reede, oktoober 29, 2004
Worship
Chris and I spent the last two days at a workshop on worship called "Lifted High" held at the Baptist church down the street. It has been the kind of event that makes me love it here in Estonia. The people who attended were from all over the country, and the worship band was from Latvia, which meant that they did not speak Estonian. So during the times we sang worship songs, it was done in English. It is the kind of cultural mesh that happens here all the time, and the people make it work. The music workshop I was a part of is another good example: it was taught by a Latvian Christian Russian-speaking Jew, and so again we had a blending of cultures with the class, which was taught in English, the language most of us had in common (except one participant, who speaks Estonian and Russian, but not English, and so needed translation). We in the class were different enough that we had to work together to make it happen, but it did and we had a blast.
That to me was a great example of worship is all about in the context of the Church (big "C"). When we go to a church for worship, we bring who we are with us, and that blends with those around us to become an expression of praise to God. Worship in the congregational setting works when we make allowances for our differences and join together through the things we have in common. The concept of worship has been rather controversial in the Church lately, mostly because of the introduction of contemporary music alongside (or at times in place of) hymns. When people talk about how they like or don't like the worship in their church, they usually mean the music. But this workshop, although it was centered on music, demonstrated that worship is about the hearts of the people who are joining together. If the focus is on God, worship will take place because it is about our relationship with Him, both individually and corporately.
Now what, you may ask, was I doing in a bass guitar clinic. Well, some of you may know that I have toyed with that instrument off and on for the last 25 years, but I never was taught how to play it or read music, I always play by ear. But since we hope to have a worship music band in our new corps, it seemed appropriate that I give this a shot. I was intimidated because I have no musical background, but Evelyn encouraged me to try it anyway, and I'm glad I did. Although the key lesson I learned was something I already knew (to play well, I need to practice a lot and learn which fret is which note), it was fun to play the bass again (I brought mine with me from the States, although I don't have an amp) and to see how a real musician can make it sound.
Chris was part of the drum workshop. He took drum lessons at the Chester Corps and was working on drumming on his own before we came here, but hadn't done anything with it since we came here. He told me that he tried to do the things he had done easily before, but kept having problems. Like me, he needs practice. But he enjoyed being with what we were told is one of the best drummers in Estonia, and he is already thinking about how he can get a drum set so he can play at the corps.
Chris and I both offered what we had, which didn't feel like much because we were so out of practice. We do that in worship, too: offering God what we have, but He always accepts what we have to offer. He accepts the sour notes from my bass as well as the sour notes in my life, as long as I give it to Him. That is why He is deserving of worship.
--Tim
That to me was a great example of worship is all about in the context of the Church (big "C"). When we go to a church for worship, we bring who we are with us, and that blends with those around us to become an expression of praise to God. Worship in the congregational setting works when we make allowances for our differences and join together through the things we have in common. The concept of worship has been rather controversial in the Church lately, mostly because of the introduction of contemporary music alongside (or at times in place of) hymns. When people talk about how they like or don't like the worship in their church, they usually mean the music. But this workshop, although it was centered on music, demonstrated that worship is about the hearts of the people who are joining together. If the focus is on God, worship will take place because it is about our relationship with Him, both individually and corporately.
Now what, you may ask, was I doing in a bass guitar clinic. Well, some of you may know that I have toyed with that instrument off and on for the last 25 years, but I never was taught how to play it or read music, I always play by ear. But since we hope to have a worship music band in our new corps, it seemed appropriate that I give this a shot. I was intimidated because I have no musical background, but Evelyn encouraged me to try it anyway, and I'm glad I did. Although the key lesson I learned was something I already knew (to play well, I need to practice a lot and learn which fret is which note), it was fun to play the bass again (I brought mine with me from the States, although I don't have an amp) and to see how a real musician can make it sound.
Chris was part of the drum workshop. He took drum lessons at the Chester Corps and was working on drumming on his own before we came here, but hadn't done anything with it since we came here. He told me that he tried to do the things he had done easily before, but kept having problems. Like me, he needs practice. But he enjoyed being with what we were told is one of the best drummers in Estonia, and he is already thinking about how he can get a drum set so he can play at the corps.
Chris and I both offered what we had, which didn't feel like much because we were so out of practice. We do that in worship, too: offering God what we have, but He always accepts what we have to offer. He accepts the sour notes from my bass as well as the sour notes in my life, as long as I give it to Him. That is why He is deserving of worship.
--Tim
