Worship is more than singing

FROM OUR LEADERS

1 have a hard time taking the MyersBriggs and Kiersey personality tests because I'm not always sure how to answer many of the statements. My scores reveal that I am equally an extrovert and an introvert. This gets to be confusing at times. In new situations I tend to be an introvert, while I have learned to be an extrovert for my job. Most often the introvert side wins out in unfamiliar circumstances. This was one of those times.

Late last fall, I attended the Canadian youth workers conference in Vancouver, B.C., along with about 900 others involved in youth ministry from across Canada and across denominations. I must admit it was a bit overwhelming at times. There weren't many Mennonite Church Canada youth ministry types, at least not ones who I knew.

The event took place at the SheratonVancouver Wall Centre in downtown Vancouver. The cost for lodging was out of my price range, so I stayed at another hotel a few blocks away. This gave me opportunity to walk each day and reflect on the day's events.

Each day there were two general sessions up to two-and-a-half hours in length each. Each day's program listed the worship leader, speaker and special guest, so I was expecting this to be a time of worship. Don't get me wrong, there was lots of good stuff here and an emcee directed us to experience several different activities. There were announcements and reminders, fun draws, a variety of music and comedy performers, and the speaker with a sound message.

Somewhere in the midst of this time, the worship leader was asked to come forward to lead us in a time of worship-which amounted to 20 to 30 minutes of singing. This is where I got lost.

Why is it that some venues turn worship into primarily a time of singing with some Scripture reading and prayer perhaps slotted in between? Where does the message fit in? And what about other elements we usually include in our services?

How do people who are not interested in music worship God? A friend told me recently that the music-be it congregational or other-could be left out as far as he was concerned. He does not sing or necessarily enjoy listening to it. If only singing is considered to be worship, then how does he worship? What are we teaching our children and youths with this new form of worship? When are we challenged to live more Christ-like lives?

As you can see, I have more questions than answers, and will continue to struggle with this as we start planning the next MC Canada youth assembly, to be held in Toronto in 2009.

[Sidebar]

How do people who are not interested in music worship Cod?

[Author Affiliation]

Anna Rehan is the Mennonite Church Saskatchewan youth minister and the Youth Ministries facilitator for MC Canada.