wfn.org | Blended Worship Addresses Diversity

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (231
notes).

Note 231 by UMNS on July 21, 1997 at 16:08 Eastern (3772 characters).

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CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally                    419(10-21-71B){231}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             July 21, 1997

'Blended' worship provides solution for worship
leaders caught between 'boomers' and 'busters'

     HOUSTON, Texas (UMNS) -- "Blended" worship is providing a
solution for worship leaders caught between "boomers" who say, "I
own the church" and "busters" who say "change or I'm out of here."
     That observation was made here by the Rev. Robert Webber, a
leading authority on worship renewal, during the biennial
convocation of the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and
Worship Arts here July 14-19.
     In his keynote address on "The Future Shape of Christian
Worship," Webber said the concept of blended worship provides hope
for bringing together contemporary and traditional worship styles.
     Webber, professor of theology at Wheaton (Ill.) College for
28 years, directs an Institute for Worship Studies.  He has
written more than a dozen books in the field of worship, including
Worship Old and New and Worship is a Verb, and is the editor of an
eight-volume work titled, The Complete Library of Christian
Worship.
     Webber described the tension in recent years between
traditionalists who have resisted singing modern praise choruses
and a new generation of "seekers" who think "mainliners are not
even Christian." 
     Since the late 1980s, he said there has been a convergence of
those seeking relevance and those seeking substance. Now, he
observed, there is growing awareness that both are needed and that
"blended" worship is not only possible but desirable.
     For blended worship to flourish, Webber said, it must be
"firmly rooted in biblical tradition and radically committed to
contemporary relevance."
     Worship, he continued, must provide theater -- "an encounter
with the transcendence of God"; intimacy -- "an experience of God
who became incarnate and dwelled among us"; and participation --
"taking place within a hospitable community."
     In worship renewal, Webber said there is wide agreement
related to content and structure.  But for style, he said
"everything is up for grabs."
     There is wide agreement that worship is "a celebration of
God's mighty deeds of salvation," Webber said. In structure, he
said there is also wide agreement on the four-fold pattern of
entrance, word, table and dismissal.  "Worship, remembers,
gathers, proclaims, gives thanks, and sends forth," he explained.
     But for worship style, there is no agreement because it so
conditioned by culture, he said.  "Style is related to the ethos
of a particular group of people."  
     To a certain extent, Weber said style is irrelevant.  "Any
style expressing the gospel through the four-fold pattern with
content is perfectly legitimate."
     "If we can get the content, the service can be eclectic," he
said.  "Every approach in music can be used."
     The convergence of traditional and "seeker" styles or forms
of worship sparked high interest during the convocation which had
as its theme "Worship Journeys." Included in the week-long program
were a variety of worship styles, including a blended service.
     The Fellowship, launched in 1956, has more than 2,000 members
and sponsors biennial convocations on odd years and jurisdictional
convocations on even years.  The next national convocation will be
in Nashville in 1999.  Newly-installed president of the
organization is the Rev. Fred Lewis, pastor of the Clear Lake
(Iowa) United Methodist Church.
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