God’s Time Part 1: Church History and Worship

Give out Ed Phillip’s chart of patterns

  1. Hebrew/Jewish Worship

Covenant – offerings – animal sacrifices – Temple worship – Synagogues

Refuting the Empire - Creation is peaceful and good – abundance, blessing, shalom

Sabbath – food laws – set apart from domination culture – persecuted – getting caught up in the spiral

  1. Early Church –goal – re-creation – 8th Day, Day of Resurrection – Body of Christ participating in the work of God
  2. small, in homes, largely lay led, simple singing, praying, scripture, preaching, communion, baptisms (UniversalCore) – Christians were a minority often under persecution – Period ends with Constantine.
  1. Christendom – Dark Ages - Medieval Church – Constantine 313 - church now aligned with State. Holy Roman Empire with Pope and Emperor = richer;church buildings bigger and more elaborate – special clothing and paraments, fancy choirs, worship not uniform. Creeds, Bible canonized, territory divided into parishes and dioceses of the one church.
  2. Forced Baptisms
  3. Rise of Monasticism
  4. Benedict- Daily Prayer
  5. Franciscans
  6. Jesuites
  7. Fear – Superstition – Latin - Clericalism
  8. Sacrament over Word
  9. Oppression – indulgences
  1. Eastern Church - Rise of Islam
  1. Reformation - back to basics
  2. Luther
  3. Calvin
  4. Other Reformers – Anabaptists, Huguenots, Mennonites, Moravians
  5. Looked to Isaiah 6 - Praise, confession, absolution, scripture and preaching, response (altar call), sending forth (intended for Communion but often diminished) Focus on Word - God’s word read and proclaimed in the language of the people, participation of the people in worship, simplified music – texts meant to teach theology, everything scripturally based. Worship judged by what scripture offered as a model.
  6. Word over Sacrament
  7. Counter Reformation (entrenched – Council of Trent – Printing Press – Standardized RC worship – sacraments over word)
  8. War -Fractured Christendom
  9. Enlightenment
  10. Modern Theology
  1. Anglican church/BCP– Henry VIII – Mary – Elizabeth I
  2. Arch Bishop of Canterbury – Thomas Cranmer - attempt to blend Catholic and Protestant – focus on word and sacraments
  3. Dissenters – Wesley’s grandparents – Pilgrims - Puritans
  4. Methodist Society- Revival of the Church of England – Holy Club – Whitfield and field preaching, class meetings and circuit riders, lay preachers
  1. American Colonies
  1. Puritans/Congregational

Congregational Autonomy – hire own preacher – “Elders” have authority in each congregation - no bishops

Still in a Christendom mindset: Each town had to have a Church and meeting house – located on the Common in the center of town – considered the Parish Church

Each property owner had to pay taxes to support the church and the clergyman.

Later, dissenters had to provide proof that they were a member of another church to get out of paying taxes.

Violent force used against “sinners” – Scarlet Letter – Salem witch trials – Roger Williams

Ended in 1818 – CT; 1819 – NH; 1833 - MA

  1. Methodist Episcopal Church
  2. Methodist Immigrants – Philip Embery, Barbara Heck
  3. Circuit Riders – forming Societies – Francis Asbury - DelMarVa
  4. Revival/Pentecostal Patterns developed – African influence – music, rhythm, circles, call and response, “shout”
  5. Methodist Born Preachers – didn’t know Anglican Worship
  6. Revolution – ordination – sacraments – baptism, communion, weddings, funerals

Christmas Conference – Methodist Book of Worship - Wesley took worship from the BCP – though simplified a bit more for American use – Americans further simplified out of necessity and preference after Wesley died – Revival Pattern. Communion reduced from weekly to Quarterly.

  1. Methodism in New England – theology between Congregational and UU

Violence of predestination – no urgency in Universalism – nothing to flee from – no defining story in Universalism – Habits of the Heart – Sheilaism – lack of community

  1. Methodism Splits - Black Church – Wesleyans – Adventists – Nazarenes – Pentecostals

Retain revival patterns of worship

  1. Sunday School Movement
  2. Goal - Education – read Bible – Christian Character
  3. Character – education – moral – be like role models – Golden Rule
  4. Opening exercises, devotional reading, theme of the day, program, announcements, dismissal to class - Pittsboro
  1. Prosperity, Modern Theology andAesthetics
  2. Goal – Cultural enhancement
  3. Character – aesthetic excellence – established – solid – Christendom - respectable
  4. Reaction against revival pattern – too subjective - childish
  5. Objective – art, pipe organ, procession, paraments, robes
  6. Anglican Prayer book
  7. Introit, collect, lessons, offertory, sermon, classical music/hymns
  8. Modern Theology – privileging seminary trained clergy: The Minister
  1. Vatican 2 – 1960s – basically said that Luther was right – participation and understanding of the people in worship is important, word of God is as important as the sacrament, acculturation (language, music, art should be in the “heart language” of the people), priest face congregation for communion. CCD, Christian Initiation “Full, active and conscious.”
  1. World Council of Churches and Liturgical Renewal – influence of Vatican 2 documents on Protestant churches – Order of St. Luke, our current hymnal, By Water and the Spirit, This Holy Mystery – Prayers of Thanksgiving in BW to foster desire for Communion when not having it.

Interlude

Chronos – Enlightenment concept – every minute the same as every other – “running out of time” late – focused on death – deadlines. Used by Domination powers to judge winners and losers. Regret past – fear of the future. Heaven and hell are reward or punishment after death.

Kairos – Eternity - God’s Time breaking in to our reality – Kingdom of God very near – kything with the communion of Saints. Being fully present in the presence of God. All shall is well. Gratitude. Aim of prayer and worship is to have kairos moments

God’s Time Part 2: The Theology of the Christian Year

Hand out Calendars

BOW p. 224-444

Two cycles – focus on life and ministry of Jesus Christ

Christmas Cycle – Incarnation

Lent/Easter Cycle - Resurrection

Movable and fixed days

Note Colors p. 224

Lectionary –A Matthew; B Mark; C Luke (John) Text This Week

Sections – p. 238

UM Special Sundays p. 422 6 with offerings – more – NEAC - drawbacks

Logic of the Lectionary

Cover more scripture in three years (not returning only to preacher’s favorites)

Follows the Liturgical Year closely and supports it.

Focus on Christ’s life and ministry

Many resources available for worship planning, sermon help, children’s time

In harmony with other Christian churches (Episcopal, Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian…)

Repetition – people learn scripture

Note: You can find themes in blocks of lectionary texts – as UMC we are free to choose, shift – and create hybrids – (Girl Scout Sunday – Apostasy in Hebrews – Eucharistic Theology)

Drawbacks

Not all scripture is included – i.e. texts of terror

Not always conducive for a sermon series

May not fit the current needs of congregational experience