the many faces of the happy dance...

Worship was very satisfying today: lovely and meaningful music of many styles (African chant, gospel, traditional English hymnody, contemporary Celtic folk and Sacred Harp), I had the chance to celebrate two baptisms - momma and baby son - and people were into the message and attentive. All in all, it was a blessing in which we sensed the presence of our Living God.

At the end of my message, I introduced "where the hell is Matt" and his happy dance - a totally goofy and fun body prayer - that I asked the congregation to learn. Not because I like making people do foolish things - I am NOT trapped in the 70s - but because it will serve two purposes in our renewal.

First, a few of us have pooled a little mission money to buy cameras for our kids - we want to see how they look at church life - and we'll be distributing them next week in worship. One of the picture series we are asking our young photographers to shoot is... different people doing the happy dance. And second, the happy dance is a fun way to express prayers of joy. Old line Congregationalists from the Puritan side of the family are not known for dancing - and it is time to break out of our rut - the Spirit is calling us into Christ's joy. So... happy dance here we come.

Now what really struck me as right on the money is that after worship our ushers told me that they really wanted to do a happy dance after placing the offering on the communion table. By George, they've got it! Exactly... what a great time to offer a dance of joy to God! And old timers - and I mean women and men who are 85 - told me they are going to figure out their own version and be ready to share with the children.

Amidst the worries and fears of these days, it would appear that there is STILL a time to dance and a time to mourn... As the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, said: The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful. Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the farmers will plant them and enjoy their fruit. There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, 'Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.'" This is what the Lord says: "Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, 'O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.'

Makes me think of St. Sly and the faithful Family Stone who were black and white, jazz and rock, women and men together, totally my kind o church:

When Dianne and I were in London two years ago there was a public art experiment using water and fountains. Part of the delight was watching children and adults - Muslim women in full gear alongside punk rockers - playing in the water outside the Tate Modern Museum. Dianne got trapped with a little Brit in his underwear covered in water and all everyone could do is laugh - together - in common. Beautiful and so simple... like St. Sly to my way of thinking.