Small Groups -- Half-Way Through?

We are at the mid-way point with our "Awakening the Heart" Small Group program at First Congregregational UCC.  Between 60 and 70 people are taking part in the program with 7 groups meeting on a regular basis.  This is a vital time for our church as people deepen their faith and begin to experience new ways in being the Church in the 21st Century.  I have a few reflections I'd like to share with you as I make a report here at the half-way point.

1. Cultivating a Culture of Transformation. Through small groups, our members have begun to appreciate the church as a place for transformation:  of self, community and for society. As people have shared their spiritual life and experiences in the small group setting, they they have found their hearts warmed and opening to others -- some for the first time in 40+ years of church experience. The successful church in the 21st Century is attentive to the spirit present in people's lives and spiritual community.  In our particular context this happens best in small groups.  
2. On Sabbatical.  During our small group process the boards of our church have been on Sabbatical.  We have been asking folks to attend to their spiritual lives and to the spiritual life of our community -- not the business of being the church.  This has been a wonderful success.  We have been wonderfully surprised as God has carried the life of our congregation as we have enjoyed Sabbath Time. 
   
3. Ideas about Prayer.  In our small groups people have had their conceptions concerning prayer challenged and opened up.  People have become familiar with "listening prayer," a prayer of open heart and mind, silent rather than chatty, welcoming of God's spirit.  Also, as the groups have spoken about prayer they have found that everyday actions performed "prayerfully" serve to open folks up to the ever present reality of God-with-us/God-in-us. On another note, one group found themselves de-emphasizing the notion of "praying for"others, substituting the notion of "praying with" others
4. Theology.  The elephant in the room for our small group experience is that the theology of the book that we are using as a guide to our discussion is more conservative than that of many of the small group participants. In most groups this particular elephant has been recognized, called out, and acknowledged, the conversation flowing freely from where people are rather than where the book might place them. The theology of "Unbinding the Gospel" has not been a great impediment to our discussions. 
5. Each Group -- a Life of Its Own.  Each group has taken up its own life, regulating itself so that all have an opportunity to participate in the discussion as the life of the group evolves.  In this way, no two groups look exactly the same as each group becomes a community of transformation for the persons present in that group. 
6. Leadership has been Excellent. Small group leaders have met regularly over the course of the small group experience.  All speak of the personal gratification and hope for the church that is their's in participating in the small group process.  They are excited as they experience growth, personal and communal, in their small group. 
7. Worship Attendance Consistent.  As we have navigated the small group program, worship attendance has been consistent for both servcies -- during a time of the year where historically worship attendance is low.  With our small groups we have seen a strengthening of the larger church community.  As spiritual lives have been deepened through small groups, the spiritual life of the broader FCUCCSR community has been strengthened.
   
8. What's Next?  What will happen to small groups in the church once this series ends?  Good question.  We will talk about this is in our small groups and among the leaders of the small groups. And we will keep you posted.  
9. And a reminder: June 21st, Small Group Invite a Friend Picnic Sunday.  On June 21st our 10:30 am worship will be held in our church parking lot.  A potluck lunch will be enjoyed after worship.  Highlights:  Trad Jazz, Ray Walker's Dixieland Jazz Group will provide music for worship.  Also, West African Drumming and Dance with Adwoa Kudoto. 

So far, so good.  We are at the half way point.  So far our attention has focused on our own spiritual lives.  In the second half of the program we will shift towards thinking about our community at FCUCCSR and of how to "reach-out" to our neighbors and friends. As we have been challenged by our own definitions of spirituality and prayer, we will be challenged to think of new ways to be a transforming community -- a community that is as concerned about its neighbors as it is about itself.  These are times for stretching our life, in spirit and community.  

Blessings, 

David 

Saving Paradise: Reflections on the Eucharist (Communion)

Last weekend, Rita Nakashima Brock, co-author, along with Rebecca Parker, of the book "Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire visited with our congregation.  It was a marvelous, eye-opening two days.  We considered what a transformed/transforming church might look like as we come to a understanding of our spiritual community as Paradise on earth, a community steeped in the here and now reality of the Resurrected Christ. Since the weekend, I have been thinking a great deal about communion. 

Communion

The earliest Eucharists were celebrations of the abundance of life available to us in the Resurrected Christ.  These Eucharists focused not on the "night of his betrayal and desertion," or in memorializing Jesus' death, but rather were shaped by remembrances of  the signs of abundance present in the ministry and life of Jesus Christ.  In particular, many of these liturgies focused on Jesus' feeding of the 5000.   The earliest Christian liturgies were concerned with Paradise and eternity as it broke through into the world and into human life. The Eucharist was not a sharing in Christ's death. Rather, it was a remembrance of eternity as it breaks through in the here and now of human life, a life transformed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

As I learned of these ancient celebrations of the abundance of life I thought of our own communion service.  We celebrate communion every week at our 8:30 service and every month at our 10:30 service.  The order for those services follows the order handed down in the church over the last 1000 years.  It is a commemoration of the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples.  It is here that we remember the words "my body broken for you," and "this is my blood.' These are the  words not used in the earliest liturgies of the church, just the words used as the church shifted from its focus on the resurrected Christ to the dead Jesus.  In Saving Paradise, Brock and Parker suggest a return to the earliest liturgies.  What would this mean?

1. It would mean that the the Eucharist would not be a remembrance of "death, betrayal and desertion," but rather a celebration of the already present Paradise on earth opened by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  
2. It would mean that the words used to celebrate communion would be words of life, resurrection, abundance, courage in adversity, justice, peace and joy.  
3. It would mean that the communion might not be solely a bread and grape juice/wine communion. Rather, our communion might include other gifts/signs of abundance -- signs of God's immediate presence. 
4. It would mean that all the people would be welcome to bring gifts to the table.  God is abundantly gracious to all people -- all people bring gifts to the table.
5. There would be gifts left-over -- and we can't hold the gifts of God for ourselves.  We would share our abundance with the poor.  In this way we would open the table for all. 

Over the next weeks, the 8:30 service will be a "lab" for re-imagining/re-constructing our communion service.  People are invited to bring their gifts to the table, as we avail ourselves of the blessings of eternity sharing these blessings with all.  If you would like to help in this re-imagining come to church at 8:30 or stop me for a conversation.  

Blessings, 

David