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Thousands attend opening worship
GA04023
June 27, 2004

Thousands attend opening worship

Assembly opens with colorful celebration of Gods abundant grace

by Nancy D. Borst

RICHMOND, June 27 A crowd of approximately 8,000 gathered in the Richmond
coliseum Sunday morning for the opening worship service of the 216th General
Assembly, temporarily transforming the sports arena into a sacred space of
multiple dimensions and rich textures.

Some early arrivals chose to climb to the highest seats long before the first
tier was filled. Organizers used the four large scoreboard screens to depict 
ever-changing images throughout the nearly two and one-half hour service.

It was a colorful kaleidoscope of liturgical dancers, musicians and choirs
whose performances often prompted spontaneous applause. The participants
ranged from 12-year-old Rachel Park, who led the call to worship, to choir
member Ralph Stoudt, of Charlottesville, VA, who first sang in a General
Assembly choir 60 years ago.

The Rev. Susan Andrews, moderator of the 215th Assembly, preached about
abundant abundance. She startled worshippers when she walked to a Baptismal
font in the center of the arena, dipped her hands in the water and showered
the floor proclaiming, Friends, God does not sprinkle us with grace  God
drenches us with grace.

Speaking about the parable of the good shepherd, from the Gospel of John,
Andrews often turned to the worshippers around her, extending her arms to
all, standing on tiptoe as if to connect with those seated high above the
arena floor.

Her message was a plea that the church reclaim the beauty and blessing of
(Gods) abundance. In the scripture, she said, Jesus uses a metaphorical
stew to explain himself in his roles as the voice that guides us, the gate
that welcomes us and the shepherd who wanders with us through the
unpredictable wilderness of the world.

It is clear in this text that the decision as to who is invited, who is
protected, who is welcome  inside the gate  this decision is up to the
shepherd, she said. We, as the sheep, have no say as to who is in and who
is out.

In fact, this shepherd makes it clear that there are sheep of other folds,
who may well be invited in to mess up what we thought we understood as our
familiar and homogenous flock, she continued. Why? Because it is up to
God.

Andrews said we believers become imposters when we proclaim Christ, but do
not embody Christ. And embodying Christ means embracing Gods abundance, she
said  embracing joy, diversity, hope, and a passion for mission.

The theme of inclusion was reiterated by Sunny Schnitzer, a cantor from the
Jewish congregation that worships at Andrews home church, Bradley Hills
Presbyterian in Bethesda, MD. Schnitzer sang Psalm 23, first in Hebrew, then
in English. Andrews said it was the first time a Jewish leader had ever taken
part in General Assembly worship.

Local volunteers seemed to have no trouble meeting what seemed to be their
most daunting task: delivering Communion to those seated in the highest rows
of the 14,000-seat coliseum.

The offering of more than $42,000 will go to education projects in Ethiopia
and to a farmworkers coalition in Immokalee, FL, both chosen by Andrews.

This story and many others may have photos, media, video clips that can be
found at http://www.pcusa.org/ga216.htm.

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