Ancestral blessings
I attended a talk by a pastor who begins services by asking, “Who do you bring into worship with you?”
(Century illustration)
Recently I’ve been offered two questions that feel like gifts. The first came from a pastor who gave a talk at a conference I attended. In describing some of his innovative approaches to worship, he said that he opens Sunday services by inviting congregants to name a person or persons they’ve brought into the church with them that morning. As in: Whose spirit is with you today as you enter into worship? To whom are you particularly grateful or indebted? Whose blessing, guidance, provocation, or love accompanies you especially powerfully at this moment?
Some congregants name a beloved and deceased family member: “My grandmother who read me bedtime Bible stories when I was a little boy.” “My husband of 32 years; he had the most gorgeous singing voice.”
Others name writers, activists, theologians, or artists who have inspired them especially powerfully that week: Toni Morrison. Howard Thurman. Mary Oliver. Julian of Norwich. Desmond Tutu.
