Re: [Worship] Patriotic Events

[rkresge123@comcast.net]

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Kathryn:

I'm not a worship leader, just our church's tech coordinator (my lovely bride is our worship leader), but I do have some thoughts on the subject.

Don't know what denomination you're in (if any), but the United Methodist Hymnal includes several U. S. patriotic hymns, so it seems to me that our demonination at least does accept that at least some recognition of patriotic holidays is valid for inclusion in our worship experience.  Wiser people than I have already given the subject prayerful consideration.

To me Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving are all worthy of inclusion in our regular worship of God.  It seems to me that we may also need to recognize at least some aspects of Martin Luther King Day and Labor Day as well.  I would have trouble with most of the other U.S. national holidays.

This past Sunday we included Memorial Day in our traditional worship time, primarily with focused attention at prayer time, supported by an appropriate graphic projected on the screen during the introduction to prayer.

On July 3 we will have a featured solo of "God Bless America" with a graphical presentation, and I'm sure there will be at least one patriotic hymn.  To me there is nothing wrong with thanking God for the blessings of liberty, and thanking God for those who have sacrificed so much to secure that liberty.

Having said that, it also sounds as if your church (or some of the leadership) has some issues with remembering what worship is about.  I don't have a solution to recommend, but there's almost certainly some middle ground available between you and the patriotic types.  My suggestion is to try to find that middle ground.  And if you can't then you probably need a new church.

One more thing.  To many people the patriotic holidays are incredibly important and meaningful, especially to those remaining of the WWII generation who sacrificed so much.  Are they wrong to focus on patriotic holidays the way they do?  Not necessarily.  My suggestion there is to try the old "walk a mile in their shoes" idea and try to see where they're coming from.  It might be a real eye-opener.

Blessings no matter what!

Roger


> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Kathryn Thuma" <musicmaker2026@yahoo.com>
> To: "Worship" <worship@lists.fni.com>
> Sent: Monday, May 30, 2005 10:02 PM
> Subject: [Worship] Patriotic Events>
> > I need some input.  A segment of our congregation is
> > really BIG on celebrating every patriotic holiday
> > during the worship service.  I don't mind ending the
> > service with a patriotic song or including a short
> > segment within the service, i.e., a reading and/or
> > some special music.  However, there is pressure on me
> > to make the praise and worship part of the service
> > primarily patriotic, PLUS have the readings, special
> > music, etc.  I'm uncomfortable with this.  I feel like
> > God is being asked to share His glory with the USA.
> >
> > I love my country, but as a worship leader, I believe
> > I'm called to lead the congregation in worshiping God,
> > not the United States of America. I've expressed my
> > viewpoint--with much more diplomacy than I have
> > here--but now there is a considerable amount of anger
> > directed at me.  Put bluntly, I'm in the doghouse.

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