If you are asking yourself, 'wasn't she just in Wilmore taking a class earlier in February?', then don't think you've gotten your dates wrong. I WAS here just earlier this month, taking a Bioethics class (and conference) the week prior to the official date of the semester. That was my first class/conference intensive and my first snow experience in Wilmore at Asbury Theological Seminary. Both were superb! (My bioethics class isn't quite over..... there remains a final exam and a case study.)
But back to why I'm here now. Worship. Just before I get started on that, let me say that another "first" for me is that I'm staying at the 1898 Redbud B&B Inn at 600 N. Lexington Ave. I wanted to stay close to campus for winter classes in case of inclement weather. I'm glad I did for the first week of February due to the snow. Though it hasn't been necessary due to weather this time, it has been nice to walk to class and has given me a change of pace and scenery. The Asbury Inn was full for this weekend, thus the B&B. I will write on the B&B experience another time. What a blessing to now have two local B&B experiences!
Worship. That's the focus. (In more ways than one.)
So, today was the first day of worship class. Originally this class was to be taught by another instructor. However, the first week of February (while I was here in Wilmore for the Bioethics class/conference) we (the students on the Wilmore campus for the course) received an e-mail letting us know that there was a change in instructors due to a recent distant learning ruling and we would get an updated syllabus soon.
Oddly, I hadn't even considered that I was taking a distance learning course until my J-term in Orlando when I learned after worship on Thursday that the guy who led worship was Frymire, my professor for worship class. There hadn't been anything in the syllabus about it being distance learning so I was wondering at that point how he planned to be on two campuses and quickly understood. As soon as I figured it out, things changed.
I am not disappointed with the change, though I understand Frymire is an excellent professor and worship was very good that day.
Dr. Bill Goold sent us an updated syllabus and was gracious to keep the same texts. This made me happy because I had already purchased them all. He also told us in advance that we wouldn't need technology in class because it would be "low tech". That also was good news to hear because I don't use technology in class. If that seems odd to some people since I have taught (and still teach online) plus I blog, etc., the reason is that I simply haven't moved into the realm of taking notes during a class lecture with technology. I prefer paper and a writing utensil. The same way I prefer my books. Paper. If that seems paradoxical to some, that's okay. I continue to learn to live in paradoxes. ☺
Maybe it's the retired educator in me. Maybe it's simply that I can be a tad overly concerned about my classes at times. However, I wanted to be prepared for class. I read the syllabus. I made sure I was ready for day 1. I knew we would be sitting in a semi-circle, something I looked forward to as I have used it in upper level courses. (As I reflect on this, I think back to my B.C. teaching days and remember one particular class. Much to the dismay of one student many years ago, bless his heart, I would arrange the desks in a semi-circle pattern. Then, he would come in and re-arrange the desks. I would then go back right before class and put them back the way I wanted them. I wonder if he still carries that memory?!?! We talked then about those desks... He is a blessed soul indeed, a brother in Christ, and I got to see him on his Emmaus Walk a couple of years ago... but I digress.)
I walked to campus on this cool, brisk morning (.44 of a mile) and found the class room. When I walked in, I saw the desks in their semi-circle (U-shape), conducive to interaction.
There were eleven chairs awaiting us. There was a piano in the corner (to the far right of the classroom). Also, there was a greeting on the whiteboard and the projector was set up and ready to go. In my exploration of the hallway (one must always know where the restrooms are), I saw several "Grace Spaces" set up with chairs. That made me curious and caused me to think that we would have break out sessions at some point. That was a correct thought.
Dr. Goold started class, but didn't officially start class. That would come later he said. Sure enough, we didn't get to "class stuff" (syllabus until the end of today), but that was perfectly fine. What we did cover today was WORSHIP. Not just thematically or topically or theoretically, but in practice. We got to know each other in and as community, in the big group and through our Grace Groups times.
We prayed together, we sang together, we read together, we did the work of the people (liturgy) together, we had table fellowship together (a very large snack table in the centered back of the room, covered by a cloth), we learned together. Bottom line, we worshiped together.
It was a powerful first day. I took some notes of things that caught my attention, but didn't have to write down everything that was shared with us because we were given handouts. ☺ These handouts become part of our notebooks. More importantly, they are tools and resources to use in teaching others about worship, in worship.
Though I attempt to leave my teacher at the door and be student only, it doesn't always happen. The inner teacher is always with me and is ultimately a part of how I was created by God. From the teaching perspective, I can say this: Dr. Goold is a gracious and hospitable host of his classroom (not just the snacks, but how he asks and answers questions). He is energetic, uses a variety of teaching methods, keeps track of his students' learning progress throughout the class time (and verifies it daily with an exit ticket). Very good pedagogy here. He helped us learn everyone's names by calling on folks throughout the day (it helped to have a small class). In addition, he plays the piano.... very well. So he led us in our worship time. Maybe I should have known that, since he also teaching MU 510, but I really don't know much about professors until I take a course with them. Not knowing what to expect, this was a wonderful first day of learning!
NOTE: I have learned from all my ATS professors and have not been disappointed with the quality of education that I have received.
One of the requirements for this class is that we keep a journal-- one entry for each day of class and then 15 entries additionally for the semester.
Though I won't use this (entire) blog entry as my journal entry for today, I thought it wouldn't hurt to get down my thoughts and reflections.
As is, this blog post doesn't meet the journal requirements as given to us in our "Perfect Class Journal" handout, but this post does express some of my experiences of the day.
What have I left out?
Today's class has brought back to the forefront of my mind that worship is for many people the one time of learning corporately during the week. There are many implications to this, primarily that the time/space of worship must be intentional in its planning and its execution, led by the Holy Spirit. The focus of worship is to always be the "who", God.
Other things I learned/experienced today:
- It is possible to introduce new songs prior to the beginning of the worship time as people are gathering by playing the melody through a couple of times and having someone sing it. By doing this, folks will be more familiar with it later in the service when it is time to sing it.
- Corporate involvement (reading aloud of a prayer, affirmation of faith, or responsive Psalm) is always powerful. (Today's Responsive Psalm Reading was from Psalm 66:1-4 and the Affirmation of Faith was from Julian of Norwich.)
- Singing 4-6 songs in a short time is doable.
- The power of community within a group of people focused and intentional toward God (and most of us didn't know each other prior to class... or not much at all). (This speaks to the power and movement of the Holy Spirit.)
- Worship, being all about God, is made possible through the working and the power of the Holy Spirit.
- There is much we can teach folks about worship practices to help them better understand and better prepare for a more intentional and focused worship time.
- The worship "style" doesn't matter once you have the focus of worship set. Style is something that can (and will) change. However, if we are not worshiping the One who created us into being, style is insignificant at best and a hindrance at worst (my thoughts... i.e. style doesn't matter if we aren't focused on God).
I was very blessed by our classroom learning and interaction as well as discussion. The class is very interactive. It's a very gracious space to be as both a learner and a participant of worship.
As I continue to journey on toward growth in worship, I wish you blessings on your journey in worship, ?
Debra
P.S. I wanted to share just one of the songs we sang today. "Jesus, Your Name"
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