A Living Basilica

When we visited four years ago, A depleted congregation wondered if it would be the last to occupy the grand, city-center basilica. Designed to seat 1500, scarcely 100 people scattered themselves around the sanctuary. In his sermon, the preacher cited demographic trends to explain the emptiness. Despite the excellent music, worship lacked spirit. The preacher seemed eager to enter retirement.

We returned to that church this past Sunday and found a transformed congregation. We knew something had changed from the moment a woman came up to greet us on our way down the aisle. A buzz filled the sanctuary as the pews began to fill.

Even though the new preacher noted how the day's attendance was lower due to summer vacations, three or four hundred people brought a new energy that was evident from the moment we entered. The light seemed brighter, the congregation more diversified, the coffee hour friendlier, the choir more vibrant, and the preacher alive to the moment.

Church growth specialists write books about turn-around stories like this. The list-makers would have a field day -- noting the things this church did to facilitate change: The search committee found a minister with gifts for communication. He has an ability to tell a story, to weave common experience into bibilical themes, and to share his personal warmth with people -- all while standing in the center of the chancel without notes. Professional musicians performed challenging and lively music. A hymn-sing replaced the formal prelude. Traditional service music like the Gloria Patri and Doxology were replaced with fresher selections. The Lord's Prayer was begun with "Our Mother, Our Father." Responsive readings were omitted, with the minister speaking the call to worship and other prayers. When the congregation sang a "Hallelujah," it did so with the whole congregation using sign language, as well as voice.

The coffee hour, held in the brightly-lit narthex, was a noisy affair with several people coming up to us and talking. A new church sign announced to the street that the church is alive and thriving.

The five-day continuing education class was wonderful, we learned a lot. Another layer of learning came from attending this worship service. We are charged with hope.

Cones

After three nights at the Vancouver School of Theolgy, we strolled over to the rose garden where we got married over five years ago. It's a five minute walk through an idyllic university fringe neighborhood where everything is perfect.

A decade ago, the theological school found itself with ample acreage, an excess of old buildings in need of maintainance, and a dwindling financial base. With the cooperation of the University of British Columbia, overseer for the whole area, they sold or leased their land to developers who have filled it with high-end condominia and apartments. In return, the school received tens of millions of dollars, which it invested in updating its signature Iona Building. All of the seminary offices, classrooms, libraries, and student spaces are housed in it.

Now, with the residential development nearing completion, the vision of the builders has proven successful. The neighborhood is well suited to the natural environment, and all the buildings cluster together in pleasing ensemble. Nothing was left to happenstance.

The rose garden looked better than ever. We stood in the place where we said our vows and savored. Adjacent to to the rose garden, a stand of ancient western cedars had been allowed to perfect themselves without intrusion from designers. Huge trunks supported branchings that would have served well as individual trees in other regions. That grove bespoke another kind of ideal. We stood silently to watch the sun set over the waters and mountains.

To the above description must be added the broader view. This region occupies the western-most part of Vancouver known as Point Grey. In moving about from place to place, one cannot help but see wonderful panoramas of the Straights of Georgia -- one of the most scenic waterways in the world. From the windows in our rooms, and through the grand trees that protect them, we see blue-sky glimpses of the water and the distant mountains.

All of which is to say that we are enjoying the sights that surround us. It's beautiful here, and the people seem to know it.

We wonder how this grand environment, made accesible to those who have wealth and priviledge, is related to our own city of Holyoke, where fewer people of privilege choose to visit. We think Holyoke is beautiful, too. It may even be wealthy, in a way -- not in money or prominence -- but in the people who call it home.

Holyoke is home to many who live in deep poverty. This neighborhood is home to people of great wealth. We must reflect some more on how the two are related, and why there is such a difference between the two.

On the way home we searched for pine cones we might take home to plant and see if it is true that what takes root in one region can also take root in another.

Rabbinic Midrash and air-conditioned worship

In a few weeks we travel to Vancouver for a week of summer school study at the Vancouver School of Theology. We will be stepping into the world of "Midrash and the Rabbinic Imagination," taught by Rabbi Robert Daum, PhD. He holds the Diamond Chair in Jewish Law and Ethics in the Department of Classical, Near Eastern & Religious Studies at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. The Vancouver School of Theology occupies property at the edge of the UBC campus.

The course description portrays a world of inquiry that allows for a more creative interpretation of Biblical texts. The key is to ask questions about the events and characters as if they were windows through which to see a world of truth: "What did Satan tell Sarah while Abraham and Isaac were en route to Mt. Moriah?" and "What did Moses see when God transported him centuries forward in time?"

The course description continues: "These questions are part of a vast collection of inventive rabbinic midrash. The course will explore theories and genres of rabbinic midrash while engaging some of the most startling, biblically-inspired literary compositions of the late antique and medieval worlds."

We are drawn in by the invitation to engage biblical texts with creative imagination! Meanwhile, we look forward to welcoming you to worship services held in our air-conditioned Skinner Chapel. On Sunday Mornings, choirs continue through the summer at 10 a.m. For those looking for a less traditional mid-week service, try out "City Vespers," Thursdays at 6:30 pm.

Creation Celebration

Two things seldom happen in worship: listening for the word of God in the Creation, and listening for the questions of kids in the words of a puppet. Both are happening on Sunday. Worship will allow for the reading of the entire first story of creation -- the one about the seven days and seven nights -- with breaks for music between each day. Day one will be read in Hebrew. Day seven will be followed by a piano/organ duet featuring a pianist who will make his Carnegie Hall debut in June. We'll sing a couple of verses from some grand old tunes with a theme of nature.

Then, just when a sermon ought to be preached, a puppet will ask a bunch of questions of the pastoral team. Hope we can answer them! We're looking forward to this Creation Celebration!

Bobbie and Chuck

P.S. If you are curious about our "City Vespers," please consider this your personal invitation to discover it for yourself. Just come in the front door of Skinner Memorial Chapel. We start at 6:30 pm, each Thursday. If you are a few minutes late, that's okay. More information on the church website: www.uccholyoke.org

Flames and Flowers

Our church tradition recognizes some holidays that occur on different dates each year. Christmas, for instance, is always on the same date, but Easter and Pentecost "float" back and forth on the spring calendar depending on formulae that others know better than we. This year, we have two big holidays to celebrate on the same day: Pentecost and Mother's Day.

Pentecost, the day when Jesus' disciples first experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit, is often symbolized by flame. It was said that tongues of fire danced over their heads; a metaphor suggesting a sudden enthusiam for God. On pentecost, we wanted to hand out flames to everyone who attended, but the fire risk was overwhelming. Thus, we are handing out red carnations to symbolizing the fire of pentecost. (We are also inviting people to wear clothing with the color red.)

Mothers Day, while it isn't one of the traditional religious holidays, is never-the-less quite dear to people in our church traditions. We typically celebrate Mothers Day with flowers. In our congregation, (the United Congregational Church of Holyoke, MA), the tradition is to hand out flowers to all the mothers who attend worship on that day. Mothers Day is an occasion for all in attendance -- male and female -- to honor their mothers.

Worship with us on Sunday. Everyone gets a flower (unless we run out)!

Titanic

Three unrelated voices brought up the very same point this week. One suggested that too many pulpits echo with talk about just maintaining the institutional church. Too few carry a passion about the mission of the community so gathered. One voice asked whether a church should just be content with feeling comfortable in the familiar routine and tradition -- or should it be reaching toward things that cause it to stretch?

Another voice said, "I want a church that is passionate about something!"

People in general do not clamor for a return to "institutional religion."

* * *

The Titanic sank 96 years ago this month. The designers gave it too small of a rudder, so that when lookouts saw the iceberg, the ship was unable to turn onto a different course fast enough. A thriving community knows how to change directions without abandoning its mission.

Some suggest that the mainline tradition has about another twenty years before it sinks.

The journey depends on our navigational skills.

Review

The first City Vespers gathered people for a new worship adventure in Skinner Chapel as day was turning toward twilight. We loved it. Before the service began, the piano created an environment that was both relaxed and inviting. The candles added warmth. The late-gothic space lent itself beautifully to the experience.

After singing a few songs, many people were invited to name areas of celebration and concern.

A part of each City Vespers will focus on some specific area of Holyoke. This first week, we talked and prayed for all the people at Dean Technical High School, a wonderful school that offers students a way to enter life with substantial skills and education.

A text from the Gospel of John gave rise to comment by some. In it, Jesus was telling people that they could do everything he could do, and even more. Did that mean that people who live like Jesus can heal people? Or does it mean that all the followers working together can accomplish great things? We could have talked longer, but we also want to keep this service between 30 and 45 minutes.

We know that the service will evolve and change. But already we see its character emerging. We suspect that some will find this to be a "thin place" for their souls to encounter the Holy. The saying is true: "Whoever you are, and where ever you are on life's journey, you are welcome here."

Now, our focus is on Sunday Morning with it's three baptisms! That's a first for us!