Ruined by the presence

Worship

Those of you who know me - and Im guessing thats pretty much everyone who is reading this - know that I've always been involved in worship in church one way or another.  I cant quite remember how I first got involved in CCE ( or ECF as it was back in the day) in Edinburgh, but it was probably after Id been in the church for a year or so and mentioned to someone that Id like to sing.  For years I was a backing singer and had the huge and enormous privilege of being able to stand on the platform looking out over a congregation who were worshipping God with all their hearts.  I realise now that I was utterly blessed to be surrounded by astounding musicians - Allan Colley on keys, Shirely Gatt on bass, Laura Cross and her fiddle, Graeme Mck on drums, Raymond on lead guitar and so many others who made the music part of things so effortless.   I have amazing memories of singing spontaneous duets in the spirit with Colin Symes, of seeing the church on its knees in moments of holy wonder and of singing for hours and hours and hours because nobody wanted to go home and the presence of God was so sweet.

I distinctly recall one Sunday when I was up singing with Pauline McKinnon.  She suddenly jumped off the platform, grabbed a large blue flag which was leaning up against the wall and ran up and down the aisles of the church and across the front with this banner trailing out behind her.  Something in the spiritual atmosphere cracked in that moment and all of a sudden we were in a different place.   And I also remember Ali Mckenzie bringing in his police riot shields and the worship team doing a prophetic dance/drama around the elders, symbolising the attempted attack of the enemy and the subequent vicory through prayer as people gathered round to defend them.   My goodness they were super powerful days.

I thought that was just normal church 😀   I just assumed that what God was doing in Edinburgh He was doing everywhere.

I am constatly homesick for the taste of heaven I had in those days.  And so desparate for other people to catch sight of what is possible in worship.   I know that back then we merely dipped our toes in the very edges of what worship means and is.  We caught fleeting glimpses of what lies behind the veil.  We shared holy, really holy, sacred moments with one another in ways which forged friendships which have lasted for decades amongst people who had nothing in common except having stood together before Jesus.   I was ruined by the presence of God.  I am hungry for more and more and more.

Yesterday I wrote that the job of a worship leader is to stand in the presence of God and say to the people ' It is amazing here, come and join me'  and then show how to approach the throne through attitude and posture, prayer and exhortation and a spirit led choice of songs.   You dont need a fancy band and an expensive sound system to do that.  You dont need the most trendy up to date worship songs. What you do need is permission from leaders,  enough time and space to allow people to draw near and step in, and a congregation who trust you and love you enough to say ' well, Im not entirely sure about this, but I want what s/he has got so Im going to follow their lead and see where I end up'. And when the people have stepped through the veil and stand in the presence, then the worship leader's job is done and they can stand back and let the people do what they need and want to do in that place before their maker.  Which might look like dancing or crying or singing a new song or kneeling or being silent.   In so many ' new' churches we worship just up to the point where the congregation feel that they are approaching the throne of God and then the music stops and the preaching starts and its all over for another week.

This week my heart is back in Edinburgh with my church family there as they gather to say goodbye to Ann Symes.  Id be there if I could be.  Im sure her funeral will be a sweet, moving and worshipful occasion as the Symes and Hayes families give her back to God and thank Him for the wonderful years they had with her.  I shall be praying that whoever leads the worship on Saturday will call people into the healing presence of Jesus and allow them time to rest their in their grief and feel the love and compassion of their holy, awesome and incredible God.