GA Reflections from Wayne Yost
Sunday Day Two, May 25: Worship
I know I say it every year, but this year worship just blew me away.
The music was under the direction of John Kuzma, minister of music,
Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Denver. John, also wrote several
of the pieces used during the worship. The music came form many styles and
with various "voices:" big organ, timpani drums, steel drums, brass,
bagpipes, a lone Native American flute, children’s choir, youth choir, a
large adult choir, full instrumentation, congregational "blow out the
pipes" singing, soloist, modern, ancient, and traditional.
The best use of graphics continued and helped enrich the worship
experience, changing an austere conventional center meeting hall into
truly holy ground. Words to songs and litanies were projected so the
congregation could gets it collective face out of a book and lift its
voice in praise and song.
Wave after wave of raw spiritual emotion swept over and through me as
we worshiped. It took my breath away so all I could do was "blow" as if
I’d been running. My throat caught several times. It was such a spiritual
and emotional experience that I felt up-lifted and drained at the same
time.
The children and youth, sweet and innocent, had the whole congregation
clapping and on its feet as they sang He Never Failed Me Yet! The
worship was a revival in the truest reformed sense. Everything led us to
the Word written, proclaimed, enacted.
I said to John Detterick, Executive Director of the GAC, "Let’s just go
home, now." Of course, we can’t do that, but it sure would be good if the
Commissioners and all others in attendance could have just gone from the
building and carried the spirit and Spirit with them to their
congregations and presbyteries.
The Communion Table had to be 200 feet long. On it were baskets of
bread and chalices of "wine." When it was time for communion the thousands
were served by intinction in our seats in as an efficient way as I’ve ever
seen. The serving and the music accompanying the distribution ended with
ballet choreographed precision.
They say Denver, being the mile high city, is closer to heaven than
many other places. Worship, today, was about as close to heaven as I
expect to glimpse on this side. I wish every one of the members and
ministers of our presbytery, just once in their life, could experience the
robust worship as we experienced today. I believe such a worship
experience would achieve to very important goals. First, it would lift the
spirit of the worshipers helping them experience the mystery and marvel of
God in an exciting way. Secondly, it would deepen the pride and commitment
of the worshipers in and for our beloved and beleaguered denomination.
Thanks be to God for the powerful worship lifted up by the people of
God, and for all those who contributed to this experience.
Everything else today was simply anti-climatic following that worship.
Yours in service to Christ and the Church,
Wayne A. Yost, executive presbyter
wayost@kiskipby.org
