Growing together in Christ...in worship! Worship. What comes to mind when you hear the word? Is it that hour or so that we set aside on Sunday morning (or Saturday evening) to “go to church?” I know that for many people worship is often connected to a particular space and often with specific acts and words: church buildings and the liturgies offered in them. Paul calls us to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God as our spiritual worship. One way to understand this is that God wants all that we are and do to be an offering of worship to him…individually as well as corporately. This is where the “growing” part come in to play. What if we understood worship as an attitude of homage and grateful submission to God? One that was born out of reverence and respect for our Creator. This shifts the focus from what we do and where we do it, to the One whom we worship. As we grow together in Christ, worship flows out of our understanding of who God is and what he has done for us in Christ. It shapes the attitude of our hearts and minds in such a way that all that we are and all that we do can be an act of worship. In this sense, we can be fully present to God in worship while praying in the most beautiful cathedral or when scrubbing the bathroom floor. Instead of going together to church to worship, we are growing together as the church…and that is worship that is pleasing to God. Blessings,
Matthew+ Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (BCP p.832) | 
