Why I Love Worship

This is a completely unsolicited article written only because something nudged me to write it. I recently read a summary of a Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) podcast, found myself strongly resonating with many of the things the podcast guest was quoted as saying, and thought, "I should write about why I love worship." So...here goes!

I believe worship is THE most important thing Christians do. The preface to the Directory for Worship (DfW, found in the Book of Order) says, "...the faith, life, and worship of the Church are inseparable." It is worship that draws us, as members and friends of First Presbyterian Church (FPC), all together in one place at one time. It is that hour in worship that comforts us (if we need comforting), convicts us (if that's what we need), inspires us (and don't we all need that?). And it is that hour in worship that prepares us to go out into our weekly lives to live, as best we can, as God would like us to live.

As the very first paragraph of the DfW states: "Christian worship gives all glory and honor, praise and thanksgiving to the holy, triune God. We are gathered in worship to glorify the God who is present and active among us—particularly through the gifts of Word and Sacrament. We are sent out in service to glorify the same God who is present and active in the world." (W-1.0101)

So...worship is important. But why do I love it?

The podcast guest, Rev. Dr. Ron Byars (retired pastor and Professor Emeritus of Preaching and Worship at Union Theological Seminary), said this: "When I became a pastor, it became even more important for me to think, what is the nature of this kind of assembly that we're having? It's not a classroom. It's not a place for entertainment, although there are overlaps in that. What's it all about? That's where my focus began to develop."

That hits on part of what I love—we do learn in worship, and there is a drama in the order of worship that can feel somewhat like entertainment. But worship is different; worship is unique. Our focus is not on the preacher or the choir or any of the worship leaders; our focus is on God. And everything we do in worship is communal. We say the Call to Worship together, we confess our sins together, we receive the promise of forgiveness together, we sing together, we receive communion together, and we promise to care for each other together (in prayers and in baptism). It is us—a community, a family, a church—doing the one thing that we all do together.

You might think that the music is the part of worship I like best. Honestly, that's probably accurate. I personally worship best through music. When the choir sings, I am (most often—I'm not perfect!) thinking of the words, hoping they are reaching the rest of the congregation, praying they and the music are pleasing to God.

Equally, though, I love the congregational singing. When I'm part of a congregation lustily singing a wonderful hymn with beautiful, meaningful words—that's my best worship! That's why many times over my life I've said to people, "Just sing! Don't worry if you're on the right notes or whatever! The Psalm says, 'Make a joyful noise to the Lord'; it doesn't say, 'Sing only if you can sing on pitch!'"

I don't remember which church we belonged to where we had a pastor who was not a great singer. But during congregational singing, he did NOT turn off his microphone; he sang full-bore! And I loved it!

But nearly equal to singing together in worship is just being together in worship. Seeing so many people I know, and some I don't, coming together for one essential reason.

As Rev. Dr. Byars said on the podcast, in worship, "there's the sense that I'm in a larger world, not a smaller world, not a narrow world. I feel I am in this great assembly far beyond anything in my own hands. I don't know why that matters, but it matters some way, somehow, that I'm connected to that with these people seated with me, some whom I know and some I do not know."

I have worshiped via livestream—when weather or illness made that the best option—and I'm very glad we have that option at FPC! But for me, that can never replace being there in person. Again quoting Byars: "If you can find a way to be there [in person], it matters. It feels different. Our hope is not just in going to heaven one by one. Our hope is in this gathering from north and south, east and west, at table in the kingdom of heaven."

Gathering in community is important!

This is not in any way to minimize our gathering in small groups, our working on mission projects together or by ourselves, our gathering in fellowship, or our personal study and prayer. All of this is vital to our life as Christians.

But worship is the place where we meet God with our sisters and brothers, sing and pray together, listen to the Word, and then go out ready to serve God. And for me, that makes worship so important—and that's why I love worship.