'Brimming with Worship' explores music and arts in worship.

By Carrie Eikler

The "Hebrews 12:28--Brimming with Worship" conference brought close to 100 participants from as far away as Florida and Washington state to Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind. Part of Bethany's centennial celebration, the conference was sponsored by the Rosenberger Memorial Recital Series, the Stephen I. Katonah Endowment for Faith and the Arts, and the seminary. Participants joined together to explore the heights and the depths of music and the arts in worship. Members of the Church of the Brethren as well as local Society of Friends, Disciples of Christ, and Baptist meetings and churches gathered for three days filled with workshops, small group reflection, and a variety of worship experiences.

The conference featured three keynote speakers who enlivened and engaged the discourse on worship: Sally Morgenthaler, James Abbington, and Dena Pence Frantz.

Morgenthaler is the founder of Sacramentis.com, "Re-imagining Worship for a New Millennium." She asked the question, Is there worship after the contemporary? Recognizing that worship and relationships have changed in the "wired" world, Morgenthaler spoke to the complexity of worship in the "contemporary" or "emerging" church. Worship, at its essence, is to be about revelation and response, and most importantly, being engaged with the spiritual needs for worship in one's own community, or what she memorably phrased, "digging deep in our own dirt." Morgenthaler led a series of workshops on "Crafting Worship in the Emerging World."

James Abbington delivered the Saturday morning keynote address. He joined the conference from Baltimore, Md., where he is professor of music at Morgan State University and associate editor of the African American Heritage Hymnal of GIA Publications, Inc. Abbington spoke enthusiastically about the importance of worship being a lifestyle, a circular effect where our ritual informs our lifestyle, which informs our ritual. In the midst of the "worship wars," where we argue over genre rather than gospel, and style rather than substance, Abbington reminded the conference that at the heart of worship is the way people understand and engage God. Abbington led workshops on keyboard literature, choral reading, and music in the African-American tradition.

Dena Pence Frantz, professor of Theology at Bethany, delivered the third keynote address introducing her work on theological understandings making use of visual art. Frantz's address, "Birds and Flames: Occasions for God's Presence," brought insight on how images create corporate experiences as well as interior encounters, opening space for worshipers to dwell with visual structure. Using images of birds and flames, Frantz explored these metaphors for God's presence among us through the Holy Spirit as depicted in art.

Workshops, ranging from banner making to congregational singing, drama to praise movement, team leadership to media in worship, allowed participants to engage topics relevant for their congregations. Small groups allowed participants to share experiences, struggle with questions, and envision what they will take back to their churches. Early evening concerts featured the Richmond Church of the Brethren choir, the joint choir of Bethany and Earlham School of Religion, and handbells.

The conference brimmed with corporate worship. Three different styles were presented in daily worship: a traditional service led by Rebecca Slough, James Abbington, and Nancy Faus; an "emergent" worship service led by Brian Messler, associate pastor at Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren, and the West Charleston (Ohio) Church of the Brethren praise band; and an energetic and informative experience of African-American music led by James Abbington.

--Carrie Eikler is a student at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind.

Source: 5/10/2005 Newsline
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