God’s steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1b)
When a church closes, there is much to grieve yet also much to celebrate. It is usual for some of this to be done in a formal way at the final service, through two or three people chosen to tell that community’s story. Typically, they would be minister and deacons, but of course this preferences a particular type of person and power. However, I think it would be more appropriate to make space for many different voices.
Yet if everyone spoke separately, it’d take a week, so instead we here at Sanctuary will create something that weaves our voices into a chorus. We will do this by writing a communal psalm of thanksgiving and praise, bringing a multiplicity of voices together into one glorious whole.
If you are not at Sanctuary, why not try this with your own faith community, whether a church, a small group, a workplace or a household, and see what emerges. Perhaps you’ll be surprised by what’s important to other people. Perhaps you’ll draw other people’s attention to God’s presence and action in your shared life–and perhaps someone else’s observations will reveal God’s presence to you.
1. PREPARE: Make yourself comfortable. Uncross your legs; relax your body; uncomplicate your heart. Ask God to help you notice whatever it is that God wants to show you today. Breathe slowly and deeply in, then out.
2. READ: Read Psalm 136 aloud, slowly. Listen carefully. Notice anything which captures your attention.
3. REFLECT: Using the following four categories, identify what the Psalmist has noticed about God and Israel.
a. God’s nature (vv 1-3)
b. God’s creative power (vv 4-9)
c. God’s action on Israel’s behalf (vv 10-24)
d. God’s current care (vv 25)
4. RELATE: Now use those same categories to reflect on God and our faith community.
a. God’s nature: What can we as a group affirm about God? Which metaphors, titles, or adjectives for God do we as a group use and trust?
b. God’s creative power: How do we see God’s creative power at work in the world around us? Is it just moon and stars, or in other things, too?
c. God’s action on our behalf: Where have we seen God at work in our history? What can we affirm God has done for us?
d. God’s current care: How is God continuing to care for us?
5. REDUCE: Ideally, you’re doing this in a group. But if you’re reflecting as individuals, and want to fold your observations into that of the group, you’ll need to hone. So read through your notes a few times, and notice which word, phrase or image really leaps out. Perhaps there’s an observation that is very specific, or which rings clear and true, or which makes your eyes well up in tears. That is the kernel. Find it, and share it with the group.
6. THE REST: When all the words, phrases and images have come in, synthesize them into one multi-voiced Psalm, following the structure of Psalm 136. Then rest awhile. Savour the time you have spent with God doing this exercise; rest in God’s loving presence. Close with a gesture of thanks: perhaps place your hand on your heart. When you leave this prayerful space, let yourself be guided by the word, phrase or image that emerged for you. Or if nothing in particular arose, remember this:
- God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Shalom,
Alison
Sanctuary will hold its final service on Sunday 26 November.
Emailed to Sanctuary on 15 November 2023 © Alison Sampson 2023. Adapted from an activity in Holly Catterton Allen & Christine Lawton Ross. Intergenerational Christian Formation. Bringing the whole church together in ministry, community and worship.Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012. Photo by Jessica Mangano on Unsplash (alt’d).
Alison and the whale 