At my old home church, Grace in Alexandria, the smell of incense always lingers in that sanctuary, whenever you’re in there. One parishioner here has told me that they could detect the scent of candles in the original sanctuary. And it was more than the two lit candles on the altar. These recollections remind me of what a friend said about old churches, that by their prayers and presence, human beings can make a place “hallowed,” or a holy place set apart for God’s presence among his people.
There is truth to that observation, so long as one doesn’t make the leap to saying that by our prayers and presence, we have the power ourselves to conjure God to be with us. If we fall into that temptation, then we’re no different than a fortune teller, and our worship would become no different than a séance.
To be reverent before God is to be respectful of God’s will. And while I trust that God responds to our prayers and other acts of reverence, we must accept that it is entirely up to God to respond to us. It is God who ultimately makes us holy, who sets us apart for the service we give to God in our worship.
I’ve asked the question, What is reverence and how should it be expressed in our worship? Some have honestly responded that they just don’t feel very reverent in Founders Hall, compared to the original church. Do you feel the same way? I can understand wanting to get back into a space built for worship, as opposed to fellowship. I hope each Sunday, as you see the progress being made on the new sanctuary, that you are filled with hope, and that hope helps you feel more blessed in the space we currently worship in.
In the meantime, I think it might help to remind ourselves of that Sunday, more than year ago, when we “Set Apart” Founders Hall “for Sacred Use,” using the liturgy from the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services.
“You will bring them in and plant them, O Lord, in the sanctuary you have established…Blessed are you, O God, ruler of the universe. Your gifts are many, and in wisdom you have made all things to give you glory. Be with us now and bless us as we dedicate our use of this space to your praise and honor. As often as we worship you here, precede us and abide with us. Be known to us in the Word spoken and heard, in fellowship with one another, and in the breaking of bread. Give us joy in all your works, and grant that this space may be a place where your will is done and your name is glorified, through Jesus Christ our Savior, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.
We have prayed thus. We trust that God has heard our prayer, and will respond with truth and grace.
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