For Sunday, October 6, 2024
Aloha, Keawalaʻi ‘ohana,
Q: What is worship?
A: Worship is the embodiment of an ongoing conversation between God and humanity.
Our UCC Book of Worship reveals a liturgy which is decidedly Protestant in its orientation, centering the Word of God. Theologically, Congregationalists are the Reformed tradition, descendants of Puritans and Pilgrims who became New England Calvinists! (We keep a copy of the UCC Book of Worship in the office, for those who may be interested.)
As Congregationalists in the Reformed tradition, our worship follows a fourfold pattern:
I. E ‘ĀKOAKOA NEI KĀKOU NO KA HO‘OMANA I KE AKUA
(We Gather to Worship God)
II. E HO‘OLONO KĀKOU I KA ‘ŌLELO A KA HAKU
(We Hear the Word of God)
III. E PANE KĀKOU IĀ IA A HO‘OMAIKA‘I
(We Respond and Give Thanks to God)
IV. E HO‘OKU‘U KĀKOU NO KA LAWELAWE PO‘OKELA
(We Disperse to Serve the World)
Because modern people are widely scattered, leading disparate lives, The Gathering at the opening of worship is especially important. Congregations vary on how they do this, but “The Gathering,” involves all the people who will worship—clergy and congregation– coming from their distinct places in the world’s topography to gather together to worship a common God. People move from their separate lives to a place of corporate worship, from being not-a-congregation into being a congregation.
Looking at this deeper, a gathered community is an odd thing. Almost every congregation includes an unusual mix of people. Almost every congregation has a measure of diversity—just look around and imagine the different places from which we all come on any given Sunday. Congregations are not clubs or social cliques, they are microcosms of God’s society, small mirrors reflecting the diverse humanity that God has called together.
Outside of worship, you may barely know some of these people; some you may not know at all. Some of these folks may be forty years older or younger than you. Some you may know outside of worship, but perhaps the relationship is not great. We are an odd bunch in worship, ambiguities joined shoulder to shoulder in worship.
But in worship we are invited to look at this gathering with new eyes. We are reminded in worship that we did not gather these people, God did! It wasn’t our idea to pull together such an unlikely lot; it was God’s idea, and now we are summoned to see everyone present as a brother or sister in faith. As if that were not enough of a stretch, I am even invited to see this gaggle of humanity as the beloved ‘ohana of God, created in the image and likeness of God, a royal priesthood, citizens of a holy nation, while bearing in mind that they are at the same time just like me, flawed, broken, and grappling with the same human problems.
Worship trains us to have this double vision about other people, to see people, including ourselves, as flawed and broken, but also as created, chosen, and beloved by God. Such vision takes practice, and that is why we gather every week. We cannot get this sort of vision, cannot maintain this sort of vision, through a onetime “mountaintop peak experience.” It takes training, repetition, and practice. So, every week we come to worship and have the gathering moment.
In this sense, worship may be the most ethical thing we do all week! Worship gives us a vision of a fuller and richer way of life in the world. This ennobled view of humanity pushes us toward a richer, more faithful, more inclusive, and more just form of worship.
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The Call to Worship is announced—“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song!” – and what is this but a shout across the chasm from a God who wishes to engage us in holy conversation? A word from beyond intrudes into our world of everyday speech, summoning us to a new and urgent dialogue. “Holy, Holy, Holy” sings the congregation, and what is this but an awestruck response to this disruption? “We have wandered from your ways like lost sheep,” the people pray, and what is this but an honest outpouring to God of all human guilt and shame, truthful admission of the shadows that fall across our lives? “Go in peace, your sins are forgiven,” intones the worship leader. What is this if not God’s own response to our repentance? Back and forth the words of worship are woven, weaving the subtle fabric of the relationship between God and humanity.
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As part of our Gathering this Sunday, we are delighted to have Auntie Fran Aarona in worship with us this Sunday as Liturgist. In lieu of our usual “Invitation to Discipleship,” Auntie Fran will bring a word to us about the significance and importance of Ke Aloha O Ka Haku, which translates to “The Lord’s Mercy” but is more commonly known as “The Queen’s Prayer.” The Queen’s Prayer will become a regular feature of our liturgy. We will sing it in ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i, but an English translation will be provided in the bulletin, along with this historical note:
The Queen’s Prayer (originally titled Ke Aloha O Ka Haku, which translates as The Lord’s Mercy) is a song written by the last Queen of Hawaii, Queen Lili’uokalani, in 1895 as she sat imprisoned in ‘Iolani Palace by the US-backed republican government which overthrew her in a coup d’etat two years prior, in 1893.
In this Sunday’s sermon, “Testimony, Part Two: We See Jesus,” I will share some additional thoughts about the role of The Queen’s Prayer in our worship at Keawala’i, and why the Deacons, our Choir Director Thomas Goedecke, and I were excited to include it in our weekly liturgy.
We are also indebted to Thomas for bringing to our attention the wonderful Hawaiian closing song to worship, “Himeni Hope,” which will be played and sung as our Postlude this Sunday. So, the last thing you will hear as you gather your things and leave the hale pule is the sound of this beautiful Hawaiian song resonating in your spirit!
I’m excited about worship this Sunday, and every Sunday! Whether you worship with us on site or via livestream or at some point later in the week, we pray that God will accompany you in all your comings and goings, and that you will be inspired in your journey of faith.
This Sunday is World Communion Sunday. If you are worshipping from home, please remember to have a piece of bread and a bit of juice nearby, so that you can join with the whole gathered community in the sharing of Holy Communion.
See you in church!
Me ke aloha pumehana,
Kahu Gary Percesepe