MOSAIC Begins

Last night we began Mosaic worship. I really didn't know what to expect, and was worried we had not planned in enough detail. I rushed back to the church after a Gen Conf Delegation meeting in Columbia, to find the chapel set up for worship, looking great. Some folks were enjoying the coffee, water, and cookies set up in the narthex, and the youth praise band was waiting for me to join them in a prayer time.

But worship began and the different ones did their parts. I had to breathe deeply several times to settle my urges to step in and move things along, but actually it flowed well. I estimated about 60 present, the majority youth.

Our theme was Pilate's question to Jesus "What is truth?" After some singing and a "get to know you" ice-breaker, we watched a video clip with the kind of "person on the street interviews." Nearly everyone on the video expressed the postmodern view that truth is what each person believes is true, that there is no absolute standard of truth. Then everyone broke up into small groups for discussion on this. We had prayer time, then I wrapped up the discussion with a short talk on encountering truth, not just as knowledge, but as relationship, an encounter with the reality of Jesus Christ. We celebrated Holy Communion and closed with a time of thanksgiving and singing.

I confess I have mixed feelings this morning about the service. The big positive is that those who were present gave thanks that we had begun Mosaic. I have some disappointment about the absence of some parents and young adults who'd expressed interest in the service. Part of me wants to push toward a more "polished" look and feel to the service. But I also realize I'm the only one I know of with that issue. The participants seemed to be OK with the very casual nature of the liturgy. Well, we've begun, and we'll learn, and we'll see what picture of worship emerges for us.