Dear Congregation,
I do hope all is well with you! We are now past Memorial Day and, although the first official day of summer is June 20th, it feels like summer already here in Florida’s heat!
One of the things that happens in churches in the summer is that worship attendance goes down as people travel, and/or here in FL, snowbirds return north. What I’d like to bring to your attention is my belief that it matters if you are in worship. It matters for you. It matters for those others who are present in the Sanctuary. It matters for the present and future of the church. It matters to me. And most importantly, it matters to God.
Worship is defined as “the work of the people”. That means our “job” as members and friends of a church is to be fully present on a Sunday with our minds, our hearts, and our attention. We are called to join each other in song, prayer, responsive liturgies, and communion. We are called to listen attentively to scripture, and share our joys and concerns, and when we do, worship happens. I think that most people have experienced the difference it makes when only a few people sit in an almost empty Sanctuary versus the spirit that is present when pews are full.
Why do we worship? Why do we make it a priority? We worship because we are grateful to God for our very lives. We worship because we realize that our spirits are empty and we long to be filled with God’s peace. We worship for many reasons that change over time as we experience the challenges of life. God created us to worship.
And so, I hope and pray that I will see you in worship on Sunday. Your presence matters. When you are absent something is missing, and our worship is poorer as a result.
In the words of Brian Doerksen’s hymn,
“Come, now is the time to worship.
Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come just as you are to worship
Come just as you are before your God
Come.”
In Christ’s love,
Pastor Candy