I have a new title, Director of Ministry Connections. This new role and responsibilities are still being refined, but the focus is connection… with God, with each other, and with our community as we live out our identity as followers of Jesus.

One significant way that we connect with God each week is gathering for worship. Recently a confirmation student asked the question, “What can I do to help pay attention better in worship?” I’m guessing this isn’t just a 7 th or 8 th grader question. We all can struggle with paying attention during worship.

Worship Is a Conversation

Something that helps me goes back to what I learned during my Corporate Worship class. Worship is a dialogue, a back-and-forth between God and His people. Let’s take a look at what that means.

The opening song or hymn is God’s people proclaiming goodness of God through praise. It is followed by the invocation, where we are reminded that we worship the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is as if God is saying to us, “This is who I AM” and setting the tone of our time with Him. He is glad we are gathered together to be with Him.

Reminded of God’s awesomeness, we are humbled and we must confess our sins, our unworthiness to even be in His presence. He responds to us with grace, compassion and mercy as we hear the words of absolution, that everything is forgiven because Jesus’ gave His life for us. We are redeemed, washed clean, made new. Frequently confession and absolution are followed by a song of praise. Our response to God’s goodness to us is worship.

God speaks again to us through His Word, the reading of the scriptures, usually an Old Testament lesson, a New Testament lesson and a Gospel lesson. Our response? The Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed, our statement of belief about God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, three in one.

Each week God speaks to us through the sermon, a focused time of teaching and preaching, prepared thoughtfully and diligently by Pastor Eric, Pastor Bill or Deacon Mike. I know these men are humbled and blessed to bring God’s Word to us each week.

Have you noticed how the sermon is always followed by the offerings? While we may respond to God speaking in the sermon to us in various ways, one way is to bring our gifts to Him for the ministry of the church. Perhaps as you sit quietly during this time you might also ask, “God, how are you asking me to respond to Your Word today? This week?”

Prayer, Communion, and Blessing

Prayer is the part of worship you might most readily recognize as “dialogue with God,” because so often we teach that prayer is a conversation with God. We lift up our praise, thanksgiving, heartbreaks, needs for healing and more to God and then we pray with the words Jesus gave us, the Lord’s Prayer.

In Holy Communion, God comes to us again, through the bread and the wine, the body and blood of Jesus. He feeds us to strengthen us for the work He has prepared for us in the week to come. Be assured, God has plans for you each and every day.

Finally, in the benediction, God speaks one last word over us… He blesses us and sends us out, refreshed and renewed. Our closing hymn or song is often high energy and full of praise for our eternal, loving, all-powerful God!

Take Part in the Conversation

So… how can we better pay attention during worship and be more connected with God?

My strongest encouragement is to take part in the conversation that is happening. Sing the songs. God loves all voices. Where there are opportunities to speak out loud – confession, prayers, responses – participate with your voice. Underline key words in the scriptures in your bulletin. Speak the creeds with confidence. Give your offering cheerfully. Listen for God to speak to you – through the songs, the Word, the children’s message, the sermon, the familiar words, your brothers and sisters in Christ. He is not silent. Take the time to write down or share with someone one thing that God is saying to you or one part of the worship service that was meaningful to you each week.

Come to worship each week expecting to meet God there.

He promises to meet you there… and He is faithful to keep His promises.

Following Jesus together,

Michelle Pavasars