by Tim Baker.
These reflections are informed by a reading of Exodus 3: 1-17
Where are you, right now? You could use lots of words to answer that question, but one of them would be: ‘here’.
What does ‘here’ mean?
How are you here?
Why are you here?
To adapt a familiar phrase, could we say that ‘here is where the heart is’? At least literally.
So at least part of what ‘heartfelt worship’ is about is our ability to be here, to be fully present, to avoid distractions or longings or worries, and be here. Rob Bell wrote a book about 10 years ago called ‘How to Be Here’, and that simple phrase continues to affect how I think about worship.
The church community I belong to has had to rethink the way we are ‘here’ over the last few years. In the heart of the national lockdowns in the UK, we took the brave decision to sell our building and to commit to continuing to worship online — even after the pandemic was over.
Three years on, we couldn’t be more satisfied with that decision as our worship has grown richer and more connected using Zoom each week, seeing each other’s faces, sharing and talking and learning together.
We haven’t always got it right, and sometimes the technology has let us down — but I guess the same could be said for a lot of ‘in person’ worship over the years too! And we’ve been blessed to be joined by people from across many miles, including a connection with a church in Copenhagen which has joined in our worship.
The experience of worshipping online has raised critical questions around our ‘hereness’, the erosion of the break between sacred and ordinary, church and home, — as we’ve tuned in from our studies, lounges, kitchen tables and even bedrooms to worship together. We’ve been reminded of how our ‘situatedness’ affects how we learn, how we communicate, and how we encounter the living God. The theory of situated learning reminds us of the importance of the world around us when we learn, and the same is true in our worship. The world of learning has been transformed by the pandemic, in the way people learn at home, and we’ve seen the same thing happen in people’s discipleship as we’ve sung, prayed, listened and shared in all the messiness of home life.
Not everything works as well — I’m lucky to be married to someone with an amazing singing voice, so when we sing together I get to listen to her, but everyone else is on mute (and so are we), because the delay on the connection means it’s not possible to sing in unison.
Occasionally we miss the joy of being part of a village of worshipping people who will look after our five-year old for a minute (or an hour!) while we join in with the service. But online worship has undoubtedly shaped my journey with God over these last three years.
The domestic has become a little more sacred. Worship has become something we do together, rather than have done to us (the fact that Zoom is a meeting platform, rather than a lecture platform, works nicely for having conversation about faith rather than listening to 20-minute monologues!). And I can take worship with me too! We’ve had people dial in from all over the world as they’ve gone on holiday or travelled for work — as long as there is a bit of internet, you are welcome at Methley!
Home is where the heart is and — as E.E. Cummings would put it, when we recognise that worship happens in our hearts and in God’s heart at the same time, ‘I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart’.
To Consider:
- Share your experiences of on-line worship both in leading it and taking part in it.
- What are its advantages and disadvantages?
- Is this really the future? Will there still be a place for physical congregations?
We are pleased to continue our partnership with Spectrum, a community of Christians of all denominations which encourages groups and individuals to explore the Christian faith in depth. This year the study papers are on the theme of ‘Heartfelt Worship’ by Rev’d Jan Berry (author and former principal of Luther King House, Manchester) and Tim Baker (Local Preacher, All We Can’s Churches and Volunteers Manager and contributor to the Twelve Baskets Worship Resources Group). This is the fourth of six coming through the year.
Theology Everywhere 
I love online worship thank you! I join in with Methley zooms for Big Worship and when I can’t be at my Church or sometimes it’s nice to know there is someone there if you just want to Worship at home that day. Thank you to everyone who makes this possible.
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Online worship proved to be a Godsend to many people during lockdown, and I admire how you have developed your online church, Tim, but I’m afraid it never worked for me. I found it too distracting to worship Almighty God while viewing the domestic accoutrements of other people’s kitchens or spare bedrooms. Personally I need the reverence of the church building, the holiness of the sanctuary, and the bliss of congregational hymn singing.
I can see though how online worship fits with the modern day lifestyle of shopping online, banking online, and having food, clothing and anything else we desire delivered to our homes with lightening speed at the touch of a button.
Yes I feel a bit of a dinosaur, but as long as a single church remains open within travelling distance, I will worship in the old fashioned way for the rest of my days.
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Thank you for this post and for the questions at the end of the post.
I have Long-Covid and so are unable to attend Church because of the physical effort required. I ‘attend’ two Churches. One is a Salvation Army Church in my geographical area who have a brilliant Zoom/YouTube connection to their Service with very good tech control – some of the people know me personally. The other is a Methodist Church out of my area. This Church and Circuit have Zoom and YouTube offerings so I can keep my Methodist connections. This Church is in the area I grew up so there are people who know me. I am very sad that my own Circuit said ‘We’re back at Church’ after Covid. I am trying to encourage and facilitate their access to the 21st Century. I have run Zoom Service and am running a Zoom Bible Study which is valued by those who attend (some who are tied by the heels,too).
My sister has had Parkinson’s for 20 years or so and had to stop going to Church 10 years before Covid. When Covid came, her Church went on Zoom pretty promptly. All of a sudden, my sister had equal access to the Services. The Church discovered the people who had not been able to attend physically. So, when they ‘went back to Church’ after Covid, they did hybrid Services which still continue. My sister is able to attend the Service and join in the ‘chat’ on Zoom before and after the Service.
I am happy with people gathering at Church or anywhere else to worship God. It isn’t always either/or. I sing along to my YouTube and Zoom Services and have loved singing with others in past days when I was able to gather.
I wish blessings to all as we worship God in all the ways and all the places we can.
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Thanks for this Tim, I am way behind keeping up with the blog, so only now commenting. I really do think that for many worship has been transformed via access to Zoom and similar platforms. So where are we now? As someone who lives alone, and lived alone through the lockdowns being able to see and engage with others was vital for my wellbeing, and it continues to offer a lifeline for many who are unable to access onsite services. Being able to access from home also means as you have pointed out that my boundaries broaden rather than shrink .
Yes there are issues with technology, but I know that sometimes wider family are drawn in by helping older or younger members to access the desired platforms, and in many cases they have stayed, discussion is enabled and the experience can be enhanced by video and other content not always possible in our buildings.
There are drawbacks of course, sometimes we simply need somebody with skin on, but when what is being offered as a weekly gathering is focused online, then other gatherings are possible through the week. I think you made a bold and prophetic step by selling the building.
Where am I, I am here, if here is where the heart is, then the question is what is the heart tuned into? With God nothing is impossible.
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