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Sunday Pc Gathering - Wwyd?


BillM

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Just for fun, if you could design a Progressive Christian Sunday morning gathering, what would it look like? What kinds of things would YOU incorporate? Music? Singing? Meditations? Sermons? Testimonies? Offerings? Hymns? Worship choruses? Public prayer? Painting? Poetry? Scripture reading? Bible study? Considering social issues? Religion studies? Coffee and cake? Readings from present/past PC authors or enlightened sages? Dance?

 

What would really work for you?

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Ok, Let me start by saying definitely coffee and cake :P

 

If I could design my perfect PC gathering, I would include lots of participation. Scripture readings but also readings of current writers, poets. Personal testimonies on people's struggles and ah hah moments, singing and music. Maybe a mix of rock, blues, jazz, bluegrass and some traditional hymns - anything to help move the spirit within.

 

And dramatic skits or video clips. For education, I'd include a multigenerational study and discussion of biblical themes and current writings.

 

And a time to organize for outreach projects. I'd love to see multigenerational projects, older leaders of the church working side by side, elbow to elbow with the youth. And more coffee and cake ...

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I think an opening prayer, that expresses something of why we gather, what we hope to seek and bring forth out of this gathering, such things as a sense of fellowship, of entering into this gathering as a time of seeking fuller/deeper faith and understandings, and ask spiritual guidance as we do so, and to take out into our lives as we leave here, and an expression of thanks, gratitude, for others here and our opportunity to gather and share this experience.

 

Music, singing, definitely, i think that is important to all of us, in moving into the state toward which we seek connected to why we are gathered here. I think music selection should be a very personal matter for each particular congregation, but also perhaps tailored at each gathering to what tone, direction of focus, is intended for that occasion.

 

The presentation of a theme, central or unifying idea for each occasion of gathering would seem to me most effective. How that is presented, through a sermon, readings of any kind, would be as both the members find perferable, and in tune with that theme itself.

 

There might be included a brief session of discussion related to the days' selected theme, and/or perhaps a time of sharing how it might personally relate to anyone's life, or this might be reserved for an afternoon session after the closing of the main service.

 

And, I think a time of sharing personal concerns, things any might be struggling with, that others may pray or otherwise simply express support, are relevant to developing and maintaining the sense of fellowship, in community, within the congregation.

 

Most of the other suggestions I think would be more appropriately take up in separate sessions, perhaps as some congregations do, in the afternoon, after lunch. some of those other matters might even be incorporated into a communal lunch gathering.

 

I do think sharing of food and beverage is conductive to fellowship. Though I do wish people would get out of the coffee and cake, and punch and cookies tradition...sweets present problems for a lot of people.

Jenell

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I would have an spiritual, education discourse followed by silence usually referred to as meditation, comteplation, or day dreaming. After the silence some sort of communal gathering either in music, poetry, discourse, dance, food or some other sort of jovial expression of the spirit. I feel the education and other activities should be open to the community so everyone learns from everyone.

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That's easy - because I've thought about it a lot:

 

First of all, it would be a in 4 parts, so people could attend the bits they in which they most wanted to participate:

 

1. music - PC music, traditional hymns, some classical

2. a prayer service, incorporating prayers that are PC - both shared (aloud) prayer and private (personal) prayer

3. a sharing - where people would share their thoughts on whatever the day's theme or topic was - in place of a traditional sermon

4. a community meal - probably a potluck

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