,” which means “my God.”
48 . One of them at once ran and grabbed a sponge. He soaked it in wine, then put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus.
49 Others said, “Wait! Let's see if Elijah will come p Elijah will come: See the note at . and save him.”
Video -
Scripture reading - Matt 27:50-56Matt 27:50-56
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
50 Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died.
51 At once the curtain in the temple q curtain in the temple: There were two curtains in the temple. One was at the entrance, and the other separated the holy place from the most holy place that the Jewish people thought of as God's home on earth. The second curtain is probably the one that is meant. was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart.
52 Graves opened, and many of God's people were raised to life.
53 Then after Jesus had risen to life, they came out of their graves and went into the holy city, where they were seen by many people.
54 The officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw everything else that happened. They were frightened and said, “This man really was God's Son!”
55 . Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to him, and they were there, looking on at a distance.
56 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John r of James and John: The Greek text has “of Zebedee's sons” . were some of these women.
Song - Wonderful cross (arrangement Chris Tomlin)
Video - It’s Friday but Sunday’s coming - Igniter Media
The worship space was created with chairs setup in a u shape on top of the labyrinth lit mostly by candles with enough light for reading. All scripture was read by those participating in worship from around the room. We celebrated communion by gathering in a circle and passing the cup to each other.
That is one example of our ultra-emergent, contextual, missional multi-sensory worship.
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