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Choreography

 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.
That is where the tribes go up—the tribes of the Lord— to praise the name of the Lord
    according to the statute given to Israel.
There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May those who love you be secure. May there be peace

within your walls and security within your citadels.”

For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.”

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity. (Psalm 122)

 

          Watching flocks of White Pelicans is entrancing. They swim in the same direction. Suddenly (but gracefully), some of them turn toward the others. They duck their heads under the water at the same time. They raise their heads out of the water at the same time. It’s synchronized swimming. It’s a choreographed dance. It is actually a good hunting technique, but it’s fascinating to watch.

          Worship feels like being part of that pelican flock. Stand up, sing along (and don’t forget to raise your hands …now… and lower them again)…turn around and repeat after the pastor…pray…sit down…stand up…. I understand what’s going on and I agree with at least part of it. That doesn’t make me like to participate in it.

          I rejoice with those who say, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” I just don’t rejoice over the church service. I love the social time outside of the service, and Sunday School - as an adult, I think I’ve always liked Sunday School. But I am starting to try to get into the habit of going to church instead of going home afterwards.

          But when the people ascended to Jerusalem, that was the purpose. They were going there to worship, celebrate, petition, and keep their vows. It connected them with God and with other people. And when the pastor says, “Turn to the person behind you and say,” he’s helping us learn not only how to interact with other people but that it’s OK to do so, even if the person is different. We live in a society that doesn’t seem to know how to be social except on the internet, so it’s a chance to practice.

          And as that thought wanders through, it brings another thought. What if all of the “garbage” that irritates me so much about church - all of the choreography - is not there to force everyone to be the same (which is the way some people use it and the reason some people hate it) but to expand our repertoire and give us a chance to experiment and practice?

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