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(This post was written prior to 2016, in a blog entitled “Jubal’s Jottings.”)
I can hear the gasp now…LITURGY! That’s the sort of reaction I was conditioned to have when hearing the word earlier in life…LITURGY! I do find that at this point in life some liturgy in the context of public, corporate worship is very nice…solid, substantial, affirming. Why are some so afraid of the term? After all, the word liturgy comes from a perfectly good Greek word – leitourgia. One of it’s original meanings was that of the “work, or service, of the people” – as in public service, helping people, ministry to others. The things you did for the benefit and good of others was leitourgia. What’s wrong with that? It didn’t have anything to do with corporate worship. However, once the meaning of leitourgia did come inside the walls of the church, it was attached to the “work, or service, of the people” toward God – a ministry of service directed toward God. What could be possibly wrong with that?
I do know the reason for my earlier conditioned response. The presupposition was that liturgy was equal to words like rote, stale, or “vain repetitions.” While those could all be true of liturgy, I think it could be honestly said that my “free” church foundations were equally predictable, with maybe a small amount of lessened creativity, and a dash of pride, perhaps. And, it was a limited view of what liturgy is and has been meant to be. So, perhaps we should try going back to leitourgia as our model of worship in action. What does that mean? Well, perhaps reminding ourselves that what we do in corporate worship is a ministry of service by the people focused on God – regardless of style issues. It may ALSO mean – get ready – that our worship needs to take place as leitourgia OUTSIDE the walls of the church – serving, as worship, the community in which you live and serve – doing it as unto the Lord! Maybe that’s what liturgy was always intended to be – an inside out purpose and function.
Jubal, did you have liturgy?