Our fall worship series calls us to gather around the
Psalms. There’s 150 of them, of all
kinds and genres. We all know all of
some and some of many. We know more
verses from Psalms than we probably think we do. In
the introduction to his commentary on The
Psalms, Walter Brueggemann says:
When
people of faith gather around the Hebrew scriptures, the focus is often the
book of Psalms. This collection of songs
has powerfully influenced worship, theology, ethics, and piety for
centuries. The book continues to
influence contemporary readers with is eloquent poetic language, which
communicates directly to the life circumstances of contemporary readers…This
central biblical book continues to capture the imaginations of readers today as
they seek to pray and live faithfully. [Psalms,
Brueggemann & Bellenger NCBC].
More
than a Bible study, per se, what I invite you to is to live the Psalms with us
over the course of the series. The
worship moment - from the visuals you’ll find in the sanctuary (thanks to Brian
and Kayla Earwood), to the music, the liturgy, the prayers - the choral
selections, we are setting the space for us to live with and through these
ancient prayers and praises. Our aim is
to set the space where we can connect with these words in the context of our
lives here and now.
There
are six Psalms around which we’ll bring our focus. We are preparing a booklet containing all of
them (and a pdf version will be available for download), together with some
suggestions for daily prayers(including apps for download on your mobile device). We ask
that you commit to read the Psalm of the week each day.
Rather
than seek to cover the full range of the Psalms for the series, we sought Psalms
that speak to us out of which the homily will emerge.
Our
schedule is as follows:
September 7 Psalm 121 “I lift up my eyes to the
hills…”
September
14 Psalm 130 “Out of the depths I cry to
you O Lord…”
September
21 Psalm
51 “Have mercy on me, O Lord…”
September
28 Psalm 77 “I cry aloud to God…that he may hear me”
October 5 Psalm
133 “How very good it is when kindred live in unity together”
October 12 Psalm 47 “Clap your hands, all
you peoples….”
Of all the things about St. John’s for which we should be
most thankful – our servant ministry; our glad welcome of all God’s children
not regardless of who we are but precisely because of who we are, who we love,
the journey we’re taking; the loving spirit of our fellowship—we all need take
time to reflect in whose name we do what we do.
Each time we gather, we should pause and bear witness to the reality of
God’s presence in our midst. How have
we, how have you seen the “God moment” at St. John’s, in your daily walk?
