Dear Friends, since early June with have been experimenting with the use of more expansive language in our liturgy, language which uses both feminine and masculine imagery for God, and assiduously avoids referring to God as “he”. See the original blog post below.

I really want two things.

First, I really want to share for you the theological richness and meaning behind the design of this language. It allows more of human experience to serve as windows into God’s nature and it opens us to the sheer transcendence of the God of the Hebrews, and the God of Jesus Christ.

Second, I want to hear how it’s been for you to undergo this experiment. There are somethings I don’t love about the language choices offered. There are some things I delight in.

Lisa and I are going to host a forum July 14, at the mixer coffee hour. Come one, come all, and come with a willingness to listen as well as speak.

I look forward to it!

RObert

St. Matthew’s has a remarkable combination of aesthetic beauty and personal connection in its Sunday worship. We preserve the formality of the liturgy, which allows it to be a structure that holds us reliably in the presence of God. We are also personable, good natured, and accessible. It’s a great combination of the exalted and the familiar, which makes St. Matthew’s what it is.

This summer, at the 10am service, we are going to follow a liturgy from the Episcopal Church’s Enriching our Worship — originally published 26 years ago (!) and in widespread use across the Episcopal Church. The changes won’t be startling or drastic, but if you listen carefully, you will note their significance.

The primary aim of this is to experience expansive language for God in our worship, to see what this is like. It seeks to incorporate the fullness of our being made in the image of God, and as Bl. Julian of Norwich said in the 14th century, “As truly as God is our Father, so truly is God our Mother.” Women’s experience is revelatory of God, women’s authority, women’s voices, are and have been critical in the mission and life and prayers of church, and the language we use to speak about God matters. I and Lisa will be interested in how you find liturgical language that has more balanced and expansive language for God.

Secondly, in keeping with the mood of summer, our musical settings will be lighter and more accessible.

The total effect we are aiming for is one of richness and freshness in the liturgy, while retaining the basic familiar pattern to the liturgy, and the Apostolic teaching of the Church. Retaining this basic pattern and core teaching is what gives us the freedom to entrust, even surrender ourselves to the liturgy, which makes leads us deeper into communion with God.